When the calendar page flips to April, it means the start of another edition of Major League Baseball. Each year, the 30 teams of MLB compete for six months and 162 games for 10 precious spots in the MLB playoffs and a chance to play in the prestigious World Series. When all is said done at the end of October, one club will hold the World Series trophy high and begin its reign as champions.
The New York Yankees are no stranger to success in the major leagues. The American League East powerhouse has won the World Series a record 27 times, most recently in 2009. All-time greats like Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and many more have donned the Yankee pinstripes, along with current stars like Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Mariano Rivera. The Bronx Bombers have become accustomed to perennial success, as a divisional championship has become a near certainty and a playoff appearance seems like a forgone conclusion. A running joke goes that, if one wanted to predict the winner of the 2030 World Series, the Yankees wouldn’t be too far off.
This year, however, represents a major sea change in the South Bronx. The Yankees are currently 1-4 after their first five games, sitting last in the AL East. After dropping two of three to their hated rivals, the Boston Red Sox, and the first two of a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers, the Yankees have been reeling during the early days of the season.
Although it may be far too early to make a judgment of the 2013 Yankees, there are troubling signs that may carry on into the summer months. Star shortstop Jeter, first baseman Mark Teixeira and center fielder Curtis Granderson all begin the year on the disabled list with a bevy of injuries, while third baseman Rodriguez is out until at least the All-Star break after undergoing hip surgery in the offseason. Add on the reality that Jeter and Rodriguez are growing older and the imminent retirement of all-time saves leader Rivera, and the Yankees have a recipe for a major power shift in the American League.
New York’s injury and age woes could not have come at a worse time, as competition in the A.L. East has never been stiffer. The resurgent Baltimore Orioles are likely to challenge for the division this season, and the Red Sox, after suffering two consecutively disastrous seasons, will once again look to pounce on their longtime rivals.
All of this means that the Yankees’ reign is in greater jeopardy than ever before. With an aging, injury-riddled core and the rise of formidable challengers, the 27-time World Series champs will be left all the more vulnerable as the season progresses and will be forced to fend off stronger assaults from the rest of the league. Although no one can ever doubt that the Yankees will return to their position of power, the time feels right for the kings of baseball to be dethroned.
Charles Surette is a contributing writer. Email him at [email protected].
