Although I just served as a grunt (and lowly scribe), I’m delighted to announce the fifth annual Maple Street Yankee Annual, this one subheaded 2011. Compiled by the brilliant writer, editor (and Yankee fan) Cecilia Tan, the annual is a grab bag of everything a Yankee enthusiast would want at this soon-to-be magical time of year.
There’s plenty of coverage of what we all know quite well, that the 2011 Yankees sport a power lineup, with an infield that may be the sport’s best, that its killer bullpen will maintain leads and present opportunities for late thunder, and that the rotation is a work in progress. Yankee youth that will shake New York this year and in the future is yet another targeted interest.

Bringing those twin interests into focus is a piece on young Robinson Cano, whose terrific “what if?” 2010 season got me to thinking if Robbie would be meriting postseason honors, what of the impressive crew he would be joining? Thirteen Yankees have worn the MVP mantle 22 times, more than any other club.

But 13 and 22 are numbers, and although math goes a long way toward quantifying this game, in putting together my tribute to all the Yankee MVPs, I’ve tried to use the research materials available to share not just the numbers that framed the record seasons, but something of the baseball world in which these stars made their mark.
Look for the new Maple Street Annual where sporting books are sold, or order it direct from Maple Street at http://www.maplestreetpress.com/book.cfm?book_id=110