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| Vernon Wells isn't the solution to the Yankees problems. (Credits: Jeff Gross/ Getty Images) |
It was the winter of 2009 and the New York Yankees were just coming off their first postseason-less season in 13 years, an embarrassing way to spend their last season in historic Yankee Stadium. The free agent market had two big names, C.C. Sabathia and Mark Teixeira who wanted monster contracts. George Steinbrenner wanted them and George Steinbrenner got them, along with A.J. Burnett adding $450 million to the Yankees already burgeoning payroll. Of course, the Yankees went on to win the World Series thanks to A-Rod's one and only quality playoff run (which somehow is forced by Yankees' fans to be a reason to why the Yankees gave him $270 million/10 yrs when the guy was already 32 years of age). But, my oh my, doesn't that seem like an eternity ago.
"Plagued by injuries" looks like a phrase too understated for these 2013 Yankees. The core of the Yankee lineup looks ancient. Mark Teixeira and Curtis Granderson both will be on the DL when the season starts and they could be joined by Derek Jeter, whose ankle looks as if it's developing into a season long debilitation. We haven't even spoken about Alex Rodriguez, whose situation is beyond weird. The Yankees have major issues.
However, the real indication of how desperate the Yankees have gotten is their legitimate interest in Vernon Wells. The 33-year-old hasn't been himself since the 2010 season, both with hitting slumps and injuries issues. He has yet to live up to current 7-year/$126 million contract that the Angels gave him by only hitting .222/36/95 in 208 games in L.A. Could Wells be the answer in the home run hitter's paradise that is Yankees Stadium? Potentially, but for a majority of the season, Wells won't have much of a lineup around him to allow him pitches hittable pitches. Anyways, we've seen this too many times. Guy goes and gets overpaid by a big contract and never preforms again, even when he gets a change of scenery. I just don't see Wells as their answer, especially when the Yankees have been thoroughly hyping up their farm system. This is just another indication that the Bronx Bombers have lied to their fans about how much talent they have in the minors. The Yankees are in trouble.
With all these lineup issues this Yankees squad is going to rely on a rotation that is receiving a lot of hype. On paper, the hype is legitimate. But two of three main cogs in Hiroki Kuroda and Andy Pettitte are above of 38 and their ace Sabathia is coming off elbow surgery. Not exactly the most reassuring in the health department. Rounding out their rotation they have Phil Hughes and Ivan Nova, who had their flashes of brilliance last year but haven't proved themselves to be consist. Question marks and storylines will be abundant in the Yankees rotation. However, the biggest question of them all is can they actually carry this team? Because that's looking like the only way they'll make the playoffs.
Whether or not the Yankees pitching staff lives up to its billing, Vernon Wells doesn't answer their batting issues neither in the short term nor the long term. Throwing even more ugly money to stopgap your burgeoning holes already filled with excessive cash isn't how you're supposed to do it. Not when you're the Yankees and not when you play in the AL East. This team could struggle to win 80 games, with Wells or without him.
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