Preview #3 of 30: New York Yankees

Okay, so the Hot Stove season isn't quite over.  Today, the Yankees shipped out Randy Johnson to the Diamondbacks for Luis Vizcaino and a couple of yet-to-be-named minor leaguers.

This has been a weird offseason for Yankees fans.  The Yankees, apparently noticing that their model of signing the best free agents available and neglecting the farm system hasn't produced a World Championship since 2000, have decided to go young.  Of course, it's the Yankees, so don't expect a complete overhaul like those seen with the 2005 Rockies or 2006 Marlins -- George Steinbrenner has enough trouble dealing with 95-win seasons, much less the 67-win season that the Rockies went through in 2005.  But did you notice that two of the Yankees' likely Opening Day starters -- Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera -- aren't even 25 yet?  Or that two guys who will be just 27 on Opening Day (Kei Igawa and Chien-Ming Wang) will grace the Yankees' starting rotation?  Or that three of the above four were produced by the Yankees farm system?  Something strange is going on in the Bronx.

Most likely, the Boss has noticed the recent success of clubs that have built from within (and the fact that six years have gone by since the Yanks last won it all.)  He's also noticed that, thanks to an increasing number of teams developing farm systems and locking up their stars to long-term contracts before they hit the free agent market, the free agent pool is weaker than ever.  That means that the Yankees are trying to do what everybody else is doing: build their club from within through smart drafting and smart trades.  Gary Sheffield, who missed two thirds of last season, and Johnson, who's 43 years old and never seemed to fit in in New York, are out.  A bunch of guys you probably never heard of, but who are much more likely to play a role on the next Yankees World Series team, are in.

The Yanks' farm system isn't exactly loaded, but it's not bad.  Eight of BA's Top 10 Yankees prospects are pitchers, and that was before the Yanks picked up Humberto Sanchez, a fireballing righty, from Detroit in the Sheffield trade.

Of course, the Yankees still have a talented big league club.  Is it good enough to win a World Series?  Possibly.  Wang and Igawa will team with Mike Mussina, Andy Pettitte, and a fifth starter (Carl Pavano?) to form what could be a very strong rotation.  And the everyday lineup is still one of, if not the most dangerous in the bigs.  The lineup is aging a bit, and while the farm system has plenty of pitching help on the way there aren't a lot of premium position prospects on the farm other than 18-year-old outfielder Jose Tabata, who's still in A-ball.

The Yankees should still be the favorites to win the AL East, with the Blue Jays mostly running in place and the Orioles being a running joke.

Predicted finish: 1st, AL East

The season will be a success if... The Yankees win the World Series.  The Boss wouldn't have it any other way.

Projected 2007 record: 97-65