Yankees Rumors: Stricter drug policies hurting the Yankees?

Yankees rumors may be in for a long season in several baseball analysts' eyes, as the age of the New York Yankees' roster is being posited as a detriment to their chances of both making the playoffs and winning a World Series title in 2014.

So says Providence Journal columnist Brian MacPherson: "The only under-30 New York position player with at least 20 plate appearances this season is Yangervis Solarte, a former minor-league utilityman. Kelly Johnson is 32. Brian Roberts is 32. Sabathia is 33. Teixeira is 34. Carlos Beltran is 37. Alfonso Soriano is 38. Hiroki Kuroda is 39. Derek Jeter is 40."

"There was a time when that might have been OK. That time came to an abrupt end when baseball tightened its rules on amphetamines as well as steroids, greatly diminishing the ability of players to be productive beyond the age of 32 or so. Baseball is a young man’s game once again."

MacPherson argues that the New York Yankees' inability to draft efficiently in recent seasons will end up costing them a lot more than in recent years, as the number of quality veteran free agents at the end or in-between contracts dwindles due to age playing more of a negative factor than before.

Whether or not this turns out to be a huge problem for the Yankees in 2014 remains to be seen.

Your Yankees rumors. Your Chat Sports. Follow our Yankees team page today.

 

 

 

 

 

Back to the New York Yankees Newsfeed