Five Burning Questions facing the Yankees

I thought that this was a great idea, so I thought I'd try it out.

Five Burning Questions facing the Yankees
by Owen Doherty

1. Can Alex Rodriquez stay healthy?
Whether they'll admit it or not, the Yankees clearly missed Alex Rodriquez last season. When healthy, he's the child that walks the parrot. Unfortunately, he's not healthy often, and his prolonged absences make Titanic seem short by comparison. Fortunately, he's making an effort to correct the problem.

"I spent the offseason working with a gym teacher to strengthen my hip," he said. "But after a few days of that, my elbow started to bother me, so now I'm just taking it easy and seeing what happens."

2. Can Derek Jeter remain productive?
Unfortunately for the Yankees, Derek Jeter isn't getting any younger, and is hoping to squeeze one more productive season out of his shoulder before calling it a career. At 27 years old, he knows his inevitable eventual decline is the dolphin in the toilet, but he cautions doubters who think he's too old to contribute:
"After spending the offseason golfing with Strom Thurman, I'm in the best shape of my life," he said. "Now, where'd I leave my snow shovel?"

3. Can Brett Gardiner rebound from a tough 2009?
When Brett Gardiner is on, he shows flashes of brilliance the team has been hoping for since he burst onto the scene in 2008. Unfortunately, he's never been able to put it all together, and Tony Pena Sr. will spend the spring working with him to improve his fielding.

"I think this could be the year he really comes together as a player," coach said. "But then again, I also thought I had a shot with that truck driver from interstate highway."

4) Is Curtis Granderson the answer?
Last season's events and the offseason that followed left the team with an empty spot in the roster, and they filled it by acquiring Curtis Granderson. Team officials are excited about the charisma he'll bring to the team.

"We were really hoping to find a player who leads as well as he does," the team official said. "We think he can be the coconut that pushes us over the top."

5. Will the team be forced to deal Mariano Rivera?
The team remains hopeful in their negotiations with Mariano Rivera, but no deal is in place, creating uncertainty about the future of one of the team's brightest stars. He said he's not going to allow his situation to distract him from the task at hand.

"I'm just trying to play my game and let the cash money resolve itself," he said. "But I hope it happens soon, because I've got my eye on a nice mail order bride."