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Fantasy Matchup: 1998 NY Yankees vs. 1927 NY Yankees

February 7, 2012 by breakinbadd 7 Comments

Written by Contributor John Schiesser

1998 World Series Champions

The New York Yankees are the most celebrated franchise in all of sports with 27 World Series Championships. Throughout MLB’s history, some of the best players have worn pinstripes.

I won’t even start naming the players because it will take all day, but I came up with an interesting scenario. What if two of the best Yankee teams in history faced each other at Yankee Stadium?

Imagine sitting front row at Yankee Stadium to see this game?

Obviously we will never see this game, but if you use your imagination along with statistics, you can get a good idea at what would happen.

So we are sitting in our seats behind the dugout, and the 1998 New York Yankees take the field. The home crowd yells their heads off at a sold out Yankee stadium. Derek Jeter runs out to his short stop position and throws the ball around the infield.

Then all of a sudden a team with the same uniform comes out. The 1998 NY Yankees all seem confused. The guy up in the bleachers drops his beer in shock and awe. Kids in the stands tug at their dads shirts saying, “who are they?”

It is the 1927 New York Yankees ladies and gentlemen, and they are back and ready to play ball. The starting lineups are announced and the stadium goes wild.

Earle Combs steps up to the plate to face Left handed pitcher Andy Pettitte.

Earle Combs is one of the best lead off hitters ever

Here is a look at both teams starting lineups:

1927 Yankees Position Players

Name	Pos	AVG	HR	RBI	R	SB
Earle Combs	CF	.356	6	64	137	15
Mark Koenig	SS	.285	3	62	99	3
Babe Ruth	RF	.356	60	164	158	7
Lou Gehrig	1B	.373	47	175	149	10
Bob Meusel	LF	.337	8	103	75	24
Tony Lazzeri	2B	.309	18	102	92	22
Joe Dugan/Pat Collins	3B /C	.269 /.275	2 /7	43 /36	44 /38	1 /0

1998 Yankee’s Position Players

Name	Pos	AVG	HR	RBI	R	SB
Chuck Knoblauch	2B	.265	17	64	117	31
Derek Jeter	SS	.324	19	84	127	30
Paul O Neill	RF	.317	24	116	95	15
Bernie Williams	CF	.339	26	97	101	15
Tino Martinez	1B	.281	28	123	92	2
Chad Curtis	LF	.243	10	56	79	21
Jorge Posada	C	.268	17	63	56	0
Scott Brosius	3B	.300	19	98	86	11

Pitching Matchup W L ERA WHIP IP____

Andy Pettitte (98) 16 11 4.24 1.447 216.1

Waite Hoyt (27) 22 7 2.63 1.155 256.1

Team Advantages

Offense- 1927 Yankees

When you have a lineup with Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig you’re going to score runs.

I respect Andy Pettitte but his 4.24 ERA shows he will give up his fair share of runs. Having to face the dreaded “Murderers Row” I see Pettitte getting scored on.

Hall Of Famer Earle Combs led the league in triples during the ’27 season and batted .356. With the Babe and Lou Gehrig batting behind one of the best leadoff hitters, runs will not be at a premium. However the ’98 Yankees have their share of pop in their lineup. Bernie Williams batted .339 and Paul O Neill drove in 116 runs from the three hole.

Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig

Defense- 1998 Yankees

If the 1998 Yankees were to win this game their defense will be the reason.

Mark Koenig had 47 errors at shortstop in 1927. Yes you heard that right 47 errors. The outfield for the 1927 Yankees had a combined 41 errors.

The 1998 Yankees were led by gold glove center fielder Bernie Williams.

More bad news for ’27 Yankees is that Hall of famer Waite Hoyt pitched 256 innings but only had 86 strikeouts. That means Waite Hoyt is going to have to depend a lot on that defense with a shortstop that committed 47 errors and an outfield with a combined 41 errors.

This could give the ’98 Yankees the opportunity to make up some runs that the ’27 team will score. That doesn’t mean that the ’98 Yankees defense is flawless. Every Yankee fan who saw that team play knows about some of those throws that Knoblauch has made.

Starting Pitching- 1927 Yankees

This one is really up in the air in my opinion. I know the kind of hitters that Pettitte had to face. There were more pure power hitters during the ’98 season.

However Waite Hoyt walked 54 batters in 256 innings. That control alone is breathtaking. Pettitte’s control cannot be overlooked. 86 walks in 216 innings. That is why if somebody argued against my opinion here I would have to take what they say into consideration. Just based on the walks and the fact that Waite Hoyt is a Hall of Famer gives this category to the ’27 Yankees.

Bullpen- 1998 Yankees

The best closer of all time

The 1927 Yankees did not have Mariano Rivera. If they did Waite Hoyte would not have pitched 256 innings. Mariano Rivera is the best closer of all time. He is so clutch in big spots. Imagine this game came down to the final inning with Mo on the mound up against Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.

Who comes out on top?

I would say Mariano Rivera.

Athletic ability- 1998 Yankees

Players today are just more athletic than the players of the past. Workout regiments are much more intense.

Players today live and breathe baseball. During the offseason players on the ’27 Yankees were not working out at their own personal home gyms. They were working a second job to help support their family.

Baseball did not pay these guys enough to be able to focus purely on working out. Players today have so much money they can focus on working out. They have the best trainers in the world to train them during and after the season.

Grit- 1927 Yankees

Players today are such prima donnas.

They are millionaires playing a kid’s game. I love the game of baseball but players today treat it more like a business. You are lucky to see a pitcher pitch 200 innings today. Waite Hoyt threw 256 innings along with 23 complete games.

Players today get a little injured and sit out. I am not saying that about all the players on the 1998 Yankees because they were a great team, but I just cannot say they are tougher than the 1927 team.

The Verdict- The 27 Yankees beat the 98 Yankees 6-4

This would be a competitive game to the end. However I just cannot see Andy Pettitte holding off Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth.

The grit and toughness of the ’27 Yankees will make up for their lack of athletic ability. Waite Hoyt would not be flawless but he would do enough to keep his team from losing. I see Earle Combs having a big game and setting the table for the big hitters in that line up. I see Pettitte getting roughed up early on, but settling in a little bit more as the game goes. Bottom line two great teams from two different eras, they would put on quite a show and it would be competitive all the way through.

Filed under Fantasy Sports, MLB, Sports Tagged with 1927 new york yankees, 1927 yankees, 1998 new york yankees, 1998 yankees, babe ruth, best yankee team ever, fantasy matchup, lou gehrig, New York Yankees, waite hoyt, yankees

Arms Race: Yankees Now Team to Beat in AL East?

January 14, 2012 by phdinweed Leave a Comment

Blockbuster!

In the blink of an eye in the waning hours of Friday, January 13th, the New York Yankees awoke from their offseason slumber and just might have made themselves the favorites in the AL East.

Though the trade is not official, sources close to both the Yankees and the Seattle Mariners report that the teams have agreed to a blockbuster trade, with the Yankees sending Jesus Montero and Hector Noesi to Seattle in exchange for fireballer Michael Pineda and Class A pitcher Jose Campos. If that wasn’t enough, shortly afterward the Yankees announced they had come to terms with veteran righty Hiroki Kuroda on a 1 year, $10 million deal. What was one of the Yanks’ biggest shortcomings is now no more. Let’s look more closely at the players involved:

Jesus Montero

Jesus Montero

Montero has been consistently ranked as the Yankees best prospect, and the 5th best prospect overall by Baseball America. The 22 year-old Venezuelan’s minor league numbers are below:

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Any concerns he would be overmatched at the major league level proved unfounded, as he came up to the Yankees late in September and made an immediate impact with this stat line:
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Ultimately, it appears the Yankees felt that Montero, while his hitting was not in question, may not have had the requisite defensive/staff handling skills that would have made him a complete major league catcher. He was originally penciled in to be the everyday DH in 2012, but it appears the Yanks will go with an Andruw Jones (signed)/Eric Chavez (negotiating) DH team. There will be no shortage of games in which the Yanks need to rest their aging left side of their infield with days in the DH slot as well. Montero should be a fearsome hitter for years to come (even in the cavernous Safeco Field) for the anemic Mariners, who ranked dead last in the league in runs scored in 2011.

Hector Noesi

Hector Noesi

The 25 year-old righty out of Venezuela was used primarily in relief for the Yanks last year, but did spot start in two games. He was ranked as the Yankee’s 7th best prospect and “Best Control” by Baseball America. He could end up in the same role with the M’s as he had with the Yanks, though his numbers could certainly improve in Seattle’s pitcher-friendly confines. His numbers in 2011 with the Yanks:

[table id=6 /]

And, to the Yankees:

Michael Pineda

Michael Pineda

One of the most exciting young pitchers in baseball, the 6’7″, 260 lb. 23 year-old Dominican strikeout artist has dominated in pretty much every stop he has made on his way to the majors. His minor league numbers are below:
[table id=7 /]

He exploded onto the major league scene in 2011, securing an All-Star spot and coming in 5th in the Rookie of the Year race in the AL. Had he pitched for a better team than the Mariners, his numbers would likely have been more impressive. He was dominant in the first half before appearing to tire in the second half to finish with this final stat line:
[table id=8 /]

I don’t know if you realize how sick those numbers are. Couple them with these fun facts:

Those 173 strikeouts and that 9.1 strikeouts-per-nine-innings ratio came in a year where Pineda was 22. Dave Boswell of the 1966 Twins was the only other right-handed pitcher in the history of the American League ever to have that many punchouts and that good a strikeout ratio at age 22 or younger.
Pineda’s average fastball was clocked at 94.7 miles per hour last year, according to FanGraphs. The only starting pitchers in the big leagues who were better? Pretty good company: Alexi Ogando (95.1), Justin Verlander (95.0) and David Price (94.8).
Pineda’s 24.2 swing-and-miss percentage ranked him 5th last year, according to FanGraphs. The only pitchers in either league who did better than that were Tim Lincecum (24.9), Brandon Morrow (24.6), Cole Hamels (24.6) and Mat Latos (24.5).

Simply put, Pineda is the type of pitcher that doesn’t get traded.

Jose Campos (no photo available)

This 19-year old Venezuelan has not pitched above Low A ball yet. He is ranked in the top 10 Mariners’ prospects. His pro numbers so far:
[table id=9 /]

Effect on Teams Involved

This certainly seems to be a win/win scenario for both teams. The Yankees get a young, extremely talented, top of the rotation pitcher in Pineda, and another young arm for their farm system in Campos. It addressed what was certainly a deficient starting rotation in a major way. The Mariners likewise addressed one of their glaring shortcomings by getting one of the best young pure hitters in the league in Montero, and a major-league ready arm, whether for their rotation or their bullpen, in Noesi.

As if the Above Wasn’t Enough!

Hiroki Kuroda

Not content to stand pat, the Yanks also agreed to a one-year deal with 36-year old Japanese righty Hiroki Kuroda for $10 million. Kuroda brings a great veteran presence and decent numbers, considering he played on mostly awful Dodgers teams. One always has to be wary on an NL pitcher coming over to the AL, but hey, it’s not like he could be worse than AJ Burnett, amirite? Kuroda’s major league numbers are below:
[table id=10 /]

Final Thoughts

The Yankees now have a possible excess of starting pitching. This could allow them to move Phil Hughes back into the bullpen (where I personally think he belongs) and maybe see about ditching AJ Burnett’s horrific contract, although they would likely be expected to get one back in return. (Perhaps Vernon Wells?) I’d like to see the Yankees stop pursuing Eric (I’m Always Hurt) Chavez and let Eduardo Nunez split the DH duties with Andrew Jones. ( I am aware they are both righties.) Although Tampa Bay has to be reckoned with because of their excellent rotation and Boston has upgraded at manager, I believe the Yankees are now the team to beat in the AL East. Yankee fans have let Brian Cashman hear it in the past, but there’s no doubt that the events of January 13th, 2012 should affect the Yankees positively for years to come.

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