Why the Yankees Will Not Win in 2007

I was in Las Vegas over the weekend, and was shocked to see that almost every major sports book had picked the Yankees to win the 2007 World Series. Now I don't claim to be a bookmaker, but having played college and professional baseball I feel like I am qualified to inform the world in and outside of Las Vegas why the Bronx Bombers will not have a successful year, much less win the World Series.

Pitching and defense wins championships and good pitching beats good hitting every time. Lets go over the Yankee pitching staff.

Although Chien-Ming Wang is one of the best pitchers he can not carry the team alone. Lets not forget also that he was been around the league now and all of the hitters will have scouting reports on him. And any hitter will tell you that the more you face a guy the easier hitting against him will be.

Mike Mussina has one of the best curve balls in the history of baseball. He had a spectacular year in 2006 going 15-7 with a 3.51 era, but he will turn 38 in December how long can we keep this performance up?

Carl Pavano...Carl who? He did not even pitch in 2006 and he did even pitch well in 2005, in fact in he was down right crummy in 2005 only winning 4 games in 17 starts. Despite winning 18 games in 2004 he has been less than stellar to say the least with a career record of 61-64 in 7 years.

Randy Johnson the big unit, I l know he won 17 games last year but he did it with smoke and mirrors and an era over 5.00! What other pitcher wins 17 games with an era that high! He will turn 44 next year and has chronic back problems and the unit has faded the last during the last 3 years. Johnson's era,whip, and opponents batting average have went up the last three years, while his strikeouts and innings pitched have went down.

Andy Pettite recently re-signed with New York and he is no longer the 29 year old who won 20 games for the Yanks back in 2003. He has had an arm surgery since then and last year he was 14-13 with the Houston Astros. Opponents hit .284 against him. Pettite is a good pitcher but winning 20 games is out of the question when guys are hitting .284 against him.

Chen can't carry the team, and A-rod can't hit in October. Mussina and Johnson are old men now and for the Yankees to have a chance both of them will have to have great years, unless you want Carl Pavano to pick up the slack. Carl Who.....? Sheffield has been traded and Lidle was killed in a plane crash. The Boss wants to trade Giambi. The Japanese guy was hurt last year. Jorge Posada is old for a catcher and Bernie Williams has gray hair now and is a fifth outfielder at best. Lots of Luck Yanks.....your gonna need it but it ain't gonna help ya!