When Must the Yankees Let Go of the Past?

The Yankees have, without question, the most illustrious history in professional sports. From Babe Ruth to Reggie Jackson and the dozens of Hall of Fame names between, the Bronx Bombers have a history of excellence that dwarfs any other team. The only problem is that however great these legends may have been, they are no help in 2013.

The "Core Four", also known as Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada, all debuted for the Yankees in 1995, marking the beginning of baseball's greatest modern dynasty. All four will no doubt find their names preserved in Cooperstown, having won five World Series rings together, but the problem with having a team full of living legends is that their best days are undoubtedly behind them. The first of the four to hang up his cleats (permanently, that is) was Jorge Posada, who took off the pinstripes for the final time after the 2011 season at 31 years old. Pettitte, Jeter and Mo are not only still on the team, they still are the team.

Derek Jeter is coming off a fantastic season in which he hit .316 and came in 7th in MVP voting, but that doesn't change the fact that he will be turning 39 years old halfway through the 2013 season. The Captain may have a few good years left in him, he may even make a play at Pete Rose's all-time hits record, and he will certainly be the heart of the team as long as he is on the field, but at 39 years old, most shortstops are long retired. Unfortunately, the Yankees have no succession plan at shortstop. Eduardo Nunez is the only shortstop on the Yankees roster after Jeter and 20 year old Cito Culver, the Yankees only prospect at the position, is currently struggling at the single-A level. Jeter is one of the greatest to ever play the game, but he is still human and the Yankees need to prepare for life after Mr. November.

Next we come to a man who, admittedly, may not actually be human. Mariano Rivera has spent 15 years as the unquestioned best at what he does. Completely unfazed by the pressures of being a closer, Rivera is the only player in the game's history who is undoubtedly the best to every play his position. He is the best postseason player ever, boasting an ERA of 0.70 and 42 saves. Everyone to ever go to Yankee Stadium knows that when Metallica's Enter Sandman comes on, the game is over. But seriously, how much longer can he keep it up? At 42 years old, he is still the best at what he does, but can he pitch until 45? The Yankees already have Mo's replacement in David Robertson, one of the league's best strikeout pitchers. In his career, D-Rob has averaged an even 12 strikeouts per nine innings. To give you a frame of reference, Nolan Ryan averaged 9.5 strikeouts per nine innings over his 27 year career. It is not a perfect comparison since Robertson comes out of the pen, but there's no doubt Robertson's stuff is real. At this rate, Robertson's career may begin and end with him in the same position, pitching 1-2-3 eighth innings to set up the Sandman.

Lastly we have the winningest pitcher in postseason history, Andy Pettitte. Andy has gone somewhat under the radar in recent years, likely because of his brief stint with the Astros and the fact that he took 2011 off, but he absolutely belongs in Cooperstown. He has amassed 208 regular season wins and a record 19 in the postseason and may boast the best pickoff move of all time. In 2012, Pettitte seemed like a godsend to the struggling Yankees rotation, at least until he missed over two months with a fractured ankle. When he was able to pitch, Pettitte was extremely effective, ending the year with a sub-3 ERA in his 12 starts. Pettitte is still a pretty big asset to the Yankees' shallow rotation, but it is clear that with him turning 41 during the 2013 season, the Yankees need to find a replacement sooner rather than later.


All three of these Yankee legends are still, somewhat miraculously, playing amazing baseball, but that doesn't change the fact that they have played a collective 50 years of baseball between them. The Yankees may have one or two more shots to go the distance with this core, but just like the post-Mattingly rebuild that brought these three stars to the majors, the time is fast approaching for an overhaul in the Bronx.