Yankee lineup

1. Jeter SS
2. Johnson DH
3. Texeira 1B
4. Rodriguez 3B
5. Posada C
6. Cano 2B
7. Swisher RF/Granderson CF
8. Granderson CF/Swisher RF
9. Gardner/Hoffmann LF

Sabathia LHP
Burnett RHP
Pettitte LHP
Vazquez RHP
Chamberlain RHP

It looks like the Yankees are going to try a platoon in left field with Brett Gardner and Jamie Hoffmann, or at least they are going to head into spring training with that plan. I don't really mind it at all because I like the idea of giving these guys a chance to earn their spots. I think it will give them all a sense of edge and a need to play better. I'm not sure how the Yankees will want to set up their lineup because it depends on if they want to put two lefties in a row or not. Most teams try not to do that because opposing teams can run a lefty out to the mound and essentially counteract most left handed hitters. I personally like the idea of having Granderson bat at the bottom of the order because he sets up some speed for the top of the order. However, it sounds like the Yanks will have Gardner or Hoffmann bat in the nine hole which leaves Granderson either batting behind Cano in seventh or behind Swisher in eighth. I guess it won't really matter. Also, from everything I have read Javier Vazquez will be the number four pitcher rather than the number three like I had thought. I think this might change once spring training starts but the rotation does set up nicely rotating the first four pitchers lefty and righty. I just think that Pettitte won't be able to keep up his success forever even though he is one of my all time favorites. I'm very much looking forward to baseball season!

Are the Yankees done?

It seems the Yankees might be done adding players, according to some baseball writers. However, it is unlikely that they would trust a full season of Jamie Hoffmann and Brett Gardner in left field, especially if Curtis Granderson continues to struggle against lefties. The Yankee lineup doesn't really need another bat but they also are not likely to simply throw someone out there. I have a feeling that neither Brett Gardner or Jamie Hoffmann will be starting the season in left field. Call it a 'Steinbrenner' hunch.
However, on the flip side, I wouldn't mind seeing the Yanks go with their current roster. Gardner showed that he can be a threat on the bases and could have a better season given more chances. Plus, there is no telling how well Hoffmann will play in Spring Training so he could surprise us all and earn that starting spot. Maybe I should consult the magic 8-ball...

Lower Payroll?

So, the word from the front office was that the Steinbrenners and Brian Cashman had agreed to lower the payroll from last year ($201 million) but, according to my calculations, the payroll for 2010 will actually be higher ($208 million). I heard that the Yankee big wigs wanted to have the payroll around $185 million for next season but it looks like that has no chance of happening. Also, the Yankees currently do not have a starting left fielder unless they plan on using Brett Gardner or Jamie Hoffman full time which I think is unlikely. Not sure what their plans are but it seems that the whole lowering of the payroll idea has gone out the window. The good news is that much of the added salaries for the next season came via the trade rather than signing free agents (ex. Granderson and Vazquez). I think the Yankees are looking to shed some salaries for next season because of the big free agents that might become available. I guess we can only wait and see.

New left fielder?

With the Yankees trading Melky Cabrera to the Braves for Javier Vazquez, they will likely look for a new left fielder to take his spot. The two most notable options would be to bring back Damon, which the Yankees only want to do for the right price, or sign Mark DeRosa to a one year deal for half the price that Damon would likely require. DeRosa is a durable player that could play in the outfield and the infield. He's 34 and a career .275 hitter with some power but he also is said to be a great guy who would fit in well with the Yankees. Damon, if resigned for less than he wanted, could be bitter and might not play as well based on the offseason contract negotiations. Rumors are that the Yankees might make a push for either Jason Bay or Matt Holliday but I don't think that will happen. The Yankees are truly looking to decrease their payroll and those two options would probably increase it compared to last season. They might fake interest in the players to jack up the price for other teams but I would be shocked if they made a real play for either of those two big names. Here are three different options for the Yankee lineup based on the possibility of signing either Damon or DeRosa:
Option 1-
1. Jeter SS
2. Johnson DH
3. Texeira 1B
4. Rodriguez 3B
5. Damon LF
6. Posada C
7. Cano 2B
8. Swisher RF
9. Granderson CF
Option 2-
1. Jeter SS
2. Damon LF
3. Texeira 1B
4. Rodriguez 3B
5. Posada C
6. Cano 2B
7. Swisher RF
8. Johnson DH
9. Granderson CF
Option 3-
1. Jeter SS
2. Johnson DH
3. Texeira 1B
4. Rodriguez 3B
5. Posada C
6. Cano 2B
7. Swisher RF
8. DeRosa LF
9. Granderson CF
I like the idea of batting Granderson ninth because it's like having another lead-off man at the bottom of the line-up with Jeter and either Johnson or Damon in the two hole in front of Texeira and Rodriguez. What might be more likely is that Granderson would bat in front of Swisher in all the line-ups but I like having his speed in front of Jeter rather than in front of Swisher. Thanks and stay tuned for updates!

Another trade for the Yanks

The Yankees have traded outfielder Melky Cabrera, relief pitcher Michael Dunn, a minor league pitching prospect, and $500,000 to the Braves for starting pitcher Javier Vazquez and relief pitcher Boone Logan. Vazquez was with the Yankees for one year in 2004 and went 14-10 with an ERA just under 5.00. He has become a better pitcher since then exemplified by the 33 year old's great season last year with the Braves going 15-10 with an ERA under 3.00. Vazquez is a workhorse. He has pitched at least 198 innings, won at least 10 games, and struck out at least 150 batters the past 10 seasons, which shows he is durable and consistent.
Vazquez will likely pitch third for the Yanks as he has better stuff at this point in comparison to Pettitte. Pettitte, a soon to be 38 year old, is a solid veteran who will greatly help the Yanks as a fourth starter. He knows how to pitch in the AL East and can win games with effort and guts when he doesn't necessarily have his best stuff. This move gives the Yankees the deepest rotation in the AL and possibly the entire MLB. The Red Sox have a great rotation as well but I'd take Pettitte and Joba over Matsuzaka and Wakefield next season. I think Joba will be the fifth starter because the Yanks have put so much time into giving him more innings and the whole 'Joba Rules' fiasco would make them look like idiots if he was placed back into the bullpen. Phil Hughes, Alfredo Aceves, Chad Gaudin, and Sergio Mitre will compete for bullpen jobs, with the odd man out likely being Mitre as he struggled mightily last year.
Boone Logan is a 25 year old lefty who pitched only 20 innings for the Braves last year but he has good stuff and will likely take over Phil Coke's spot in the bullpen giving the Yankees two lefty options with Logan and Damaso Marte. The Braves had two lefties ahead of Logan in their bullpen last season so he didn't get many opportunities to pitch but he was solid against left handed batters and could help in that capacity next season.
Losing Melky Cabrera will likely force the Yankees to sign or trade for a left fielder. Gardner is good as a backup but he does not really have the skills to start every day. This could mean that the Yankees will try and bring Damon back but will only do so in a two year deal for around $20 million. Damon and agent Scott Boras are looking for a three to four year deal for $13-$15 million per year. Other options would be Mark DeRosa, who I like as a player and seems to be a great guy, who is looking for a deal for around $6.5 million. Melky was solid last season but the Yankees, and myself, thought he had really maxed out his potential so they might as well capitalize on his value while they could. Michael Dunn was projected to be a lefty out of the bullpen and, at 24, has a plus heater and slider. The prospect the Yanks gave up pitched well in Single A ball but who knows how he would have pitched as he got closer to the big leagues.

This trade makes the Yankees better for the 2010 season and they had to give up very little in the process. Their rotation, as stated earlier, will be amazing and they didn't have to sign one of the free agents with a questionable medical history (remember Carl Pavano?). I like this move and I look forward to seeing this rotation dominate next season.

1. CC Sabathia LHP

2. AJ Burnett RHP

3. Javier Vazquez RHP

4. Andy Pettitte LHP

5. Joba Chamberlain RHP

Possible new addition to the Yanks

There is a possibility that the Yankees are going to sign Nick Johnson, a former Yankee, to be their new DH. The puzzling thing about this deal is that Johnson has little power and his defense at 1B is below average. So, it seems like we would be signing a guy who will play very little in the field which begs the question: Why didn't we just resign Matsui? The only positive about Johnson is that he gets on base a LOT. His on base percentage last season was .426 and, to show how solid that is, the league average is .336. Another example is Derek Jeter. He had the highest on base percentage for the Yankees this past season and his was .406. Johnson would likely bat second behind Jeter which would move Granderson lower in the order. This move would seem to say that the Yanks want to focus more on manufacturing runs rather than hitting them all out of the park. Here's the projected lineup if this move goes through:
1. Jeter SS
2. Johnson DH
3. Texeira 1B
4. Rodriguez 3B
5. Posada C
6. Cano 2B
7. Granderson CF
8. Swisher RF
9. Cabrera LF

Reasons for concern

There are rumors that the Red Sox will be making another big change to their roster within a week or so. They are looking to trade for the San Diego's 1B Adrien Gonzalez, a huge bat that would more than make up for the possible loss of Mike Lowell in a trade to the Rangers. The BoSox recently announced the signings of John Lackey, the number one free agent pitcher on the market, and Mike Cameron, a soon to be 37 year old with some power, who is likely to play left field. Gonzalez would add some of the power the BoSox lost with the departure of Manny Ramirez but he would also allow the BoSox to have a more potent lineup one through nine. Not only do the BoSox look to have a great rotation next year, but they could have a feared lineup to go along with the strong pitching staff. I'm crossing my fingers that this move doesn't happen.