The winds of war that swirled around Alex Rodriguez are nothing more than a gentle breeze now — good news for the Yankees, who needed a break. It's been a dizzying first month of camp, even by Yankee standards, so when A-Rod finally faded into the background, the rank and file exhaled long and slow.
But here comes the tempest's next phase: the Bombers' three big-name free agents, CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira will all come under closer scrutiny. Each of them is facing the same critical question -- can they assimilate in New York's over-heated environment without A-Rod as a buffer?
This won't be an ordinary christening for the out-of-towners, whose performance could make or break Joe Girardi. The manager's contract lasts through 2010, but he has just this year (and maybe not even that) to gain control of the clubhouse after missing the playoffs for the first time since 1993.
Even the unveiling of the magnificent new Stadium can't mask an underlying unease. The Yankees are ready to bestow upon their fans a $1.6 billion structure, the most expensive ballpark ever built. Yet, the "premium" seats, which range from $350-$2500 a game, didn't sell out over the winter, prompting the Yankees to turn to Prudential Douglas Elliman, a prominent residential real estate brokerage, to boost sales.
Momentum is the Yankees' most precious commodity now, especially without A-Rod. Teixeira, for one, says he's "ready to be a leader," but the first baseman doesn't exactly have a history of fast starts. His career average in April is .256. including last year's .231 mark.
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Perhaps just as significantly, Sabathia is living up to his billing as a non-worrier; he might already be the most popular player in the clubhouse. But Sabathia's immunity to stress could be put to an early test.
The same goes for Burnett, who, on the outside, is as carefree as A-Rod is neurotic. The right-hander knows better than anyone how easy he's had it since joining the Yankees.
"First day of spring training, I told CC, 'we're totally under the radar,'" Burnett said not long ago. "That's a good thing, but you know it's not going to last forever. I told CC, 'sooner or later it's going to be our turn (for closer scrutiny).'"
Burnett's words are about to become a prophecy. Everything that accompanies the Yankee experience — the loud, edgy crowds, the aggressive tabloids, the oppressive win-or-else edict — will come down on the newcomers like a hard rain. One way or another, everyone figures to get soaked.
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