My preference is that the Yankees keep one of Damon and Matsui and go after Holiday but I can see the team bringing both of them back for one season at a lower salary or neither back.

They could go with Swisher, Gardner and Melky along with a resigned Nady if they let both players depart. That is two center fielders and three corner outfielders. Respectable and with and with no long contracts. Curtis and A Jackson could both see major league action next year.

Clearly signing Holiday and keeping one of damon and Matusi back gives us a beter lineup but if the Yankees do have a payroll limit it is worth exploring what our team would look like next Spring.

Let them go and no Holdiay scenarion looks like:

Posada and Cervelli: (Burnet liked pitching to Cervelli)
Texeira
Cano
Jeter and Pena
Arod
Melky. Gardner, Swisher and Hairston in the outfield
Nady and Miranda at DH.

We would have a very good offense with depth in outfiels and infield. I want to see what Miranda can do. I suspect that he can hit 280 with power and make himself good trade bait. soon he will be a a minor league free agent. If we cant resign Nady use shelly duncan as the right handed DH reserve outfielder.

As for the pitching staff I would have targeted either Sorian o or Mike Gonzalez earlier this summer but with mariano hinting that he isnt close to done I will stay the course and keep Andy.

My rotation would include:

CC, AJ, Andy, Hughes and Gauden, Acevas and Kennedy all serving as the occasional fifth starter, long reliever or substitute for Hughes to keep his innings below 180.

My bullpen would Include:

Mariano, Joba, Marte, Robertson and Cook.

!2 pitchers and 13 position players would make up my opening day roster.

AAA help might include:
Molina ( I hope)
Corona and Nunez
Curtis, Jackson and Duncan ( I hope)
Sanchez, Kroenke, and Melancon for the bullpen
McAlister as an emergenct starting pitcher.

Montero and Romine are probably at least one year away.

There are alot of variables this offseason that will affect the yankees’ roster this year.
1. Will Petitte come back or retire?
2. What to do with Joba and Hughes. Both guys have wicked stuff and should have more confidence pitching next year.
3. Wang is up for arbitration. It would cost the yanks 4m this year to keep him.
4. Damon and Matsui.
5. Is Kennedy and Ajax ready?

IMO i would love to see Andy come back, but i would understand if he retires on top. As far as Joba and Hughes, if Joba can throw 94+ fastballs consistently as a starter i say put him in the rotation. If not keep Joba in the bullpen and gives Hughes a shot. I also think the Yanks should bring back Wang for 1 more year. He’s still young and has proven to be a very good pitcher when healthy. For $4m i think its worth a try. I would like the Yanks to sign Damon to either a 2-3 year deal and Matsui to a 1 year deal. Damon can still play the outfield plus i dont think Gardner is ready to be a full time starter yet. I would like to see the yanks bring up Ajax and Kennedy to see how much have they developed. As far as signing Holliday, Bay or Lackey i wouldnt go for any of them. Too much money and the Yanks imo can do it again with the same roster they have now. Yanks should eye Mauer when hes available. The Yanks ace in the hole is Nady. He has proven he is a solid player when healthy.

So to sum it up id say keep the roster the same.

Still think Hughes might be a yr away from becoming a starter and at this pt its foolish to keep playing with Joba..Leave Joba and Hughes in the bullpen (although one of them will prbly a starter in 10’)

Say Saynora to Matsui..Bring back Damon hopefully to a 2yr 10 mill deal..
Let Wang go..and sign Lackey..( Im not sure Wang will ever be a big time pitcher the way Lackey has been and if not I agree with the previous post that he may be a Red Sux)

I would really consider trying to trade Cano..( another guy that seemed to be lost despite a solid comeback season) great D but mentally reminds of Soriano

Resign Molina and carry Cervelli on the roster …say goodbye to Guzman ..bring back Hinske ( he has been on the last 3 AL Pennant winners and 2 out of the last 3 WS winners)

Mike Cameron is avail
I hear Dan Uggala maybe as well..

Pitching and D wins and the Sux and Mets will be super aggressive this yr both in the trade mkt and in free agency..

I personally can live without Bay or Holliday..but you cant let a Santana type trade for Roy Halladay go unchecked to the Mets or Sux …

A rotation of CC.Burnett.Lackey..Andy and Hughes/Joba with minor tweaks IMO puts us in a postion to repeat..

Obviously you dont just trade a young player with his upside ..I just never liked him ..dont think he plays with passion..and checks in and out of games..Last yr you guys were probably the first ones screaming bloody murder as Joe G had to basically bench him and send Melky to the minors to get their heads straight..

I dont think you get value for him so of course he isnt going anywhere however would you pass up a Beltran for Cano deal if the Mets would be stupid eneough to consider trading him?

Reasons I dislike him

Lacksadasical
Poor Plate discipline
THis yr couldnt hit a barn door when it mattered

reasons to like him

young
cheap
upside is tremendous

Im just saying if you can get value like a CF (which is much tougher to find than a 2b who can hit or a stud pitcher ) why wouldnt you consider trading him

Btw its that kind of thinking that let to SUX winning in 04’ when Soriano was deemed untouchable and Schilling was delivered to the Sux..

for Uggla? this is by far the dumbest ideas ive seen in a long time. Cano is great player with a good future. He had a very good year will have more to come as a yankee. What a dumb idea. Cano had a bad postseason but i woldnt trade him for any other 2B in the majors. As far as getting holliday or bay, im not sold on them. Something about signing those guys to a huge contract scares me. i would understand if cashman doesnt bring matsui or damon to get younger. As far as wang is concerned, the guy has alot of upside and im sure the yanks can help him pitch like the 19 game winner he has been in the past.

Cano does have talent BUT, he is one lazy ass, lackadasical player with a big chip on his shoulder. He reminds me a lot like Manny Ramirez. Ask yourself this. When is the last time you saw him run out, at full speed, a ground ball, or, try and take out a player at 2nd base to break up a DP? And he is undisciplined at the plate. He certainly does NOT have the same attitude towards the game as Jeter, A-Rod, Tex, Damon, Gardner and just about everyone else on the team. Moving on, what NY really needs is starting pitching. CC is money in the bank. After that, we are in trouble. There’s a good chance Pettite will retire, Burnett is NOT the 85 million dollar man and cannot be counted on. Who knows what Wang’s situation is, Gaudin is unproven and Joba and Hughes belong in the bullpen.