MLB Playoff

Baseball preview: New York Yankees

Although the New York Yankees have made 13 consecutive playoff appearances, it’s been a long time since they’ve tasted victory in the World Series. Seven seasons have passed since the Yankees defeated the New York Mets in the Subway Series in 2000. Perhaps the ownership has realized that it needs to take a different approach in order to find postseason success. Instead of spending millions of dollars to bring in the top free agents as they have in previous years, the Yankees spent millions of dollars to make sure that they didn’t lose their own top free agents. Closer Mariano Rivera signed a three-year deal worth $45 million and catcher Jorge Posada received a four-year deal worth $52.4 million. But the biggest move of the offseason is the one that could guarantee that the Yankees make their 14th consecutive playoff appearance in 2008. After it looked like third baseman Alex Rodriguez could be playing elsewhere this season, the team signed him for 10 years and $275 million. While the Yankees realized it was important to keep their star players in pinstripes, the team couldn’t do the same thing with their manager. Joe Torre headed to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the offseason and the Yankees will now rely on former catcher Joe Girardi to lead them back to the postseason in 2008. New York Yankees 2007 record: 94-68 (2nd in AL East) Key additions: RHP LaTroy Hawkins Key losses: RHP Roger Clemens, 1B Doug Mientkiewicz, RHP Luis Vizcaino Most valuable fantasy performers: 1. Alex Rodriguez, 3B – You only need to worry about Rodriguez if you have the top pick in your league’s draft. There’s something wrong if he isn’t picked first. He only needs 82 home runs for 600 in his career and it may happen this season. OK, so I’m exaggerating, but Rodriguez will hit .310 with 45-50 home runs and 140-150 RBIs. 2. Derek Jeter, SS – Although he is getting older, Jeter is still one of the five best shortstops available. He won’t be among the league leaders...

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