Comments on: What’s the starting lineup right now?

By: GiantsCauseway

GiantsCauseway — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:43:48 +0000

Let Damon go, he’s a little league outfielder. I see Jason Bey in left, then you can rest Alex, Jorge & Jeter at DH.

By: the gay Yankee fan

the gay Yankee fan — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 08:04:35 +0000

They have to give Brett Gardner a chance. His postseason performance was hurt by the fact that he was sitting for most of it and during September.

We’ve seen flashes of Gardner during regular season that was very good and I think he will be even better than that as he gets more play time and experience.

Don’t give up on him. There is a huge upside.

By: Yeah

Yeah — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 07:43:29 +0000

If Brett Garbage is the starting center fielder come April 2010, I will plotz.

Even with the short porch in right, the man does not have warning-track power (see http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/indiv.....statType=1).

He is at best a two-tool player, the two tools being fielding and speed (though his performance in the playoffs makes one wonder how long the latter’s gonna last). (His average is an illusion, considering that he never managed to hit .300 in the minors even. And while a .345 OBP might be acceptable in someone with a .450 or better slugging percentage, Gardner’s SLG is only a few points higher than his on-base.) The upshot being that he should be at most a late-inning defensive substitution/pinch runner (i.e., a pine rider).

Please note that I’m not saying Melky Cabrera is great shakes. But without question his starting over Gardner is better for my cardiovascular health.

By: maxcz

maxcz — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 07:36:40 +0000

Jeter SS
Trade for Granderson OR Sign Cameron (1 yr) CF
Teixeira 1B
Arod 3B
Matsui (2yr) DH
Posada C
Cano 2B
Swisher RF
Cabrera CF

CC
Trade for Halladay (Pena, Hughes + 2 prospects)
Burnett
Pettite (if he does not retire) OR Sign Rich Harden (1 yr + club option)
Joba
*IF WE DO NOT TRADE FOR HALLADAY:
CC
Burnett
Pettite (if he does not retire) OR Sign Rich Harden (1 yr + club option)
Jon Garland (1 yr)
Joba AND Hughes (have them alternate starts)

Cervelli C
HInske IN/OF (1yr)
Hairston IN/OF (1yr)
Gardner CF

Bruney/Rafael Soriano
Coke
Aceves
Robertson
Marte
Gaudin
Melancon
RIvera

By: Mike

Mike — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 06:10:37 +0000

1. Derek Jeter, SS
2. Nick Swisher, LF
3. Mark Teixeira, 1B
4. Alex Rodriguez, 3B
5. Jorge Posada, C
6. Robinson Cano, 2B
7. Melky Cabrera, RF
8. CC Sabathia, DH
9. Brett Gardner, CF

By: Bruce Doucet

Bruce Doucet — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 04:56:06 +0000

I love the Yankees, but they need to get a bit younger this off season. Obviously, you’re still going to keep some of the key older guys, but I also think you need to bring up a few of New York’s prospects (even if they’re young and even if they might struggle a bit). It’s also time to shed a bit of dead weight (Melky Cabrera, Brian Bruney, Chin Ming Wang, Sergio Mitre, Jose Molina, and either Damon or Matsui). The Yankees just won the World Series, but other than Swisher (who did little in the WS), their outfield was the pits this year!

Their priorities this off season, should be to sign Aroldis Chapman and Matt Holliday, to resign Andy Pettitte and maybe either Damon or Matsui (for the bench), and to bring up Austin Jackson to play centerfield and Jesus Montero to play DH and catcher (so that Posada and Girardi can work with him). Playing centerfield for the New York Yankees is like playing quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys – there’s tradition there. I can’t stomach Melky and Gardner where DiMaggio, Mantle and Bernie Williams once roamed. It’s time to give Ajax a shot – he can’t be worse than the two clowns the Yanks had there last year, and he’s got tremendous upside potential.

I also definitely wouldn’t trade Ajax, Jesus Montero, Phil Hughes and/or Joba Chamerlain for anything – they’re the future of the franchise. You don’t need to trade for Doc Halladay this year. He’s a free agent after next year – same goes for Cliff Lee. Mind you, I wouldn’t refuse to take Halladay if the Jays didn’t ask for any of the aforementioned 4 players, but Halladay really isn’t a must.

It would also be nice to pick up a player like Carlos Beltran or Curtis Granderson to play some outfield and to DH a bit. This would allow you to let Damon (dead arm) and Matsui (dead legs) go, or have one of them come off the bench. I would be nice to have a strong bench again like the Yanks did in ’98. Again, I wouldn’t give up any one of the 4 players I mentioned concerning Halladay.

Here’s how I would love to see the Yankees in 2010
SS Derek Jeter
RF Nick Swisher
1B Mark Texiera
3B Alex Rodriguez
LF Matt Holliday
C/DH Jesus Montero
2B Robinson Cano
C/DH Jorge Posada
CF Austin Jackson

On the bench:
DH/PH/OF Matsui or Damon (maybe)
OF Gardner (for speed) or Eric Hinske (for power)
OF Granderson or Beltran
IF Ramiro Pena or Hairston Jr.
C Francisco Cerevelli

Pitchers
CC Sabathia
AJ Burnett
Andy Pettite
Phil Hughes
Aroldis Chapman

Mariano Rivera
Joba Chamberlain
David Robertson
Damaso Marte
Phil Coke
Alfredo Aceves
Chad Gaudin
Mark Melancon

Note: If you get another starter, Hughes could stay in a very dominant bullpen.

By: 7789

7789 — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:14:00 +0000

that lineup is still better than most al lineups.

By: hornblower

hornblower — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:01:09 +0000

The Yankees will look to cut payroll by at least $30 mil. this off-season. Between the luxury tax and the nut for the Stadium they probably owe $100 mil.
Hal S., unlike his father, is a business man. His ego is in finance not baseball. No executive in baseball wants to be told he bought a title. This free-agent spending is a one-time thing. Check all the in and out of town columns during the playoffs. None failed to mention money. They have to go to meetings with these people and field calls from Selig. The next few years will be about the system, not buying players.
That said:
Jeter,Cano,Tex,ARod,Matsui,Posada,Swicher,Melky,Jackson.
Matsui will come back cheaply. They will make Montero a left fielder this spring. If Elston Howard and Yogi could play the outfield he can.

By: sadf

sadf — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:09:28 +0000

Hate to break it to yall, but Nick Swisher sucks. Sure, he can get on base, but in the end, you need someone who can hit. Swisher can’t hit.

By: Woland

Woland — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:12:20 +0000

Swish is not a number 2 and neither is Robbie really. You’re going to see Damon in pinstripes next year. Maybe not if he didn’t hit 24 HR and hit very well in the postseason, but he did, and he will be a Yankee next year.

Problem is he’ll need some DH time, as will Posada, so there really is no room for Hideki Matsui.

But if they keep Damon, and Swish and Nady, there will be no room for Austin Jackson, so someone is going to be traded, and it will either be Gardner, Swisher, or even Melky.