New York Yankees: Predicting the Top 5 Home Run Hitters of 2012

The Yankees hit a league leading 222 home runs last season, 12 more than the second-place Texas Rangers.

The team was led by the surprising season of Curtis Granderson, who hit a career-high 41 home runs. That number was good enough for second in the majors behind Jose Bautista, who hit 43.

Mark Teixeira was second on the team with 39, Robinson Cano was third with 28, Nick Swisher was fourth with 23 and Russell Martin was fifth with 18.

Raul Ibanez, who will replace Jorge Posada's 14 home runs from 2011, figures to add additional pop to the lineup. A healthy Alex Rodriguez will also add some additional power.

A team like the Yankees could realistically challenge the team record of 244 home runs set in 2009. To do that, though, Alex Rodriguez will have to have a healthy, productive season, and Raul Ibanez will have to prove that he is a significant upgrade over Posada.

The top five home run hitters next season will be similar to last, with the exception of just one.

5. Nick Swisher

After posting consecutive 29-home run seasons from 2009 to 2010, Swisher slumped a bit out of the gate and recorded his lowest home run total since 2007, when he hit 22 as a member of the A's.

Not surprisingly, his slugging percentage also took a hit, dropping from .511 in 2010 to .449 last season.

Despite the drop-off in home runs, Swisher did not see much of a decrease in run production. He drove in 89 runs in 2010, his highest total since 2006 when he drove in 95, and 85 runs in 2011.

Swisher's career best home run total is 35, a number he recorded in 2006. He clearly has 30-home run potential, but early season struggles have hurt his overall totals over the course of the past few seasons.

He will finish fifth on the team in home runs in 2012, hitting a very respectable 28.

4. Curtis Granderson

Despite leading the team with 41 home runs last season, Granderson isn't likely to provide similar numbers in 2012.

It was the first time Granderson ever recorded 40 or more home runs and the second time with 30 or more home runs. The other time was in 2009, when he hit exactly 30.

Another stat that proves it's foolish to expect similar production is Granderson's RBI total. Last season he drove in a league-leading 119 runs. His second highest total was 74, which he recorded in 2007.

I highly doubt that Granderson will hit over 40 home runs again in his career, but it's not out of the question for him to touch the 30 mark again.

That's what I predict for 2012; Granderson will take advantage of the short right field porch in Yankee Stadium and hit 32 home runs.

3. Alex Rodriguez

Long gone are the days of Alex Rodriguez's home run prowess. He can still be an intimidating figure in the batter's box when healthy, but that's been a major problem for him over the past few seasons.

After undergoing orthokine therapy during the offseason, Rodriguez finally appears to be healthy for 2012. Then again, he was healthy going into last spring, and we all know of how much he wore down as the season progressed.

There should be no questions about the effectiveness of the orthokine therapy as Kobe Bryant, who recommended the procedure to A-Rod, has shown no signs of health issues after undergoing the treatment himself.

Last season, Rodriguez hit 16 home runs in 99 games. It marked the first time since 1997, his second as a full-time player, that he failed to hit at least 30 home runs.

A healthy Rodriguez figures to be productive in the fourth spot in the lineup this season. He will finish third on the team in home runs this season, mashing 35 home runs and proving to all his doubters that he is finally healthy.

2. Robinson Cano

Robinson Cano has finally established himself as one of the premier hitters in the league.

Despite never recording a season of 30 home runs, Cano has serious power. Besides hitting 28 big flies last season, he added 46 doubles and seven triples.

Manager Joe Girardi experimented with Cano in the three spot in the lineup late last season, a move that seemed to make everyone in the lineup more productive. He figures to be the permanent three hitter next season, which would give Cano the opportunity to finally eclipse 30 home runs.

Even with the additions of Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder in the American League, I predict that Cano will win the MVP award next season. He is just too good of an all-around hitter to not put it all together this season.

In 2012, his first MVP season, Cano will hit a career-high 36 home runs, finishing second on the team to none other than...

1. Mark Teixeira

Mark Teixeira finished third in the league last season, tied with Matt Kemp, with 39 home runs. 

Teixeira matched his 2009 total last season, although he posted a batting average well below his career average.

The Yankees would love for Teixeira to continue his run production, but they'd most likely be willing to sacrifice a few home runs for .020 or .030 point increase in batting average.

He already seems willing to bunt a bit next season in order to beat the shift put on him by opposing teams, so the aforementioned scenario may happen in 2012.

At the end of the season, nobody on the Yankees will have hit 40 home runs, as I predict the team leader will be Teixeira, who will hit 37 big flies.