Does Spring Training Mean ANYTHING?

The New York Yankees spring training schedule for the 2016 season in just about wrapped up as are most of the spring training competitions around Yankees camp. Who will make the bullpen, the bench and the starting rotation? Who will have a great spring and who will look to bounce back from a terrible one? Does any of it really matter?

Let's take a look at the last --- seasons and what the Yankees did the spring before the regular season.

* denotes playoff berth
** denotes American League East title
*** denotes World Series victory



1994 ST: 12-15
1994 RS: 70-43 (World Series cancelled)

1995 ST: 4-8
1995 RS: 79-65 *

1996 ST: 16-15
1996 RS: 92-70 ** - ***

1997 ST: 20-11
1997 RS: 96-66 *

1998 ST: 15-12
1998 RS: 114-48 ** - ***

1999 ST: 14-19
1999 RS: 98-64 ** - ***

2000 ST: 13-20
2000 RS: 87-74 ** - ***

2001 ST: 9-20
2001 RS: 95-65 ** (lost in World Series)

2002 ST: 20-14
2002 RS: 103-58 **

2003 ST: 16-13
2003 RS: 101-61 ** (lost in World Series)

2004 ST: 13-9
2004 RS: 101-61** (one win away from World Series, thanks A Rod)

2005 ST: 14-15
2005 RS: 95-67 **

2006 ST: 15-16
2006 RS: 97-65 **

2007 ST: 14-13
2007 RS: 94-68 *

2008 ST: 14-12
2008 RS: 89-73

2009 ST: 24-10
2009 RS: 103-59 ** - ***

2010 ST: 13-15
2010 RS: 95-67 *

2011 ST: 13-15
2011 RS: 97-65 **

2012 ST: 18-12
2012 RS: 95-67 ** (one Derek Jeter broken ankle from World Series)

2013 ST: 14-18
2013 RS: 85-77

2014 ST: 17-12
2014 RS: 84-78

2015 ST: 17-16
2015 RS: 87-75*

2016 ST:
2016 RS: TBD


In a nutshell it doesn't really look like spring training means absolutely nothing. Does it help? Sure, especially with a young team, but when you have a veteran team or a team littered with veterans I don't believe it really matters.