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IMHO
- The ramblings of Phil
Speranza
Email:
Phil
Speranza Website:
Behind The
Bombers
Phil Speranza is publisher and
webmaster of the longest running
New York Yankees fan site on the
Internet (Behind The Bombers) and
wrote the 2000 season update of
The Yankee Encyclopedia 5th
Edition (still included in the
6th Edition) published by Sports
Publications LLC. Phil also
contributed to the book "THE
GREAT RIVALRY: BOSTON RED SOX/
NEW YORK YANKEES by HARVEY
FROMMER & FREDERIC J.
FROMMER" also from Sports
Publishing LLC. Phil is currently
the new Weblog writer for the
"Pride of the Yankees Weblog" on
NJ.com.
GREETINGS BOMBER
BUDDIES,
Opening Day is drawing closer and
there is still no site of a lefty
in our starting rotation. No
Yankee team has won without a
starting lefty since 1947 and we
had six team leagues back then.
In 2004 the Yankees will have an
all right handed starting five.
Normally you try to pick up as
many southpaws and lefty batters
because that usually equals
success in Yankee Stadium. In
theory is that the short distance
to the right field wall makes
left handed hitters more of a
home run threat against
right-handed pitchers.
Unless something
happens that is very drastic the
starting five looks like
this:
Mike
Mussina the
sole hold out from last years
Opening Day rotation pitched in
Yankee stadium last year. He did
not give up many home runs at
home. He was not the victim of a
larger than normal amount of
power hits. As a matter of fact,
he had one of his better
statistical seasons in 2003. He
was among the league leaders in
strikeouts and innings
pitched/hits allowed
differential. My whole problem
with the Moose is he is not a
Yankee deep down. He is an "I"
player took quick to point
fingers and complained that last
season was not fun because the
pressure was too great.
Jose
Contreras eventually
replaced Jeff Weaver in the
rotation in 2003 but he did pitch
hurt early on. He was a much
better road pitcher. Once he
healed towards the end of the
season he was often sensational.
He has high strikeout totals, low
hits allowed, and was at times
unhittable. This is not the type
of right-hander to have problems
with left-handed hitters in
Yankee Stadium or anywhere for
that matter.
Javier
Vasquez
came to the Yankees in a deal
that sent Nick Johnson and Juan
Rivera north of the border to
Montreal. While he really hasn't
proved himself yet he is similar
to Contreras. He has a low
hits-to-innings ratio and a high
strike out per game average
(approximately eight per nine
innings) in Montreal. He also
features good control and works
low in the strike zone. If he has
that little extra that helps a
player to make it in the Big
Apple he should be all right. He
is having a decent spring but so
did Weaver last year.
Kevin
Brown's
health is his own worst enemy. He
may be however the best sinker
ball pitcher in baseball. He will
not have short right field porch
problems because of the high
number of ground balls and
strikeouts. If he stays healthy
he could have a 20 win season,
with the bullpen he won't have to
go more than six innings of
so.
Jon
Lieber
used to pitch in Wrigley Field
where you had a short right and
left field. He fared well in
Wrigley in 2001 while
encompassing a 20-6 record. He is
not the strikeout pitcher of the
other four starters but he simply
does not give in to hitters and
will get the hitter to go after
his pitch. His best asset is
control and like the youngster
Vazquez he can work effectively
low in the strike zone.
Well there is
talent there although again we
enter the season with a handful
of "ifs". If we stay healthy we
will have no problem getting to
the post season. We need to
develop the character to get us
through it.
MY
PREDICTIONS: You know I don't
make standings predictions but
here are my 2004
predictions:
1.
Kevin Brown will win 20
games.
2.
Travis Lee will be the next Paul
O'Neill
3.
Bernie will be the regular center
fielder by the All Star
break.
4.
Jorge De Paula will have 20-25
starts this year for the
Yankees.
IMHO. That's all
for now. Here's hoping all your
hits go for extra bases.
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