The Year: 2015
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W/L Record: 116-46
Run Differential: 972 RS vs. 608 RA +364 Runs
Awards: AL ERA Leader: Tim Lincecum (2.55), AL Strikeout Leader: Tim Lincecum (269), AL Wins Leader: Tim Lincecum (24), AL Cy Young Award: Tim Lincecum, AL Rookie of the Year: Ramon Castillo, AL Gold Glove: Tim Lincecum
All Stars: LF Ramon Castillo, SP Tim Lincecum, SP Blake Beavan, RP Clay Rosen, RP Neftali Feliz, SP Clayton Kershaw, 1B Alan Bent, SP Pat Venditte
League Leading Stat Categories: 54 Away Wins, 62 Home Wins, .284 Team Batting Average, 2.96 Bullpen ERA, 3.42 Team ERA, .367 Team OBP, .817 Team OPS, .224 Opponent Batting Average, .290 Opponent OBP, 3.12 Rotation ERA, 972 Runs Scored
Lineup/Bench Rotation/Bullpen
CF Alec Fifield Tim Lincecum
RF Michael Saunders Clayton Kershaw
DH Ramon Castillo Clay Buchholz
1B Alan Bent Blake Beavan
LF Adam Dunn Pat Venditte
3B Kevin Youkilis CL Clay Rosen
C James Skelton SU Neftali Feliz
2B Emmanuel Burriss SR Heath Bell
SS Emilio Bonifacio SR Jonathan Broxton
MR Joba Chamberlain
LR C.C. Sabathia
3B Alex Rodriguez
LF Franklin Gutierrez
C Ryan Babineau
IF Javy Garlez
IF Kevin Russo
The Key Players: Time to fire up the Way Back Machine again, this time all the way back to 2015. As you can imagine, this write-up will feature a number of well known players from real life in a veritable whose who of starting pitching. And that is where we start with this team despite the fact that they were baseball's best scoring team. The numbers suggest that as good as that offense was, it was the pitching that really lead the way and the man heading the way was none other than Tim Lincecum.
Yes, in FCMverse Lincecum wore pinstripes for a significant chunk of his career, but that run started as a June trade acquisition from the Giants. The Yanks ultimately gave up a whole lot of nothing to get him and that should have been apparent from the outset. I mean, seriously, how the f*** was that allowed? In any case, Lincecum went on to do exactly what you'd expect from a guy that freaking good - he dominated. The first half of the year in San Fran he posted an 11-4 record with a 2.69 ERA in 113 innings with 140 strikeouts. In New York he went 13-3 with a 2.41 ERA and 129 strikeouts in 120 innings to go with a .202 OBP by his opponents. Lincecum pulled in basically every major pitching award available - Cy Young, Gold Glove, Most Wins, Most Ks, Best ERA. It was utter domination by their ace.
The rest of the rotation was also extremely impressive. Clayton Kershaw, a trade acquisition the previous year (for a similarly underwhelming package) pitched 186 innings with 193 strikeouts, a 3.58 ERA, and a 17-5 record. Clay Buchholz was also a June trade acquisition from the Cubs and was similarly acquired for nothing and went 11-4 with a 2.82 ERA in 134 innings with 129 strikeouts and a .212 OBP against.
The fourth starter was future HOFer Blake Beavan who went 17-6 with a 3.35 ERA in 204 innings and 210 strikeouts. Beavan was acquired from San Fransisco the previous year in exchange for Brett Gardner. Gardner, interestingly, was also swapped later for another future HOFer in Ryan Christner in a deal between the Chicago White Sox and Toronto Blue Jays.
The last two key starters were switch-pitcher Pat Venditte and the veteran C.C. Sabathia. Venditte took a major injury during the season but it should be noted that he had an incredible career in FCM. He was a borderline HOF player in his career and it 2015 was the first season were you could really see it coming. In 131 innings he went 12-4 with a 2.82 ERA and a .211 OBP against. C.C. was less effective and actually lost his fifth starter spot to Jeremy Hellickson as the year wound down (Hellickson was 6-1 with a 2.94 ERA in 67 innings). Sabathia went 127 innings for the Yankees with a 12-4 record and a 4.11 ERA.
The bullpen was also highly effective as they were anchored by a former first round pick in Clay Rosen. The young closer had an amazing season pitching 67 innings with 82 strikeouts, only 4 home runs allowed, a 1.87 ERA, and a freakishly good conversion rate on saves of 46 out of 47 chances. Rosen was very good through his age 36 season but never found his way into the HOF because he managed only 386 career saves and a 3.14 ERA, so the potential flashed here in 2015 wasn't quite lived up to in his career.
Feliz was the set up man and he had a similarly brilliant season - pitching 78 innings with 74 strikeouts, a 4-3 record, and a 2.19 ERA. Veteran Heath Bell missed the first three months of the season but came back with a bang - pitching 22 innings with a .41 ERA. Veteran right-handers Jonathon Broxton (2.91 ERA in 55 innings with 67 Ks) and Joba Chamberlain (3.58 ERA in 78 innings with 87 Ks) held down the middle relief duties. It was an absolutely excellent staff top to bottom and then helped lead the team through the AL playoffs going 7-1 before running into the Marlins and losing 4-2 in the World Series.
The hitting side of this team was also quite good. Just like the pitching staff it was very deep and talented. That's largely what boosted this team into the top 10 - it's a team without many holes and a ton of talent top to bottom.
Offensively the team was lead by a three players - Michael Saunders, Alan Bent, and rookie Ramon Castillo. The rookie was known for being a bit brittle and in the end that curtailed a very promising career. On September 26th he broke his wrist (out for 9 months) and he was never the same player. He had one more resurgence in 2018 but ultimately retired with less than 1500 hits and only 200 homeruns in 2027. But his rookie year was something special - in 500 at bats he scored 106 runs, hit 26 doubles, 27 home runs, drove in 101 runs, walked 77 times to only 63 strikeouts, and slashed .328/418/546 with a .964 OPS. His loss may have been the central issue for why the Yankees weren't able to take the crown in 2015.
Switch hitter Alan Bent held down first base and he also had flashed a ton of early ability, only to flame out well short of earning a HOF bid. In a little over 500 at bats he scored 98 runs, hit 38 doubles, 5 triples, 25 home runs, drove in 103, walked 111 times versus only 75 Ks, and slashed .295/422/529 with a .951 OPS. It was that kind of production that made him the envy of many teams early on, but his career quickly curtailed as well, but in 2015 that production is absolutely amazing.
Setting up the lineup was Michael Saunders. He had been acquired as a young player in exchange for Mark Teixiera and his 2015 was an excellent multi-faceted campaign. He scored 103 runs, hit 29 home runs, drove in 115, stole 17 bases, and slashed .301/358/523 for an 881 OPS. Alec Fifield manned centerfield as a rookie and may well have earned the ROTY award if not for his own teammate. Fifield scored 83 times, hit 24 doubles, 9 home runs, drove in 69, stole 13 bases, and slashed .337/398/451 for an .849 OPS.
Helping out Bent in the middle of the lineup was The Donkey - Adam Dunn. Dunn would have a very long, very productive FCM career but bounced around frequently. In 2015 he posted a .263 batting average, 31 home runs, 98 runs scored, 93 RBI and a .416 OBP. Kevin Youkilis played third and hit .287 with 26 home runs, 87 runs scored, and 97 RBI.
The bottom of the lineup was a little weaker. Catcher James Skelton was good defensively and managed to post a .270 batting average with 9 home runs, 11 stolen bases, 73 runs, and 65 RBI along with an impressive .387 OBP. The middle infield was known more for their defense and took the bottom two spots - Emmanuel Burris played 2B and hit .352 with 9 stolen bases, 46 runs, and 18 RBIs while Emilio Bonifacio played SS and hit .256 with 14 stolen bases, 54 runs scored, and 47 RBI.
Lastly, it should be noted that Alex Rodriguez was still playing on this team as well. He was a part-time player but did manage to hit .296 with 15 home runs, 47 runs, and 51 RBI. He had remained fairly productive with the Yankees during the years of FCM and was the key fill-in when Castillo went down.
Interview with the Owner: No owner available
What Sets Them Apart: The 2015 Yankees were a team stacked top to bottom with talent. They had a rotation that was historically incredible both with the names involved and the talent of the players. Tim Lincecum had a season for the ages and there is something to be said for acquiring that much talent with so little given up in return. The offense was equally impressive - a group of amazing talents in the middle of lineup lead by a rookie breaking out in a huge way made them a dangerous team. They weren't able to close the deal despite a great run in the AL playoffs as they fell 4-2 to the Marlins and Donovan Pace. Still, few teams on this list will match the sheer depth of talent the Yanks amassed in 2015.
Coming Next: 8th Best Team in FCM History: Goodbye Mr. Anderson
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