HITTING
"Offensive production was off all the way down the line for the Yankees, which makes one wonder if it was simply an off year or if age is getting to be a factor. Their top hitter was Lou Piniella, who will play at 36, but who remains one of the league's top hitters.
'There's nobody I'd rather see batting to keep a rally alive,' says president Al Rosen. Reggie Jackson, Thurman Munson, Graig Nettles, Chris Chambliss and Mickey Rivers all fell off at bat, but there is still plenty of quality and enough offense to make the champs' attack formidable. Jackson, Nettles and Chambliss were all plus 90 in RBIs, Jackson and Nettles combined for 54 homers and more of the same is expected. Rivers can get back most of the 61 points he lost."
-Phil Pepe and Jim Hawkins, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1979 Edition
PITCHING
"It must be etched in the minds and hearts of Yankee officials, the slogan 'You never can have too much pitching.' A year ago, they had pitchers coming out of their ears, but a succession of mishaps and trades left them with two reliable starters and one ace reliever. Somehow, the Yankees managed to patch it up and lead the league in pitching. Naturally, much of that came from Ron Guidry whose 1.74 ERA, 25 wins and nine shutouts (the entire staff had 16) were tops. Ed Figueroa, a 20-game winner for the first time, and reliever Rich Gossage, tops with 27 saves, also contributed mightily. All three are expected to have big years, but just in case, the Yankees also have veteran Catfish Hunter, Jim Beattie and Ken Clay waiting in the wings, and have added veterans Tommy John and Luis Tiant. Pitching in Yankee Stadium with the cavernous left field, his great sinker, natural grass and the Yankee defense should suit John.
Again, the Yankees seem overloaded with arms. But it is written on the minds and hearts of all Yankees, 'You never can have too much pitching.'"
-Phil Pepe and Jim Hawkins, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1979 Edition
FIELDING
"Gold Gloves populate the corners of the Yankee infield, worn by Graig Nettles and Chris Chambliss, whose fielding percentages last season were the highest in Yankee history. Among them, Nettles, Chambliss, shortstop Bucky Dent and second baseman Willie Randolph handled 3,168 chances with only 41 errors. The outfield defense lacks speed in some places, arms in others, but Juan Beniquez, acquired from Texas, is a good pickup."
-Phil Pepe and Jim Hawkins, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1979 Edition
OUTLOOK
"The rich get richer. The addition of John and Tiant make the Yankees even stronger going into 1979 than they were going into 1978, especially since their chief opposition made no deals to strengthen themselves. The Yankees proved their class by coming back from a 14-game deficit, which will leave a lasting impression on AL rivals."
-Phil Pepe and Jim Hawkins, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1979 Edition
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA.
"The rich get richer.
That could very well be the slogan of the New York Yankees, World Champions of baseball the last two seasons and collectors of the top talent on the free agent market.
Tommy John and Luis Tiant, quality starting pitchers, are the latest veterans to don pinstripes after playing out their option years elsewhere. They join Catfish Hunter, Rich Gossage, Don Gullett and Reggie Jackson as free agents who were attracted by New York's location, commercial appeal, and big-money contracts.
Both John, a lefty, and Tiant, a righty, have passed their 35th birthdays, but there is not much else on the negative side of the ledger. John, winner of 17 games for Los Angeles during the season (plus one win apiece in the playoffs and World Series), should join Cy Young Award winner Ron Guidry (25-4, 1.74) as a guaranteed 20-game winner for the 1979 Yankees.
Right-hander Ed Figueroa was 20-9 for New York last year and could easily find the charmed circle again. Even Tiant (13-8, 3.31 at Boston) could make it- if he works often enough- and the same can be said for one-time superstar Catfish Hunter (12-6, 3.58).
If Gullett and Andy Messersmith (the latter a free agent invited for a spring look-see) shake their physical ailments, manager Bob Lemon, an ex-pitcher himself, will be in the enviable position of having seven potential 20-game winners on his staff! And that's not counting Jim Beattie, who looked good toward season's end; or young left-hander Dave Righetti, an ex-Ranger reputed to be 'the next Ron Guidry.'
The bullpen seems more stable now that Sparky Lyle and Rawly Eastwick are gone. Rich Gossage (10-11, 27 saves, 2.01) was A.L. Fireman of the Year last summer and probably will appear more than 63 times in '79. Dick Tidrow, Ken Clay and southpaw Paul Mirabella are his backups.
The everyday lineup will be much the same as it was last year. Lou Piniella, the team's top hitter at .314, will spearhead an attack that includes Reggie Jackson and Graig Nettles, co-winners of the club home run title with 27 each, and Chris Chambliss, who combined with Jackson and Nettles to give New York three men with more than 90 RBIs.
Second baseman Willie Randolph, healthy again, and outfielder Mickey Rivers provide speed; they stole 36 and 25 bases, respectively. Outfielder Greg Jemison, a rookie obtained in the Lyle trade, is a future theft artist; he swiped more than 120 bases in the minors over the past two seasons.
Veteran Juan Beniquez, a standout center fielder, will play only if he provides more punch than Rivers, which is unlikely, or if Jackson becomes the permanent designated hitter- an idea Reggie hates.
Thurman Munson (.297) slipped in the power department last year but provided a big home run when it was needed- in the third game of the league's playoffs against Kansas City. He's set behind the plate, with rookie Jerry Narron (15 homers at Tacoma) as his chief understudy.
World Series star Bucky Dent (.243), the number nine batter, returns at shortstop, but Brian Doyle, who filled in so well when Randolph was hurt, has been relegated to a utility role, along with rookie Dennis Sherrill and veteran Fred Stanley.
Paul Blair, Gary Thomasson, Roy White and Jay Johnstone are better-than-adequate outfield substitutes who can fill in elsewhere as well.
After rebounding from a 14-game deficit in July, there's not much the Yankees can do to give Lemon his third straight Manager of the Year award (he won with the White Sox in '77). The one thing they can do is clinch the pennant by Labor Day. It wouldn't be surprising."
-Dan Schlossberg, Baseball Illustrated 1979
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