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Debris: The remants of the '07 Yanks

By ClassicRocker06, Section MLB
Posted on Tue Oct 16 2007 at 12:53 PM EST
More on: New York Yankees, Alex Rodriguez, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, Derek Jeter (all tags)

By Billy Fellin

The 2007 Yankees season is in the books after the disappointing loss in the ALDS against the Indians. To keep the book analogy going, we may have seen the final chapter in the saga that has been the Yankees under Joe Torre, if George Steinbrenner's comments hold true that is. There are many questions to be asked when it comes to where the Yankees go from here.

Questions are a common theme when it comes to the Yankees' off-season. The biggest one, aside from Torre, is whether Alex Rodriguez will opt out of his contract and enter the bidding market for his services. A part of me thinks he won't opt out though. He has said many times over that he feels at home in New York and when he comes through, New York is happy to offer that home and make him feel that way. He finally came through in 2006 with huge numbers, hitting over 50 HR's. This would be a huge loss in the Yankees line-up if he leaves the Bronx.  The Yankees line-up is stacked, easily one of the most potent in the American League last season, but losing A-Rod would still be a significant loss for the Yankees. But if A-Rod does opt out, what team would be able to sign him? There is that Cubs rumor, but do they really have the bank account for what A-Rod would want? Boston and Anaheim have also been tossed around and while both these teams do have the bank to cash in on A-Rod, I still think he wants to stay with the Yankees and whether Yankee fans want to admit it, they would miss him if he were gone. As much as they, at times, may not enjoy having Rodriguez on the team, I know I as a Yankee fan would be much more worried and upset about him being on another American League team, especially ones already as big of threats in the AL as the Red Sox and Angels are. I think he's going to stay and keep producing at third base for the Yanks.

The area the Yankees should be focusing is on the pitching staff. Cashman is partly to blame, only bringing in Andy Pettite as a free agent last winter and signing Roger Clemens midway through the year to bolster the staff. Pettite was pretty successful for the Yanks, but Clemens was overall a disappointment for the Yankees, perhaps best seen in his injury shortened playoff appearance against the Tribe. Mike Mussina is another question mark in the rotation. He is getting up there in age and had a horrible August, to the point where he was removed from the rotation. His September was remarkably better, going a perfect 3-0 in contrast to his 0-5 outings in the previous month. Overall on the year he was 11-10, posting around a 4 ERA. His future with the Yankees is certainly in jeopardy. I would like to see him back for the Yankees if he could consistently produce numbers like he did in September and not have another dismal month as August was to him. Chein-Ming Wang is the certified ace of the staff, despite his playoff shortfalls. Youngsters Phillip Hughes, Joba Chamberlain and others will look to have more significant roles in the Yankees' rotation and bullpen next year. Finally some youth on the staff! Thankfully Carl Pavano won't be in pinstripes next year for sure and I say good riddance; he spent more time on the DL or bench than he did pitching. He had got to be one of the worst Yankee big time contract signings of recent memory. Without Pavano, the Yankees' pitching will look to make a comeback to dominance in the 2008 season.

One of the bigger question marks in the Yanks' pen is future Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera. He has said that Torre's fate and his fate are certainly comparable; basically, if Torre goes, Rivera will test the market more seriously, if Torre stays he will likely sign back with the Yankees. I can't really picture the Yankees letting one of the best closers for the Yankees and more than likely all of baseball of recent memory just slip away without a fight. They will try as hard as they can to retain number 42. Enter Sandman will play in Yankee Stadium for at least next season.

Jorge Posada is another free agent from the Yanks. Here's another player that the Yankees will need to re-sign. He knows how to handle all of the Yankees pitchers and had a monster year at the plate. He has come through in the clutch and been right there along Derek Jeter as one of the most reliable players for the Yankees in recent memory. Besides, after Posada who is there for the Yankees at catcher? Well, the Yankees signed Jose Malina, but he really doesn't have the experience with the pitching staff that Posada does. His presence on the field is noticeable and something the Yankees need to continue to have in order to make it back to October.

The New York Yankees certainly have the talent and the knowledge to win in the MLB. However, it hasn't happened in a long time, at least in terms of Yankee time. There are a lot of questions to be answered this off-season and all eyes of the baseball world will be focused on the Bronx this winter. While what I have said here may or may not happen, it is guaranteed there will be changes for the 2008 edition of the Bronx Bombers.