3) They aren't better than the Yanks or Sox because right now, Yanks & Red Sox Starting Rotation are better than the Rays. Not saying that the Rays SP's aren't good, just not better than neither. The Rays offense is maturing, yes. But they still don't have a complete lineup like the Yanks or Red Sox. Yes, Longoria, Upton, and Craw are great players. But, that's about their biggest threats. Correct me if I'm wrong.
4) Why should you believe that the Yanks are better than the Rays? Read what I wrote in #3. Also, we're a much more balanced team this year compared to last year. We got our catcher back (Posada), we got one of our most productive hitters back (Matsui), we got a productive switch hitter batting in front of A-Rod (Tex), our rotation is better than last year, and we're coming back from an embarassing year.
I just don't agree... At all... The Rays have FOUR legitimate front-of-the-rotation starting pitchers under like 25 and a damn good 5th guy in Sonnanstine... That rotation was awesome last year... Almost a full half run better than the Yankees' rotation... It's not gonna regress by replacing Edwin Jackson with David Price... Which one of those guys is likely to regress and fall off much? Cuz I sure as hell don't see him... Being the best defensive team in baseball doesn't hurt, either...
And how are the Rays not a complete lineup?
Iwamura, Crawford, Upton, Longoria, Pena, Burrell, Navarro, Joyce, Bartlett... It ain't superstar after superstar like the damn Yankees, but that's a damn good lineup... They can do just about everything... Power guys, speed guys, guys to steal bags, guys to move runners over and play small ball...
That's a damn good baseball team... And frankly, I trust them a lot more than I do a Yankees team that'll have to deal with the constant pressures off A-Rod's steroid issues and the expectations of win a World Series or you're a failure... We've seen guys go to New York and crumble their first season or so because of the pressure... Am I just supposed to assume guys like CC Sabathia (who has crumbled in big spots before) or AJ Burnett are immune to that?
The Yankees gotta show me before I start buying into that BS again...
Never did I state they weren't a good team. I know what they're capable of.
And the comparison to the Rockies was just what it was....a comparison. I didn't say they were EXACTLY like the Rockies.
And you know what? Fair enough. You'll see when the season starts what we're about.