Another slow start?

[gashouse38]

Will the yankees have another slow start similiar to last year?

[DoubleX]

Hi gashouse and welcome!

My gut says no, but this is overall an old team, so who knows. Also, one of the problems about having too many superstars is that they can kind of cancel each other out in some ways. It's hard for me to explain, but I guess it's a team chemistry type thing as well as execution. When things start to skid, everyone starts swinging for the fences to be the hero. I've said it the past few years and I'll say it again, the team needs more scrappy players that do all the little things and play hard all the time and don't feel the need to be the hero.

Of course, that being said, when you have a lineup like the Yankees do, big things should happen.

Other reasons why the struggles should not be like last year include:

- Giambi's resurgence (he was struggling badly when the Yankees were going bad early last year, but by the end of the year, he was once again a force in the lineup).

- Cano's continued development, which will provide a very nice bat at the bottom of the lineup.

- Damon extends the lineup, and combined with Jeter, provides tremendous speed at the top of the lineup and should put a lot of runners on base

- A-Rod seems comfortable in New York, so I think he'll keep plugging away

- Johnson started to get comfortable in New York towards the end of last season, so he should be better at the start this year

- Wang, Chacon, and Small not only provide depth to the rotation that wasn't there early last year, but are guys who go out there and battle

- More options in the bullpen (though, no truly good options, but at least Torre should have a few different guys he can work with instead of just two)

- Phillips will be better than Tino Martinez (except for those few weeks Martinez had last May)

- With the extra rest and without the pain his shoulders receive from playing in the field, Bernie's bat will find new life

[Tinyballer]

Now that we have more solid starting pitching i am predicting a SOLID start for yankees. Not great but solid.

[TonyStarks]

Now that we have more solid starting pitching i am predicting a SOLID start for yankees. Not great but solid.

This is NY.
It's not how you start....but how you Finish. Especially if you goto work wearing PinStripes.

[farmsystem]

Start strong and finish strong.

[Yankeebiscuitfan]

Like XX said, it is an old team. The starting pitchers (Johnson, Mussina, Wang, Chacon, Wright, Small and Pavano) have an average age of 32.5.
I think that especially Johnson and Mussina are at an age where they have a big risk to get injured. And if that happens the Yanks will slow down. Let's hope that Wang and Small will have a year like last year.

9 of our regular players are 30+, and of those Sheff and Williams are almost 40. So for the last two there is IMO a bigger risk of getting injured.

But because I still don't have a crystal ball, we have to wait and see.