The "Cheap" New York Yankees?

But, alas, it is true. One of the game's most storied franchises is on the brink of something new and scarry -- mediocrity.

The team of such one-named, pinstrip icons as Mickey, Joe, Reggie, Thurman, and Billy has not claimed the World Series Championship in six years--soon to be seven. As a matter of fact, it is highly unlikely that the Bronx Bombers will be able to earn even a second place finish in 2007. Not only will Boston win the AL East crown by a convincing margin, but furthermore, the race in the East will be for second place between Toronto and New York. Baltimore could sneak up close to the two teams, as well. Thanks to the additional postseason berth created by the Wildcard spot, manager Joe Torre's Yankees can still hope for a playoff spot.

General Manager Brian Cashman has noted that the team will be going in a new direction. He finally acknowledged that years of free spending have hurt the farm system. In fact, team owner George Steinbrenner was not as quick with the checkbook as he has been in the past. When Japan's coveted pitching star Daisuke Matsuzaka was on the market, the Yankees expressed interest, but came nowhere near approaching the interest he received from A.L.-rival Boston.

Uncharacteristically, New York looked to replenish its farm system, rather than solely looking to improve the big league club. In addition to having one of the American League's top pitching prospects, Phil Hughes, New York, traded superstar first baseman Gary Sheffield to Detroit for three young pitchers. The three new Yankees, all right handers, include Kevin Whelan, Anthony Claggett, and the Tigers' prized-prospect, Humberto Sanchez. Furthermore, the Yanks acquired young and promising pitcher Chris Britton from Baltimore to bolster their youth movement on the mound. Since the rotation is so suspect, do not be surprised to see Hughes and Sanchez logging big-league work in pinstripes by the end of June. If things are really bad, add Britton into the mix.

As far as the starting rotation goes, the Yankees' will begin the season with Chien-Ming Wang, Mike Mussina, Andy Pettitte, Carl Pavono, and Kei Iwaga. This is a far from intimidating. Wang did come out of nowhere to tie for the league lead with 19 victories in 2006. However, the future does not look bright in New York after that. Years and experience seem to be catching up with the current rotation. After tossing over 200 innings in five straight seasons, the 38-year old Mussina has fallen below the double century mark the previous three seasons. Pettitte begins his second tour of duty with the Yankees. Though sometimes effective, Pettitte is not nearly as capable as he once was. Then, there's the enigma that Yankees' fans like to call Pavano. The question isn't whether or not he has a big-league arm. The question is whether or not he even wants to be in New York. Rumor has it, that he does not like pitching in The Big Apple. His seven appearances last season do not help matters, especially considering they were all minor league outings. Finally, Iwaga is the most questionable of all of the starters. It is easy to understand why Torre might consider calling on Hughes, Sanchez, or Britton by mid-season.

If the starting situation seems chaotic, the bullpen is far worse. Mr. Sure Thing, long-time closer Mariano Rivera, will be looking to prove that he is still the best fireman in the game. Though his 5-5 record signifies he is not quite the lock that he once was, his 1.8 ERA of a year ago shows that he still has a lot of gas in the tank. However, the same cannot be said of his bullpen mates. First, and foremost, is the horse, Kyle Farnsworth. This power pitcher absolutely has the arm to blow hitters away. However, his 3-6 mark and 4.5 ERA are proof of how erratic he can be. After that, the 'pen gets pretty thin and inexperienced. As a matter of fact, the brightest star just may be Oregon-native Brian Bruney. Following his call up, the 6-2 right-hander posted a sparkling .82 ERA. However, that was only in 19 games. Having someone to get the ball to Rivera-with the lead intact-looks to be a daunting challenge at Yankee Stadium this year. Chris Britton, Mike Myers, Scott Proctor, and Luis Vizcaino hope to be the answer the Pinstripes need.

On offense, the only noticable regular missing is Sheffield--unless Bubba Crosby is counted. In a lineup that boasts Johnny Damon (CF), Hideki Matsui (LF), Bobby Abreu (RF), Robinson Cano (2B), Jason Giambi (DH), Derek Jeter (SS), Doug Mientkiewicz (1B), and Alex Rodriguez (3B), runs should be plentiful. However, it will not be a matter of scoring runs for the New Yorkers, it will be a matter of scoring more runs than their opponents.

Expect the Yankees to extend their WSC draught to seven years. With a suspect (that is being generous) pitching staff and an explosive offense, baseball fans--not necessarily Yankees' fans-- will love the fireworks in New York on a daily basis. However, with the ever-improving Blue Jays on the prowl, it is unlikely that the Yankees can finish in one of the division's top two spots. Expect New York to tread on the unfamiliar ground of mediocrity.

Prediction: 3rd place (Boston and Toronto), 82-80 record

Just a thought, but it will be interesting to see how long the Big George's spending freeze lasts when his Yankees fighting to stay above the .500 mark and already out of contention--in June.