With just a few weeks to go until pitchers & catchers report, Yankees fans are starting to feel something they definitely aren't used to: uncertainty.
From 1995-2012, the Yankees only missed the playoffs one time, and that happened in a year when two other AL East teams won at least 95 games (the Yankees finished 89-73). Fans in their 20s had little memory of a Yankees team that didn't make the playoffs every year, and Yankees teams that weren't contenders were considered a statistical anomaly.
Now, the Yankees have missed the playoffs for two straight seasons - the first time that's happened since 1992 & 1993 (the Yankees were considered the AL favorites in the '94 season, but the strike that year led to the cancellation of the postseason). They aren't a bad team - far from it - but there are more questions about their viability than we've seen in decades. Heading into Spring Training, here are the 3 biggest question marks for the Yankees:
Will A-Rod be a help or a hindrance?
After sitting out the 2014 season, it's hard to get a read on how much A-Rod (who turns 40 in July) can bring to the table. Brian Cashman sees him as a DH who can provide cover for Chase Headley at third base, but Rodriguez still sees himself as the team's starting third baseman. In the best-case scenario, Rodriguez keeps his mouth closed, hits well at DH and embraces his new role. The worst-case scenarios aren't worth going over here, and most Yankees fans already have a pretty good idea of what they'd look like. We won't have an answer here until we're a few months into the 2015 season.
Can the Yankees find a pitching rotation that gets results?
It's hard to single out any one player when the team's rotation right now is comprised of nothing but question marks. Masahiro Tanaka, CC Sabathia and Ivan Nova are all recovering from various injuries or surgeries, and no one else on the roster has proven themselves as a reliable starting pitcher in the big leagues. There's definitely talent here, but that won't help the Yankees much if their best players can't get off the DL. Finding a rotation that works, and then keeping those guys healthy will be a top priority.
Is Dellin Betances the closer?
One of the Yankees' few bright spots last season, Betances has the potential to step into the closer role Mariano Rivera left vacant at the end of the 2013 season. He isn't the finished article yet, but if he's going to be the team's closer going forward, they need to commit to him quickly so he can start racking up valuable experience. Stalling or giving the job to someone else will hamper Betances' development, so if he's going to be the guy, the Yankees need to make that call sooner rather than later.
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