Yanks Need a Fast Start

You can hear it now, The boos raining down from the upper deck of the brand new Yankee Stadium.  That's precisely the sound we will hear if Alex Rodriguez and the Yankees don't get off to a hot start. The zoo like atmosphere that will ensue during this first week of spring training can only be left behind if the Yankees, and especially A-Rod have a fast start. Otherwise, the media circus concerning steroids, big money free agents, and Joe Torre's, and not to mention Selena Roberts' new books won't be leaving town anytime soon. 

The only way out of this for the Bombers will be to win. Win now and win fast. Sabathia and Burnett must be the Aces they were signed to be. Teixeira must combine with A-Rod to become the one-two punch in the middle of the order the Yankees were missing last year. Role players like Melky Cabrera and Robinson Cano must come into their own and prove that last year's dreadful performances were abberations. Joe Girardi must prove to the fans and management that letting Saint Joe Torre go was the right decision. Even Derek Jeter has something to prove coming into the season. There has been much talk about his decline both offensively and defensively throughout the offseason.  Jeter must bounce back from last year and prove the critics wrong.  

Will all of this happen? Not likely. However, enough of it must in order for the Yankees to play out the year while leaving behind the circus like atomsphere we have seen throughout the offseason and we will continue to see during spring training. The Yankees have a lot to prove, no doubt about it. If they start off slow, don't expect them to recover. The division is too good. They cannot afford to fall behind or they face the same fate as last season. Only this time it could mean Girardi's and Cashman's jobs. 

Yankees News and Notes from the AP:

Posada, coming off shoulder surgery, isn't likely to catch in exhibition games until mid-March, Girardi said. He probably will catch 100-110 games during the regular season if there are no setbacks, down from Posada's September estimate of 120-130. ... With spring training expanded by a week to 7 1/2 weeks because of the World Baseball Classic, Mariano Rivera isn't likely to pitch in exhibitions when they start Feb. 25. Rivera, coming off minor shoulder surgery, has a preference to pitch eight-to-10 innings each spring training. ... Matsui, coming off left knee surgery, probably will be a DH for much of spring training. ... Yankees co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner was in attendance for part of a pre-spring training workout at the minor league complex that included Posada, SS Derek Jeter, 1B-OF Nick Swisher and RHP Chien-Ming Wang. Burnett arrived two days before the first official workout for pitchers and catchers and played catch in the outfield with reliever Brian Bruney. ... The highest number, 94, was assigned to RHP Kanekoa Texeira.