It's not how you start, it's how you finish.

Another national sports writer picks the Yankees for last place in their division.

The overall theme seems to be that the Yankees are old and therefore unproductive. "Out with the old, in with the new." This narrative is seemingly fulfilled when multiple players start the season on the DL (regardless of their age).

Girardi understands that the Yankees won 95 games last year without Gardner, ARod, Teixeira, Sabathia, Joba, and Mariano. They even won 95 games last year without Pedro Feliciano.


I'll be the first to admit that predictions are stupid. I am pretty sure I picked the Nationals for last place in 2012 and the Marlins for first place. So I could be way off with the 2013 Yankees. I'm not being contrarian for the sake of being contrarian. I just think everyone is missing the boat:

"5. Yankees: Curtis Granderson, Mark Teixeira, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez open on the disabled list. Vernon Wells opens in left field, Brett Gardner in center and Lyle Overbay at first. Joe Girardi's spring comment that the Yankees are a 95-win team is funnier than anything Craig Ferguson said this spring."

The Opening Day lineup is garbage, I will grant that.

However, I don't think that Granderson and Jeter are expected to be out long. ARod is due back around the All Star break. Teixeira, it's hard to say, especially given his well-known grittiness ... but I guess I'd be surprised if it was a season-ending injury.


May 1 lineup

Ichiro
Jeter
Cano
Youkilis
Granderson
Hafner
Nunez/Overbay
Catcher
Gardner



August 1 lineup

Ichiro
Jeter
Cano
Teixeira
Youkilis
Granderson
ARod/Hafner
Catcher
Gardner

Bench: Wells, Nix, Overbay, Nunez.

Is this really a terrible lineup?


If the injuries continue to pile up ... if ARod and Teixeira are still not healthy (or serving PED-related suspensions, as the case may be) ... then maybe the Yankees acquire Morneau and Mauer.