For the Yankees, $423.5 million dollars bought them a playoff birth. Congratulations, after 1 agonizing year of not being in the post season the Yankees are back! However, if the Yankees are going to win the World Series this season they are going to need these three stars to step up in a big way offensively.
Derek Jeter was amazing in the playoffs from 1995 to 2000, but since then has been pretty average. Since 2001 Jeter has a .294 average, but has batted justed .215 in ALCS and World Seiries games.
A-Rod has been pretty pedestrian in the playoffs since becoming a Yankee. He owns a .244 average with 4 HR, 9 RBI, and 24 strike outs in 94 at-bats.
Mark Teixeira was in the playoffs for the first time last season as a member of the Los Angeles Angels. While he batted a scorching .467 he only managed 1 RBI against the Red Sox.
Pitching wins championships, and the Yankees put a bulk of that $423.5 million towards their two front line starters CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett along with Teixeira. I am not convinced that the Yankees will win the World Series or even get out of the first round, but I do believe they will go as far as the bats of these three stars take them. Because they are going to have home-field advantage, offense will play a big role in the whiffle ball field known as Yankee Stadium.
