Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Comparing the 2009 Yankees to the 2015 Version
The 2009 edition of the New York Yankees may have been the best Yankees team that we have seen since the 1998 Yankees team that set an American League record for most wins in a season. In 2009 the Yankees spent heavily on free agents including starting pitchers AJ Burnett and CC Sabathia while adding to the offense with Mark Teixeira and the trade for Nick Swisher and it automatically paid off with 103 victories and a World Series championship. While the 2015 version of the Yankees may lack the absolute star power of the best infield in the game and the best starting rotation that money could buy this year's team is showing more similarities to that 2009 team than you may think.
In 2009 the Yankees had a 162 positive run differential scoring 915 runs with a 33.8 Team WAR offensively and a 22.9 WAR on the pitching side of things. The 2009 Yankees showed an incredible heart and mixed it with a never say die attitude accounting for 15 walk off victories to just four walk off losses. New York was as much as 6.5 games out of first place at their worst this season and started the season 0-2 and eventually 15-17 before firing on all cylinders and turning things on inside the American League East.
In 2015 the Yankees saw their first team that could embrace the "Bronx Bombers" moniker without garnering a snicker or two as the team is second in home runs through the first 25 games of the season. The team this season currently sports a 31 positive run differential scoring 124 runs. If you multiple this, and all these stats, by 6.5 you get a rough estimate of what the team is going to do across a 162 game schedule so the team is on base to score 806 runs with a 201.5 positive run differential. The pitching is much better this season thus far as the team has already accumulated a 4.9 WAR, across 162 games you have 31.85, while the batting has done enough with a 4.1 WAR, 26.65 across 162 games. New York hasn't has a walk off win or a walk off loss this season but the team did endure a 19 inning marathon with the Boston Red Sox and that has to count for something.
The most important comparison though is going to be the victories and the team started out 16-9 in their first 25 games. This team unlike the 2009 version has a ton of prospects to bring in the top talent or the right piece to actually improve the team in June and July where the 2009 version relied on Eric Hinske and Jerry Hairston Jr. While those two did well in that season and into the postseason this 2015 version has the chance to really be something special. They are less one dimensional than the 2009 version, the pitching is better and the offense is more than adequate. I have a really good feeling about this team as long as it stays healthy and I must say that I really love this team. Don't let me down!
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Amen, Daniel! You do have a good head on your shoulders. Understanding baseball is much different than being a fan that reads the stats. You and Bryan seem to have what it takes to run a blog such as this one and have respect from your followers.
ReplyDeleteWell Bryan and I both appreciate that very much Mr. Reed, thank you.
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