

New York Yankees Fantasy PreviewPosted: Tuesday March 6, 2007 12:51PM; Updated: Tuesday March 6, 2007 12:51PM
After 14 straight postseason appearances, the Yankees' dominance of the AL East should continue, albeit amid the kind of soap opera atmosphere that Joe Torre, Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada & Co. have long tried to avoid. To address some unrest in the clubhouse, G.M. Brian Cashman moved the volatile Gary Sheffield and Randy Johnson, neither of whom was a fantasy force in his final season in the Bronx. IrreplaceableSay what you will about Alex Rodriguez's inability to get a clutch hit, he's still one of the best fantasy players in history. His me-first attitude is what fantasy sports are all about. So unless your league counts categories such as LIPS average (late-inning pressure situations), and RBIs with runners in scoring position with two outs, you should grab A-Rod (.300, 40 HRs, 125 RBIs 25 SB last year) early in the first round or for the highest price at auction. The Next Big ThingIt's a given that the Hurt Seeking Missile, Carl Pavano, will pull up lame at some point this season, which means that at least one of the Yankees' two prized young righthanders, Phil Hughes or Humberto Sanchez, will get a chance to prove himself in the rotation. Hughes, 20, has a mid-90s fastball, a killer curve and great command (34 walks in 146 minor league innings last season). He hasn't pitched above Double A, however, so he's more of a second-half callup candidate. Sanchez, 23, acquired from Detroit in the Sheffield trade, also throws in the mid-90s, though his slider is the pitch to watch (especially now, working under the sultan of the slider, pitching coach Ron Guidry). Dominant at Double A early last season (1.76 ERA, .190 opp. BA), Sanchez struggled a bit in his first taste of Triple A (3.86, .260). Danger!The move of Jason Giambi to full-time DH is designed to improve the team's infield defense while saving wear and tear on one of the team's best run producers. However, Giambi's career numbers are much better as a first baseman (1.011 OPS at first, .871 as DH). Another concern: Once a perennial .300 hitter, Giambi has hit .250 over the last four seasons. Do You Feel Lucky?The Yankees' response to losing the Daisuke Matsuzaka sweepstakes was signing Kei Igawa, a 27-year-old lefty who has twice been Japan's top strikeout pitcher. Though much less heralded (and less accomplished) than the Boston's new ace, Igawa, facing other bottom-of-the-rotation pitchers, should chalk up some wins while registering solid strikeout totals in the free-swinging AL East. Like many Japanese imports who came before him, Igawa will likely be undervalued. Steals Come From...The Yankees were third in the majors with 139 steals. Most of the damage is done at the top of the order, where Johnny Damon, Derek Jeter and Bobby Abreu all stole at least 25 bases, while A-Rod's 15 was his low for the last four seasons. Robinson Cano has just six steals in two seasons, but he has speed and will be on the move more often this year. Utilityman Miguel Cairo has reached double digits for three straight years. If Something Should Happen To Mariano RiveraTwo Yankee relievers have big league closer experience. The first to get the call would likely be Kyle Farnsworth, who saved six games last year. Former Diamondback Brian Bruney was a pleasant surprise after being picked up on waivers last year (0.87 ERA, 25 K's in 20 2/3 innings). In 2005 he did a respectable job saving 12 games for Arizona. Scott Proctor was the majors' busiest reliever last season and was a minor league closer, but he blew six of seven save chances in '06. You Need Them TooRobinson Cano, Mike Mussina, Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada, Chien-Ming Wang Better left as someone else's problemMelky Cabrera, Doug Mientkiewicz, Carl Pavano, Andy Phillips, Luis Vizcaino
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