I Want To Believe... But I Can't: The Official 2023 New York Yankees Off-season Thread

[tremonthustler1]

WE WILL BE HERE, FOREVER! - KRS-ONE Hal Steinbrenner & Brian Cashman


We will be here forever
Do you understand?
FOREVER
Forever and ever
And ever and ever
We will be here forever
Do you understand that?
Get what I'm saying?
FOREVER!

and with that, I start the 2023 New York Yankees season thread. Let's figure out how we can reach the ultimate goal: A World Series Title Beating Houston once!






@Grifter @g-ice @The War Report @NYC Rebel @jflores @NYChase718 @Derek Lee @The Fukin Prophecy @Mantle Drunk @SithLawd @puggle @3rdLetter @BlueHeffner @Pitfalls0117 @Rev @Medio @IGSaint12 @Michael's Black Son @Remote @BlackBall @Doctor Wily @Aje @Stop_It_5 @GunRanger @Columbo @Ethnic Vagina Finder @obarth @K-Apps @gangreen @ExodusNirvana @Walter H White @Spaceman Piff @DredScott @Juggalo Fred @Street Knowledge @NY's #1 Draft Pick @the next guy @Rice'N Beckford @BaRRyG @HookersandIceCream @nyknick @Mantis Toboggan M.D. @Tunez @BK360NATL @holidayinn21 @Nero Christ

 

[BlueHeffner]

 

[Rev]

 

[tremonthustler1]

Offense

99 RF Aaron Judge
48 1B Anthony Rizzo
25 SS Gleyber Torres
27 DH Giancarlo Stanton
28 3B Josh Donaldson
22 CF Harrison Bader
31 LF Aaron Hicks
38 C Jose Trevino
77 SS Anthony Volpe

Bench
66 C Kyle Higashioka
26 IF DJ LeMahieu
95 UTIL Oswaldo Cabrera
12 UTIL Isiah Kiner-Falefa


Other guys fighting for a spot
91 SS Oswald Peraza
90 OF Estevan Florial
93 OF Everson Pereira
38 C Ben Rortvedt

24 OF Willie Calhoun
30 IF Wilmer Difo
71 OF Rafael Ortega

and one can dream... 89 OF Jasson Dominguez aka The Martian

 

[tremonthustler1]

Pitching

45 Gerrit Cole
55 Carlos Rodon
65 Nestor Cortes
40 Luis Severino
86 Clarke Schmidt

0 Domingo German

Bullpen
35 Clay Holmes
97 Ron Marinaccio
58 Wandy Peralta
43 Jonathan Loaisiga
34 Michael King
41 Tommy Kahnle
56 Lou Trivino
84 Albert Abreu


Other arms fighting for a spot
81 Luis Gil (won't see him til August)
85 Greg Weissert
83 Deivi Garcia
76 Jhony Brito
74 James Norwood
62 Ryan Weber

 

[Remote]

It’ll be interesting to see if the ban on extreme defensive shifts helps Anthony Rizzo this year. He still projects as an above average player, though not an elite 1st baseman.

Judge will be Judge. I’m not expecting 60 or even 50 HR. But 40-45 is realistic.

Hopefully Stanton remains solid. Though he’s clearly declining.

The real strength of the team right now is in their front 2 starters. Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon are legitimate aces. On any given night they can go 7 innings and 10 strikeouts. The hope is that both remain healthy - especially Rodon.

There’s some disagreement as to which minor league prospect projects to be the better player: Oswald Peraza or Anthony Volpe. The sense I’m getting is that Peraza is more MLB ready and Volpe has the higher ceiling. Peraza should be the starting SS and I would imagine Volpe gets called up around July to play 2B.

You figure Gleyber’s days here are numbered.

I’m not a fan of Aaron Hicks still being on the roster but that seems like a desperate attempt at having depth. There are rumblings that with more time removed from his injuries Hicks could finally play to his potential but I think he’s effectively cooked.

I’m not expecting much of a bounce back season out of Donaldson. I think last season his bat speed just wasn’t there. If he can give the Yankees above-average defense and OPS .750ish they’ll be more than happy. Maybe he’s just keeping the seat hot for Manny Machado now that he’s going to test the market next winter. Who knows?

 

[NYChase718]

 

[K-Apps]

It will interesting how not playing each AL East team 19 times will play out. But, I’m expecting another great regular season and playoffs we will see lol

 

[The War Report]

 

[IGSaint12]

Seeing the same lineup that got swept in the playoffs is painful.

 

[Michael's Black Son]

LMAO @ this lineup looking like 2022

 

[g-ice]

Welp, here we go again.

Donaldson better get that DFA sometime during the season.

 

[ExodusNirvana]

Yeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrr

WE IN HERE

 

[Stop_It_5]

Full season of Bader in center

 

[Ron Mexico]

Just the same ol fraud ass team plus Rodon which isn't enough.