Are the 2009 New York Yankees better than the 1998 Yankees?
October 15, 2009 · Courtney Zierk · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
As I watched the New York Yankees sweep their way through the Twins in the ALDS, I began to wonder to myself whether this team would even lose a single game on their way to an inevitable World Series victory.
While that might seem outlandish on the surface, a deeper look at the remaining opponents reveals at least one major weakness that should be exploited by the nearly flawlessly constructed Yankees.
The Phillies have too many questions in their bullpen to ignore, and beyond Cliff Lee their starting pitching has been shaky in these playoffs as well.
The Dodgers have a shallow and inexperienced starting rotation. Kershaw is unquestionably an ace, but injuries to Kuroda and a slumping Billingsley leave the rest of the rotation in flux.
The Angels bullpen is ordinary at best, and despite a strong performance in the ALDS, they will rely heavily on their offense to bail them out.
The Yankees seem to be better at every position and in every phase of the game than any of the other remaining playoff contenders. They have no glaring weakness, and in the post season when runs are at such a premium, their pitching staff is extraordinary from top to bottom. And as good as we already know their offensive lineup is, I have already drawn the conclusion that this team will sail to their 27th World Series title.
So with that already set in stone, I decided to turn my attention instead to how this team would stack up against the 1998 Yankees, whom I consider to be one of the most complete and well constructed teams in history.
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