Can The Yankees Survive Without Tanaka?

The short answer and immediate answer that comes to mind is no, they can't. Consider this though Yankees family, maybe they can and maybe they will. Tanaka's been great this season despite the fact that I have been terribly tough on the guy but he hasn't been great lately and like I said early this morning, New York keeps on keeping on.

In the last 10 starts for Tanaka he has compiled a 6-4 record and has seen his ERA start at 2.39 before becoming a league leading 1.99 before jumping to what it is today at 2.51. Again that's great but not necessarily irreplaceable. Now Tanaka's eight starts where he compiled a 6-0 record with a 2.17 ERA, that's pretty damn irreplaceable.

Tanaka will miss his first start this Sunday against the Baltimore Orioles but after that face some lesser competition than we've been accustomed to seeing. Assuming the Yankees don't reset their rotation with the All Star break Tanaka would miss starts against the Baltimore Orioles, Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, and Boston Red Sox before the games get tough again in early August.

If the Yankees can Tanaka back before we start playing the Red Sox, the Detroit Tigers, and Tampa Bay Rays (who despite their record always plays us tough) I think they can survive it. Granted, they won't run away with anything without Tanaka but right now it's all about surviving and that's something I think the Yankees can do.

ANY setback and this season is over and Tanaka's season probably is too.