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MLB: Key to success for all 30 teams heading into 2015

By Robby Sabo

Oct 15, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Greg Holland throws a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles during the 9th inning in game four of the 2014 ALCS playoff baseball game at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 15, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Greg Holland throws a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles during the 9th inning in game four of the 2014 ALCS playoff baseball game at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 12, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka (19) throws a warm up pitch before the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 12, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka (19) throws a warm up pitch before the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

New York Yankees

  • 2014 Finish: 84-78, 2nd in AL East
  • 2015 Key to Success: Staying healthy

The winner for most obvious key to success heading into 2015 goes to the New York Yankees.

Old, tiresome, boring and just plain dull. The Yankees have turned into an old group that simply cannot stay healthy and handle the rigors of a 162-game schedule.

Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez, Masahiro Tanaka, Carlos Beltran – the actual total number for possible games missed for these guys over the last two years is frightening.

The first problem for the club is the fact they’ve yet to take a page out of the Boston playbook. Destroying seasons and quickly retooling for the next season could be done in New York. Brian Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner just flat out refuse.

So, instead they need to live with a team full of 30 plus guys littered across the diamond. Each high priced veteran plugging up another possible spot a youngster could take over and possibly shine (or at least work through his early struggles, i.e. Bogaerts in Boston at the moment).

The more critical issue is how injured they become each and every season.

Joe Girardi is a fantastic manager. To lead this group to 84-wins last season was a minor miracle.

Teixeira missed 39-games; Beltran missed 53; A-Rod missed the entire season (suspension); and their top three starters missed incredible amounts of time due to injury.

Ivan Nova was quickly lost for the season, Michael Pineda only made 13-stars, and Masahiro Tanaka was lost for the season (aside from a brief late appearance) after dazzling the entire baseball world in his half of a big league season.

Speaking of Tanaka, because he opted to not go for Tommy John surgery last summer, his prospects of pitching healthy from this moment on are as safe as the next time Rodriguez gets caught in another lie.

While they are old as dirt, if health prevails the team can easily contend.

The problem for the Yanks is health won’t prevail in 2015.

Next: Baltimore Orioles

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