YES: Lane: Five things that must go right for the Yankees

Saw the Jeter/play good defense line…and immediately fritzed over to the “Yankees Wives At Bat” video.

The manufacturing of runs: As a team, the Yankees belted 245 home runs in 2012. At times the long ball was the only source of offense, which prompted complaints of “too many home runs” in Twitter land. A 2013 lineup without Swisher, Martin or Ibanez will now have to play more of a brand of small ball. Speedy, slap-hitters Brett Gardner and Ichiro Suzuki will play every day, and a big factor will be whether the 39-year old Ichiro – locked up for the next two years – can come close to replicating his.322/.340/.454 line since his July trade to New York. Granderson belted a career-high 43 homers, but also struck out a career-high 195 times. If he can keep his power numbers up and strikeouts down, if a rejuvenated Ichiro shows up for most of the year, and if a healthy Gardner can create havoc from the bottom (or top?) of the lineup, there’s potential for balanced production in the outfield.

Jeter Meter: Jeter will continue to play baseball after 2012, but he’s entering the final season of a three-year contract and coming off major ankle surgery. Don’t expect a repeat of 2012 when Jeter batted .316 and led the Majors with 216 hits, but don’t count him out either. The captain is capable of returning healthy enough to be a steady presence atop the order, play good defense and deliver the big hits. Like most of the Yankees, the big question is how often will he get it done? Jeter turns 39 in June and ample rest will be critical, which is why it’s crucial Eduardo Nunez figures out how to play the field at the big-league level.