The Yankees have been in the playoffs for 13 straight seasons and that mark is in jeopardy this season. A recent surge has put them back in the mix, but what about the future? The payroll is maxed out with aging, declining All-Stars including Jason Giambi, Johny Damon, Bobby Abreu to name a few. And then what about A-Rod? What about Rivera? What about Posada? Can the Yankees anti-up for all three, which will push the payroll to unsurpassed levels? It isn’t that they can’t, because they can, but will they?

There is one thing that has changed for the Yankees. They now have a Minor League system that is bearing some significant fruit. The same system that produced Jeter, Rivera, Pettitte, Posada and Williams has the bloom back on the rose. This time it is pitching.

They have already had success with Cabrera, and Robbie Cano was battling for the batting title in late September. Throw in Wang and his 19 wins, and a system that built and bought championships (more recently tried to just buy them), is back in business. The fact is, the Yankee Minor League system is over-flowing with quality promising arms.

Everyone knows Phil Hughes, who had a no-no working through six innings, only to pull a hamstring. He is rated the top pitching prospect in baseball, and will be back soon. He isn’t the only prize the Yankees have. The Yankees have Karstens, Rasnor, DeSalvo, Henn, and Wright, all of which we have seen this season. They have Humberto Sanchez, an elite pitching prospect that under went Tommy John surgery this season. We may see him next year.

Then there is Joba Chamberlain. Chamberlain is 21, and 8-1 2.05 this season between Tampa, and Trenton. He has worked 74 innings allowed just 48 hits while striking out 108! He has issued just 23 BB’s in the process. How about Bill Horne? He is 9-3 with 115 K’s in 104 innings, and just 29 BB’s at Trenton. Trenton (AA) is running away with the Eastern League with a double-digit lead. The reason? Pitching! Their team ERA leads the league, but not by a little. They lead by over a run a game!

Then there is Edwar Ramirez. Ramirez may well be the heir apparent to Rivera. He has some of the scariest numbers you could imagine. He has worked 74 innings allowed just 33 hits. and struckout 127, or 15.4 per 9 innings. His BB total is only 29.

The Yankees are a love/hate type of team. There is some smiling at their demise, and some anxious fans are left to wonder if their team is heading back to being an also-ran. Pitching is what makes teams winners and the Yankees have always bought most of theirs because their own cupboards were always kept bare. Well, the cupboard is now chock full, and if just a couple of these pitchers turn-out to be gems, they will not skip a beat. If three or four become the caliber they have displayed thus far, it won’t be long before the Championship banners are flying in the Bronx again. Imagine that? The Yankees with all home grown pitching? The dawn of a new day!