March 27, 2002
Is Alfonso Soriano Just Another Juan Samuel?
STREAKS IS STREAKS ... We all know spring stats don't mean
anything, especially for a veteran team like the Yankees. That
3-12-1 start was nothing to worry about. Now, of course, since
the Bombers have ripped off -- oh, wait, negative Ruben Rivera
vibe with that phrase -- make that "run off" a 14-1 skein
since March 14, well of course THAT means the team is playing
itself into mid-season form. Right? Ah, never mind. Draft
Mussina early, he's gonna win 25. Don't miss a word: these
columns are all archived upon publication at
http://dellepro.dellhost.com/doherty/sports/ESPN/ or send
questions to RotoYanks@yahoo.com.
Tearing it Up
HEY ROOKIE! YOU WERE GOOD ... The unsettled OF situation has
opened the door for Baby Bombers Juan Rivera and Marcus Thames
to stake a claim to an early-season roster spot. With Rondell
White (wait for it) injured, the fact that both can play CF
makes them candidates to be a defensive replacement for John
VanderWal and backup to Bernie Williams. Both run well, though
Rivera has more power; both have played extremely well in
camp. Only one will come north; ironically, the fact that
Rivera is considered the better long-term prospect probably
means he's headed to Columbus to play every day.
Slumping
SO-SO-RIANO? ... Alfonso Soriano is getting unbelieveable
media play right now as "the next Yankee superstar." Don't get
me wrong, I hope Soriano makes everyone forget Ryne Sandberg
and Joe Morgan. But keep in mind that his .736 OPS in 2002 was
actually below average for AL 2B, and significantly below the
overall AL average. As Lee Sinins of the always-informative
BaseballImmortals.net wrote this week, "The best that could be
said about Soriano is he was only a little bit below average
when compared to other 2B ... [he has] far better odds to be
the next Juan Samuel than a good major leaguer."
At the Plate
OUT OF ORDER? ... What will the everyday lineup look like? Joe
Torre has been having a lot of fun teasing the media with
ideas about Soriano leading off, and Nick Johnson being an
ideal #2 hitter -- and those things may happen eventually. But
not both right away, and certainly not by Opening Day.
Assuming White is hurt -- and that is his "default" setting,
as all fantasy owners know -- the April lineup will probably
be Jeter/SS, Williams/CF, Giambi/1B, Posada/C, Ventura/3B,
VanderWal/LF, Spencer/RF, Johnson/DH and Soriano/2B. If
Soriano leads off to start the year, bump everyone else down
one spot.
Probable Starters
Matchups Subject to Change
April 1: Clemens @ BAL (Erickson)
April 3: Wells @ BAL (Ponson)
April 4: Mussina @ BAL (Johnson)
April 5: Pettitte vs. TB (Alvarez)
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From the Rubber
HEY GRADY! WHO'S *YOUR* #5 STARTER? ... Andy Pettitte has
convinced Torre that he's ready to start the season; however,
he probably won't take his initial turn and could be pushed to
the back of the rotation. He's one hell of a fourth or fifth
starter ... Sterling Hitchcock will begin the season the DL,
so Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez will step in. But Hitchcock's
injury combined with Ramiro Mendoza's health woes have wreaked
havoc on the bullpen. Fortunately, non-roster invitee Mike
Thurman and Adrian "El Duquecito" Hernandez have been
lights-out; neither is worth a pickup right now, but keep an
eye on Duquecito.
On the Mend
ACHIN' ROBIN ... The team has decided not to DL Robin Ventura,
but he may not play the first few games of the season ...
Jorge Posada's lower back tightness is nothing to worry about
... Torre says the "odds are against" White being ready for
Opening Day; the over/under on White's 2002 games played is
currently at 72 ... Mendoza continues to suffer from upper
back and neck stiffness, especially after he throws, and will
not be ready to start the season. The hunch here is that
Ramiro is in for an injury-plagued 2002 campaign that puts the
"Mend" in "Mendoza." (Send pun complaints to Andy Van Slyke.)
Recent Call-ups
BENCH NOTES ... When the key roster question of the final week
of spring is whether Luis Sojo or Ron Coomer will be the
primary reserve infielder, things are pretty well settled.
Sojo, who said he would retire if he did not make the Yankee
roster, has had a productive spring and announced he would
consider playing elsewhere. He'll probably have to. Coomer,
who didn't make his major league debut until the age of 29,
was an All-Star just two years ago and in a similar number of
career AB is at .276/85/417 compared to Sojo's .261/36/261.
Coomer is also a year younger -- if you believe Sojo's age.
