Are the Yankees too old to Win a Championship?

It’s the criticism that’s surrounded New York for over a decade: their age. The naysayers have sung a familiar tune before this season. They’re too old. They can’t compete. They’re too fragile. And every year the Yankees have proven them wrong—but have they tried their luck too many times? With a
decimated lineup of injured sluggers—Jeter, Teixeria, Granderson—and a pitching rotation featuring the fading stars of Petitte, Kuroda, and Rivera, does the criticism finally hold true?

The short answer: an emphatic, laughable, no. Here are four reasons why you should renew your sports
packages this year and not give up on New York:

Who’s Left:

Image Courtesy of Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Excuse me, but Cano, Sabathia, Suzuki, Petitte, Rivera, and, yes even Gardner are more than
serviceable players. They’re proven winners. They’re MVP candidates. They’re on-base and stolen base
machines. They’re CY Young winners. They’re Gold Glovers. They’re the all-time saves leader. Need I
go on? This horse isn’t dead, so stop kicking it less you want a horseshoe shaped welt in return.

The Replacements:

Have you seen who the Yankees added to replace their injured stars or checked their stats lately?
Halfner is batting .391, Youkillis is at .370, and Wells is holding at .381—they’re one, two, and three
for average on the team. These three guys are former All Star caliber players with something to prove,
and from the looks of it, there’s plenty left in the tank.

The Fallen:

Yes, the roster has been plagued with injuries, but none of them are career or even season ending. Jeter, Granderson and Tex should all be back within the first two months of the season, while A-Rod and possibly Michael Pineda (remember him?  He’s the guy with the lightening fastball) are scheduled to return around the All-Star break. From the looks of things, there’s no need to rush these dynamos either because their replacements are leading the team in offense. If anything, Girardi will have too many bats by season’s end, and that’s a good problem to have.

The Yankee Way:

The telephone is ringing. Oh it’s just New York making the playoffs every year but one since 1995. Yes
the team is old. Yes they’re injured. Yes their backs are against the wall—tell me something new. New
York has faced this cataclysm before and always seems to come out smelling like roses. Now let’s stop
worrying about September baseball in April and watch the Yankee machine spin its head for another
season.

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