Cliff Who?

Last October, the Yankees were thoroughly outplayed by the underdog Texas Rangers. Despite the disappointing season, Yankee fans had plenty to rely on in order to ease the pain. Free agency was just around the corner and that's a game the Yankees never lose. No World Series? No problem. Cliff Lee is on his way. How can he turn down the Yankees? Maybe the Steinbrenners will add Carl Crawford too for the hell of it.

Most Yankee fans envisioned the 2011 rotation to consist of C.C. Sabathia, Cliff Lee, Andy Pettitte, Phil Hughes, and A.J. Burnett. Couple that starting five with their offense and the Yankees would have had the most balanced team in the league by a considerable margin. But things didn't go as planned.

The season was over. No more Cliff Lee curveballs, right? Wrong. Out of nowhere, he signed with the Phillies. Then Andy Pettitte retired. Their most high profile off-season signing was Rafael Soriano. When was the last time the Yankees' most high profile off-season signing was a relief pitcher? There's nothing wrong with not spending a zillion dollars each year on free agency but this off-season left the Yankees with some glaring question marks, especially in the rotation.

Spring training has provided a flicker of hope. Free agent signing Bartolo Colon has turned some heads, and not just because of his weight. The 269 pound 37 year old is out of shape and well past his prime but he has provided some glimpses of his younger and more dominant self, posting a 2.40 ERA in four starts. Ivan Nova, the young upstart prospect, has a 1.20 ERA thus far. Nova has minimal experience in the majors but he has scary raw talent and tremendous upside. Even A.J. Burnett has performed well, compiling an ERA of 2.77.

Spring training statistics are not always an accurate measurement of how a player will perform throughout an entire season. Despite this, there is still reason to be optimistic. Who needs Cliff Lee anyway? The Yanks have Bartolo Colon in their corner.