Yankees season preview, prediction: World Series mantra especially true now
NY Post
World Series or bust.
It’s the mentality typically found in The Bronx, but that’s especially true heading into this season. The Yankees are set to get the first full year out of their $324 million man, Gerrit Cole, and they possess a lineup they were intent on keeping together and a bullpen they’re confident is as good and deep as any in the majors. Despite their typical lofty goals, the last time the Yankees got to the Fall Classic was in 2009, and this season a handful of obstacles could stand in their way: the health of the rotation, continued inability to stay on the field from Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton or the failure of Gary Sanchez to shake off his dismal 2020 season. The Yankees believe those questions have been addressed and their injury-prone sluggers and deep — but potentially fragile — rotation can withstand the rigors of what the sport hopes will be a 162-game season. A year ago, the Yankees fell short to the Rays in both the AL East and in the ALDS, but the Rays lost starting pitchers Blake Snell and Charlie Morton and the Red Sox are in the midst of a retooling. The Blue Jays spent freely this offseason, adding George Springer and Marcus Semien to an already potent lineup, and could pose the most dangerous threat to the Yankees within the division.
The confetti has stopped falling inside the Superdome in New Orleans, and Saquon Barkley and the Eagles are the newly crowned Super Bowl champions. Thus ends a 2024 NFL season that the Giants wish was a bad dream.
With the NBA at its break, The Post’s hoops writers examine the key questions from the first half and forecast the rest of the season (and offseason). Here’s a look:
Doug Nussmeier hasn’t yet considered a future scenario in which he is coaching Super Bowl 2025 MVP Jalen Hurts between possessions while simultaneously stealing glances at the field to make sure that Hurts’ counterpart is doing everything that he was taught.
MONTREAL — The only guarantee in this 4 Nations Face-off is the hostile atmosphere that will follow Team USA.
TAMPA — When current rotation odd man out Marcus Stroman defiantly states he is a starter 11 times in 10 minutes after arriving for workouts later than all of his pitching Yankees teammates, well, that should just be catnip for your friendly columnist here at this bold tabloid.
The city of Philadelphia rightly showered Saquon Barkley with plenty of brotherly love on Friday, and the former Giants star gave it back to Eagles fans and staffers throughout their championship parade and celebration.
SAN FRANCISCO – A formality was made official Friday night when Carmelo Anthony, arguably the greatest Knick since Patrick Ewing, was named a finalist for the Naismith Hall of Fame.
MONTREAL — There was an absence of the pomp and circumstance that accompanied Wednesday’s Canada-Sweden opener of this 4 Nations Face-Off.
TAMPA — Max Fried and Gerrit Cole are two very different pitchers on the mound but alike in their talent and drive to succeed.
These first five paragraphs will be utilized to praise the Knicks, so if you are among that faction who prefers to ignore all the good that’s transpired over the first 54 games of this season, you have my permission to proceed to paragraph six, no hard feelings, no questions asked.
The Chiefs are giving their star tight end a deadline to inform them of his future plans.
MONTREAL — For Team USA, it was a poor start and a grand Finnish.
Nothing truly will be decided nor accurately measured until the Knicks prove they can defeat the NBA’s most elite teams and advance deeper into the playoffs.