Yankees and Mets spring training: Weaknesses? Not this year

2/12/09
robinson cano
By Max J. Dickstein

Yankees and Mets spring training: Weaknesses? Not this year

Photo credit: Game Face

Francisco Rodriguez (Getty Images)

Mark Teixeira (Getty Images)

By Max J. Dickstein

For the Mets and Yankees, last year’s 89-73 records — and postseason misses — spurred offseason action to shore up the weaknesses that produced the twin disappointment.

Several acute changes during this winter of discontent could usher in a contented spring, summer and fall.

Yankees

The Bronx Bombers shook the earth beneath Major League Baseball with their $423.5 million free agency outlay to first baseman Mark Teixeira (eight years, $180 million) and starters CC Sabathia (seven years, $161 million) and A.J. Burnett (five years, $82.5 million).

These bold new faces join a club already stocked with franchise cornerstones.

Shortstop Derek Jeter, third baseman Alex Rodriguez and catcher Jorge Posada, on restricted duty with a surgically repaired throwing shoulder, are in their mid-30s, just exiting their considerable primes. Along with the adept glove of Teixeira, they will hold down the infield and juice the offense.

Sabathia and Burnett top off a pitching rotation that already features formidable lefty sinkerballer Chien-Ming Wang and right-handed flamethrower Joba Chamberlain, opening his first season as a full-time starter.

Baseball’s pre-eminent closer, Mariano Rivera (39 saves, 1.40 ERA last season), insures the steady bullpen.

With so many reliable elements in the fold, second-year manager Joe Girardi’s top roster concerns will be the question marks dotting the outfield — with a jumble of starting candidates — and second base, where Robinson Cano regressed badly last year.

Mets

Philadelphia eclipsed the Mets again in the NL East because of last season’s September collapse — the team’s second consecutive choke job.

Signing single-season saves leader Francisco Rodriguez to a three-year, $37 million deal, trading for Seattle reliever J.J. Putz as K-Rod’s eighth-inning man and reconstituting the rest of the bullpen, general manager Omar Minaya provided the antidote.

As has been the case for three seasons — before each of which the Mets were a World Series favorite — the rest of the roster, including a star-filled offense to rival any other big-league team’s, is mostly unchanged.

Ace Johan Santana, arguably the game’s best pitcher, leads a familiar staff that features several 15-win-type starters: re-signed righty Oliver Perez, Mike Pelfrey and John Maine.
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robinson cano

Yankees and Mets spring training: Weaknesses? Not this year

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