There have been conflicting reports in the last couple of weeks about whether or not Joe Girardi would bat Gritty, Gutty Brett Gardner at the top of the lineup.
Let's assume for a moment that Joe G. is willing to use Gardner, who led the team in OBP last season, in the leadoff spot.
Where do you bat Derek Jeter?
Even if Jeter rebounds to his '08 level, he'd still be among league leaders at grounding into double plays in the 2 spot. I'd put Swisher there.
Obviously, Tex-Arod-Cano have the 3-4-5 locked up in some order.
Posada and Granderson are sure to have more power than Jeter: 6-7.
That leaves a decision between Jeter 8 and 9. Is Joe Girardi brave enough to tell Derek Jeter that he's the "second leadoff man" - the specious argument Joe Torre employed when he demoted Bernie Williams? That's actually the spot that makes the most sense to me.
The truth is that without a big rebound from Jeter and a step backwards from someone else, Jeter is one of the least valuable hitters on the Yankees in 2011. This says as much about the phenomenal depth of the lineup (easily the best in baseball, and the favorites to once again lead the league in runs scored) as it does about the aging shortstop.