2009 Yankee lineup

by Travis G on Feb 2, 2009 5:52 PM EST in New York Yankees Analysis

Going into the season with today's roster (and assuming health), this is how the lineup should be:

Damon, CF

Jeter, SS

Tex, 1b

Arod, 3b

Matsui, DH

Posada, C

Swisher, RF

Cano, 2b

Nady, LF

1-4 are pretty much set in stone at this point, but 5-9 could change a lot during the year. Depending on whether Cano and Swisher have bounceback years and how much time Matsui and Posada miss with injuries, the bottom half of the lineup could change drastically.

I want Damon to at least start the year in center, simply because he's a far better hitter than either Melky or Garnder (at this point). If you move Damon to LF, then you either sacrifice offense with Melky/Gardner or defense with Nady/Swisher. Damon is still the best all-around centerfielder we have. Ideally, Damon would play there all season, but if he can't, then put in one of the 'B' options.

This lineup also has opposite handed batters throughout. There's not one occurrence when two similar-handed batters hit back-to-back.

How would your lineup look?

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My 2009 Lineup

Is reliant on which and if we trade one of Swisher/Nady

by I Bleed Pinstripes on Feb 2, 2009 6:08 PM EST reply actions

A LITTLE DIFFERENT

I would NOT start Damon in center, I predict a battle between Melky and Gardner, with Gardner winning. I would trade Nick Swisher (i am a big fan of Nady.)
Damon, LF
Jeter, SS
Tex, 1b
Arod, 3b
Matsui, DH
Posada, C
Nady, RF
Cano, 2b
Gardner CF

Munson15

by Munson15 on Feb 2, 2009 6:10 PM EST reply actions

I like it

Pretty much how I saw the lineup also. I like Gardner and Nady.

by NYY925 on Feb 3, 2009 3:54 AM EST up reply actions

Joe Torres book

gives us a little more information on Johnny Damon. We knew that he had considered not coming back at some point, but we didn’t really know what came first, the injuries or the attitude.

Sounds like a bad attitude and bad conditioning contributed to that bad season where we decided that he could no longer be a center fielder. Maybe he will be like Jason and retake his position this year. That would be a huge upgrade for the club (offensively)

Crowds are won and lost and won again, but our hearts beat for the diehards.

by Edwantsacracker on Feb 3, 2009 10:33 PM EST up reply actions

Lineup

Anything can happen between now and Opening Day, but I do know this…

Damon will not be the center fielder. Cashman and Girardi have both said a number of times that they want to avoid using Damon in center as much as possible.

If they had any desire to use Damon in center – they wouldn’t be shopping around Nady or Swisher.

I think Gardner will end up being the center fielder on Opening Day. Girardi has a man crush on the guy and Melky has had plenty of opportunities to secure that position.

I hope they keep both Nady and Swisher for now. Having good depth never hurt anybody.

by anaconda on Feb 2, 2009 6:20 PM EST reply actions

Personally

I think Damon and Swisher (he has some experience there) could rotate in CF/LF and the Yanks would be fine, but I don’t see Girardi doing that, at least not right away. He’ll let Gardner/Melky fail first.

Of the two Gardner is the slightly better choice to me, but one other monkey wrench is that Melky has no options left. And the way the Yanks roster is constructed right now, I don’t see how they could carry Gardner as a starter and Melky as a reserve.

"Well, that kind of puts a damper on even a Yankees win."
-- Phil Rizzuto after hearing about the Pope's death

by matthaggs on Feb 3, 2009 12:00 PM EST up reply actions

Dont Sleep!

Don’t Sleep on Gardner! He can play left field as well as center.

I also think we should keep Nady and Swisher.

Anaconda your exactly right..depth never hurt anyone. If we get rid of either of them, something tells me that would be a bad idea…

by Fluke on Feb 2, 2009 10:03 PM EST reply actions

best in al east

by jv52yankees on Feb 3, 2009 12:32 AM EST reply actions

Nady/Swisher trade

The only reason I would want Swisher traded is to gain one more in the pen. After these past few years it’s been drilled in to me that our pitching is always a problem. I just want to go through the season and not have to worry about our pitching falling apart.

by NYY925 on Feb 3, 2009 3:58 AM EST reply actions

Pen isn't an area of concern ... yet

We’ve got a strong pen as evidenced last season, and a few big (but unproven) names who could really turn a quality pen into a beast. My concern is catching. I simply don’t think Posada is going to be an every day guy able to handle the day-to-day rigors of the position.

"Baseball is the background music of my life." -George Will

by Ronster22 on Feb 3, 2009 10:26 AM EST up reply actions

Juan.Cruz.

People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring. ~Rogers Hornsby

by sdhman11 on Feb 3, 2009 8:21 PM EST up reply actions

Damon

I don’t really want to see Damon in center field. He can cover a lot of ground, but not as much as the Melk man, plus Melk’s got a gun for an arm…. I don’t mean to sound harsh, but, Damon can’t throw ANYONE out. His arm is shot. Gardner is a danger on the base-path as well with the way he can run. I think the yanks have enough offensive power to be ok with Melk or Gardner in the line-up. Still, Damon is the best lead-off option at this point… so… after all this ranting… I’m torn in three ways… but Damon’s arm (or lack thereof might scare me most of all).

by TheSaltineWarrior on Feb 3, 2009 10:40 AM EST reply actions

also

I wouldn’t get rid of any of the three either… depth is a good thing

by TheSaltineWarrior on Feb 3, 2009 10:41 AM EST reply actions

Trade Nady

He’s a mediocre player coming off of a career year. He isn’t going to post an .850 OPS again.

Swisher, on the other hand, is a good player coming off a down year.

by 3460kuri on Feb 3, 2009 10:59 AM EST reply actions

Keep Nady

At least until the deadline in this lineup he’ll put up some nice stats. Then when his value is high trade him for some nice prospects or a spare part that we need. If not he’s likely to be a type a or type b free agent it would be nice to get some draft picks.

People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring. ~Rogers Hornsby

by sdhman11 on Feb 3, 2009 2:44 PM EST up reply actions