Icon SMI[/caption]Is it time to panic in New York? Things so far this season are not looking good for the Yankees at all. Every season, it seems like there is something wrong in the Big Apple, but they always seem to pull it together and make the playoffs.
Will that happen this season? That is the question that many people will be asking coming into the start of the baseball season. Here is what's going good and bad for the franchise right now.
The Bad: A-Rod Associated With Steroids Again
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USA TODAY Sports[/caption]Back in January, The Miami New Times reported that the three-time AL MVP Alex Rodriguez bought human growth hormones and other performance-enhancing substances from 2009-12 from Biogenesis of America LLC, a now-closed anti-aging clinic in Coral Gables, Fla., near Rodriguez's off-season home.
What a way to start the season, right? If A-Rod is indeed guilty of purchasing the HGH, then he will likely face an even longer suspension or even perhaps a ban from baseball. This is a serious problem in baseball right now, as many people are saying that comissioner Bud Selig should really crack down on this issue and baseball officials may start with A-Rod.
Besides all of the steroid talk with A-Rod, he also is sidelined for at least the first half of the season after hip surgery Jan. 16. A 50-game suspension would cost him $7.65 million of his $28 million salary.
Last season, A-Rod showed that his age is catching up to him by showcasing a disappointing season. Now let's be honest here, a disappointing season by A-Rod standards is anything under 30 home runs and 90 RBI's, not only because of how good he is but because he should perform up to his expectations especially with the record contract he has.
A-Rod finished with a .272 average, 18 home runs and only 57 RBI's in 122 games. It will be interesting to see how or if he bounces back and shows his loyal fans what he can do.
The Good: Cano Talking Extension
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Nick Laham/Getty Images[/caption]Robinson Cano's agent and the Yankees have discussed reaching a long-term contract before the star second-baseman hits the free-agent market after this season. Even if Cano does hit the free-agent market, it is hard to believe that anyone can offer much more than the Yankees, so he stays in many people's eyes anyway.
It is normally tradition for the Yankees to refuse to negotiate any extensions on existing contracts, but owner Hal Steinbrenner repeatedly has indicated he might make an exception for Cano, who will become a free agent next winter.
Last season, Cano broke onto the scene as one of the best all-around hitters in baseball by finishing with a .313 average, 33 home runs and 94 RBI's. With those stats, he shows great potential for his batting-average and power at the plate, which is something that is hard to come around these days. One of the Yankees' main goals this season is to lock Cano up to a long-term deal.
It is only right to make an exception for one of the best players in today's game. There has actually been some buzz going around that Cano may end up being the first player to make an average of $30 million per year. That may not happen, because of what happened after A-Rod signed his huge contract.
An extension is coming for Cano and it will interesting to see whether he hits the $30 million-per-year mark. Anytime you can maintain to keep a player with the talent like Cano for five or more years is a good move.
The Bad: Injuries
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Elaine Thompson/AP[/caption]Outfielder Curtis Granderson suffered a fractured right forearm last Sunday after being hit by a pitch in his first at-bat in a Spring Training game and will be out until at least the first week of May.
Manager Joe Girardi was experimenting with Granderson in left field in that and moving Brett Gardner to center field, but Granderson never got the opportunity to go through with the new look the Yankees attempted.
The outfield has already diminished with the loss of Nick Swisher and now with Granderson's injury. Ichiro Suzuki is sadly declining at the age of 39. To follow all of those outfield issues, Ichiro then got in a car accident.
Suzuki said he had no soreness Sunday, one day after being involved in a traffic accident. Suzuki was on his way home after Saturday’s Spring Training game against the Detroit Tigers when the accident occurred.
And it wasn't only the players who were getting injured. General manager Brian Cashman broke his ankle during a skydiving activity.
The Good: Jeter Will Be Back Healthy
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Alex Trautwig/Getty Images[/caption]Superstar shortstop Derek Jeter is on pace to make an Opening Day return fully-healthy and recovered since fracturing his left ankle in Game One of the American League Championship Series.
General manager Brian Cashman stated Sunday as the goal date to get Jeter back in the lineup, but Jeter is the first to admit that there are no guarantees. More than likely, he will return on Opening Day. It would be the safe way to go, as there is no need to rush him back because he is too valuable to this team.
In the meantime, the Yankees have been sending different options into the field that has included Eduardo Nunez, Gil Velazquez and Jayson Nix, that has produced a mixed bag of results. So far, the most impressive out of those shortstops is Nunez, but not by much.
It is safe to say that the Yankees are in a state of transition and have the odds stacked against them. As long as they keep in mind that it's a 162-game season, they have a ton of time to pick up the pieces and fight back to the post-season.
A lot of people are counting them out, but in reality it is hard to do that, because they always seem to pull it together no matter what's going wrong.
