02-17-2009, 02:11 PM
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->While I agree that the Yankees play in a much better division than the Cubs, I don't know how you figure the Yankees are marginally better.
They have Sabathia and Burnett coming into their rotation and a healthy Wang replacing Ponson, Rasner and fill ins. That alone is a significant positive change for them. They're outfield got significantly better with Swisher playing CF over Cabrera. Losing Abreu is tempered by having Nady playing full time. On the infield, Teixeira over Giambi is a pretty solid improvement. I don't know an area where they took a step back. So how is that marginally better? The only loses are Abreu and Mussina.
I can see that Abreu > Nady, but Swisher >> Cabrera makes up for that pretty easily. CC>Mussina>Burnett>>>everyone else the Yankees had at SP. Tex >> Giambi.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Go look at offensive numbers last year for all the guys you named and you'll see what I mean. Pitching-wise, they'll be better, offensively they may be worse. Overall, they are marginally better than last year.
They have Sabathia and Burnett coming into their rotation and a healthy Wang replacing Ponson, Rasner and fill ins. That alone is a significant positive change for them. They're outfield got significantly better with Swisher playing CF over Cabrera. Losing Abreu is tempered by having Nady playing full time. On the infield, Teixeira over Giambi is a pretty solid improvement. I don't know an area where they took a step back. So how is that marginally better? The only loses are Abreu and Mussina.
I can see that Abreu > Nady, but Swisher >> Cabrera makes up for that pretty easily. CC>Mussina>Burnett>>>everyone else the Yankees had at SP. Tex >> Giambi.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Go look at offensive numbers last year for all the guys you named and you'll see what I mean. Pitching-wise, they'll be better, offensively they may be worse. Overall, they are marginally better than last year.