This Year and Last Year

[DoubleX]

Compared to last year, do you feel more or less confident about the Yankees going into to the season? Here is how the team compares now to it did going into opening day last year:

Catcher
2005: Jorge Posada, John Flaherty
2006: Jorge Posada, Kelly Stinnett

First Base
2005: Jason Giambi, Tino Martinez
2006: Jason Giambi, Andy Phillips

Second Base
2005: Tony Womack
2006: Robinson Cano

Shortstop
2005: Derek Jeter
2006: Derek Jeter

Third Base
2005: Alex Rodriguez
2006: Alex Rodriguez

IF Utility
2005: Rey Sanchez
2006: Miguel Cairo

Left Field
2005: Hideki Matsui
2006: Hideki Matsui

Center Field
2005: Bernie Williams
2006: Johnny Damon

Right Field
2005: Gary Sheffield
2006: Gary Sheffield

Reserve OF
2005: Ruben Sierra, Bubba Crosby
2006: Bernie Williams, Bubba Crosby

Rotation
2005: Randy Johnson, Mike Mussina, Carl Pavano, Jaret Wright, Kevin Brown
2006: Randy Johnson, Mike Mussina, Shawn Chacon, Carl Pavano, Chien-Ming Wang

Bullpen
2005: Tom Gordon, Paul Quantrill, Tanyon Sturtze, Mike Stanton, Felix Rodriguez, Felix Heredia, Steve Karsay
2006: Kyle Farnsworth, Aaron Small, Jaret Wright, Ron Villone, Mike Myers, Tanyon Sturtze, Scott Proctor

Closer
2005: Mariano Rivera
2006: Mariano Rivera

[BoofBonser26]

Shortstop
2005: Derek Jeter
2006: Alex Rodriguez

That's the first I've heard about that.

[DoubleX]

That's the first I've heard about that.

Good catch. I'll fix that. Thanks!

[Myankee4life]

This years team is better imo. The big difference is in CF. Last year we were hoping that a player past his prime in Bernie to produce. This year we have Damon whose in his prime and has a little more range in the outfield. In the starting rotation we had a lot of questions concerning Wright and Pavano. This year we have Chacon and Wang and we seen what they are both capable of. The Bullpen is a push for the reason being we had Gordon as our setup man and now Farnsworth who is a ?. Overall I think that this year we have a beter team.

[sandlot]

Damon is a plus on balance and gets Jeter back to batting 2nd. Whether Phillips is any improvement over Martinez we wait to see, but it will have to be at the plate, not around the bag. Cano obviously an upgrade over Cairo at the plate, though needs to work on fielding. Agree with a forumer elsewhere that DH is potentially a weak spot, but we can only hope for a last great hurrah from Bernie. More arms in the relief corps, plus Chacon and Wang, make a better staff. Overall, age remains an issue but the team is improved. One thing for sure is that it won't lead the league in base-stealing, but it might lead in opponents trying to take extra bases.