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Bomber Bites: 10 Bold Predictions For The Yankees 2015 Season

By Billy Brost|

Before you say, really? I’m here to say, normally I would hold off on making my ten bold predictions for the New York Yankees during the 2015 season, I’m up against the shot clock here. Tomorrow is my final day on staff, so instead of not making my annual predictions, I’m just going to do so earlier than most. Remember, these are bold predictions. Last season, I think I was 2-for-10, with my C.C. Sabathia and Masahiro Tanaka predictions coming to fruition, while the others were WAY off the mark. This is a fun piece, and I’m sure come the end of this season, these predictions will be exactly what they are…way off and fun! Let’s get right to it!

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C.C. Sabathia will make MORE than 25 starts in 2015: the obvious choice here would be to go with the under on this, but isn’t everyone else predicting the fall of the might Sabathia? As much as I don’t believe in my heart that it’s going to happen, I’ll go out on a limb here, and say that C.C. makes 28 starts, posts a record of 14-11, and has an ERA of right around 4.25. There. I said it.
Mark Teixeira hits .270 or better: even after he said trying to go the other way when the massive shift is put on, Tex isn’t dumb enough to hit into the shift 200+ times in 2015 is he? If he refuses to makes adjustments, what good is he in the lineup? Could Tex become a bench player while Garrett Jones takes over full time at first base? Not on your life! Using the open left side, Tex figures out how to make solid contact going the other way, and it’ll take the rest of baseball a couple months to figure out he’s serious, and his batting average will be the reward. Yes, .270 or better in a big bounce back season for the Yankees’ first baseman.
Michael Pineda finishes in the top three for AL Cy Young Award balloting: this is the season he finally puts it all together in the Bronx, stays healthy, and finally shows who won the trade between the Yankees and the Seattle Mariners. While Jesus Montero might be in better shape, Pineda dominates baseball in his first full season healthy with the Yankees. Final line: 19-6, 2.72 ERA, 191 K’s. Top three, but falls just short for the league’s ultimate award for pitchers.
Alex Rodriguez plays in 130 games: like it or not, the Yankees need his production in the lineup, and even at 40-years old during the season, the use of A-Rod at DH, third base, and yes, even some first base, bodes well not only for his health and production, but for the Yankees’ lineup.
Luis Severino makes at least 10 starts for the big club in 2015: if the Yankees indeed start the season with a six-man rotation, and are in playoff contention come August and September, it’s because of the rookie fireballer. Injuries are bound to happen to this group of hurlers, and Severino will dominate Triple-A competition, but when the dust settles, and the regular season comes to an end, the Bombers’ top pitching prospect will have made at least 10 starts throughout the season. Success? We’ll have to wait and see, but he’ll show some flashes of dominance upon his initial arrival in the Bronx.
Jacob Lindgren leads the Yankees’ bullpen in strikeouts in 2015: he might not break camp with the big club, but it won’t be long before he’s up to stay, and he will DOMINATE. He has good enough stuff to get both lefties and righties out, and Joe Girardi will use him a bunch, and as a result, he’ll lead all Yankees’ relievers in K’s by the end of the season.
If the Yankees are eight games or more out of first place by the All-Star break, Joe Girardi will be shown the door: three straight misses of October baseball isn’t acceptable in the Bronx, even with the current Steinbrenner’s running the show. Someone has to pay the price, and if the Yankees are sluggish, and the continuation of the past two seasons carries over into 2015, Joe will get the ax.
The Yankees will finish 2015 in one of two places: if health continues to plague this team, the Yankees find themselves in the basement, at least 10 games under .500 for the first time since the early 1990’s. If the team remains healthy, and the veterans round back into shape, the team wins 90 games and takes the second Wild Card spot. Talk about a tale of two teams in the same locale.
Alex Rodriguez will be the most productive all-around Yankees’ hitter in 2015: splitting time between three positions makes everyone else around him better, but with a chip on his shoulder, and in an attempt to resurrect a fledgling career one last time.
To be more specific, Alex Rodriguez will LEAD the Yankees in home runs, runs batted in, and slugging in 2015: I’ve said this since last year, when he comes back, he’s coming back with a vengeance. Final line: .270, 28 home runs, 91 runs batted in, .577 slugging percentage.

There you go! My ten bold predictions, and as crazy as it sounds, that’s what great about the game of baseball. Anything can happen, and while the so-called experts can predict and project until they are blue in the face, none of us know for sure what’s coming. Enjoy the spring, enjoy the season, and thank you for allowing me the platform to convey my thoughts and feelings with each of you here at Yanks Go Yard over the past fourteen months. It’s been an honor and a pleasure.

Next: Yankees Spring Profile: NRI-Jonathan Galvez

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