MLB: A Full Preview of the 2011 New York Yankees' Projected Roster
It feels so good to say this: baseball season is back.
The 2011 season is getting closer to being here as teams have reported for spring training in Florida and Arizona.
The Yankees have reported to Tampa and begun their spring training games all over.
The Yankees finished 2010 95-67 and winners of the American League Wild Card spot, falling one game short of the Tampa Bay Rays for the A.L. East division.
The Yankees swept the Minnesota Twins three games to zero in the American League Division Series but were defeated by the Texas Rangers in the American League Championship Series 4-2.
As 2011 gets closer, some things might look the same for the Yankees, although they did suffer a major loss to their roster.
Andy Pettitte announced his retirement at the beginning of February, ending his 16-year career and leaving a big hole in the Yankees' rotation.
Who will take the place of Pettitte? That's a question the Yankees are still trying to figure out in 2011, as Pettitte did not leave easy shoes to fill in that rotation.
Let's take a closer look at the projected 2011 roster for the Yankees.
Catcher: Russell Martin
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The Yankees brought in the former Dodger on a one-year deal to be the starter, taking over for long-time catcher Jorge Posada, who moves to a new position this season.
Martin was injury-plagued in 2010, and the Dodgers didn't see bringing Martin back as a strong necessity, so while the Yankees continue to develop Jesus Montero and Austin Romine in the minors, Martin gets his chance for a fresh start and play everyday in New York
2010: .248, 5 HR, 26 RBI
First Base: Mark Teixeira
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The last image Yankee fans saw of Teixeira was of him being helped off the field in Game 4 of the ALCS against the Rangers, hurting his hamstring and being forced out for the rest of the postseason.
Now healthy, Teixeira will look to have another solid season with the bat and the glove for the Yankees.
In his first two seasons with the Yankees, Teixeira has hit 30 or more home runs and driven in over 100 or more RBI, proving to be a good investment thus far for New York.
The only major question that surrounds Teixeira is, while he has been very good in the regular season for the Bombers, can he overcome his poor performances in October?
2010: .258, 33 HR, 108 RBI
Second Base: Robinson Cano
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2010 was a breakout season for Cano, as he established himself as a big bat in the Yankees' lineup.
Cano had such a fine season, he finished third in the 2010 American League MVP voting behind Josh Hamilton and Miguel Cabrera.
Now, Cano will look to repeat his solid season with another one in 2011.
Many have wondered if Cano will move up in the Yankees' order, possibly to the No. 3 spot. Last season, he was primarily the No. 5 hitter, a spot he'll probably be mostly this season unless Joe Girardi decides to shake up the order.
2010: .319, 29 HR, 109 RBI
Shortstop: Derek Jeter
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So for a whole month, Derek Jeter was a free agent for the first time in his life.
And for a whole month, many wondered if the Yankees were going to bring Jeter back.
Three years and $51 million later, Jeter was re-signed and ready to go for the Bombers.
Now, Jeter will turn his attention to his quest for 3,000 hits this season as he is just 74 hits away from the milestone that no other Yankee has ever accomplished while wearing the pinstripes.
Jeter will turn 37 in June, but he's still got a lot left in the tank and is looking to prove a lot of people wrong about him after a down year in 2010.
2010: .270, 10 HR, 67 RBI
Third Base: Alex Rodriguez
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Since 1996, A-Rod has hit at least 30 home runs and driven in over 100 RBI in every season.
He's been one of the best players in the game since becoming a full-time player for the Mariners in 1996.
Going on 36 this year, A-Rod is still one of the best in the game, but many consider him to be slowing down.
His mobility in the field has diminished some, especially after his 2009 hip surgery.
Some even feel that he will eventually be suited to be the full-time designated hitter for the team as he has seven years left on his current contract.
He might be getting older, but he can still put up 30 and 100 consistently as long as he can stay on the field.
2010: .270, 30 HR, 125 RBI
Left Field: Brett Gardner
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Gardner had a lot to prove in 2010, taking over the full-time left field job from Johnny Damon.
Many felt that if Gardner didn't do the job, the Yankees would have to get someone like Carl Crawford or Jayson Werth in free agency.
Crawford went to Boston. Werth went to Washington.
Why? Gardner stepped up for the Yankees,
At times, he batted near the bottom of the lineup, and at other times, he lead off for the Yankees, but Gardner provided speed in the field and the basepaths, something many felt the Yankees were missing for a while.
Gardner stole 47 bases for the Yankees in 2010. Can he top that number in 2011? If he gets on more, absolutely.
2010: .277, 5 HR, 47 RBI
Center Field: Curtis Granderson
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There was a lot of expectation surrounding Granderson after he was traded to the Yankees in a deal that sent outfield prospect Austin Jackson to Detroit last winter.
In his first series with the Yankees against the Red Sox, Granderson showed his value when he hit a go-ahead home run off Jonathan Papelbon and helped the Yankees win that series,
In the beginning of May, Granderson went on the DL with a leg injury, but ended up coming back strong in the second half, especially when hitting coach Kevin Long made adjustments to his swing.
In the playoffs, Granderson was one of the few Yankee hitters who just killed opposing pitching and showed why he was dealt for.
Now, he'll look to continue the hot end of his 2010 season and carry it over into 2011.
2010: .247, 24 HR, 67 RBI
Right Field: Nick Swisher
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After being traded away by the White Sox for Wilson Betemit before 2009, the Yankees have essentially gotten a legitimate steal when they got Swisher.
In his first two seasons in New York, Swisher has hit 29 home runs in each season and batted in over 80 RBI.
Swisher at times went from the No. 2 hole to the bottom of the lineup and even saw a major increase in his average, going from .249 in 2009 to .288 in 2010.
The Yankees will have a team option on Swisher for 2012 with a buyout. Will Swisher play well enough for the Yankees to have them pick that option up?
2010: .288, 29 HR, 89 RBI
Designated Hitter: Jorge Posada
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Jorge Posada had been the Yankees full-time catcher since the 1998 season when he took over for Joe Girardi, now his manager.
Posada will turn 40 this summer, and his days as the full-time catcher are over, as he will serve as the designated hitter in 2011.
Because he is a switch hitter, Posada still has a lot of value in the Yankees' lineup.
Posada is also in the final year of a four-year deal he signed before the 2008 season, and many have questions about Posada's future beyond 2011.
Will Posada want to continue playing past this season, or will 2011 be his final one in pinstripes?
2010: .248, 18 HR, 57 RBI
Yankees' Bench
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The Yankees decided against bringing Johnny Damon back and instead added Andruw Jones for right-handed hitting depth off the bench and to possibly start in left field against left-handed pitching.
Francisco Cervelli is slated right now to be the backup catcher for Martin, however, if Jesus Montero or Austin Romine make any progress in the spring, they could challenge Cervelli for the backup spot. If not, Cervelli will likely be the backup and Montero and Romine will likely begin in the minors.
Eduardo Nunez and Ramiro Pena will both compete for backup infield jobs for second, short and third base. The Yankees have been very reluctant to deal Nunez, as he continues to develop and could eventually win a possible starting infield job in the future.
Starting Rotation
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The Yankees starting rotation is a work in progress.
Andy Pettitte retired back in February. Javier Vazquez departed to the Florida Marlins. They failed to sign Cliff Lee as he chose to return to the Philadelphia Phillies.
So, Brian Cashman is taking a chance on Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon to win starting jobs in the rotation, as they both were signed to minor league deals this winter.
Ivan Nova will also compete with Garcia and Colon for a rotation spot. Early on this spring, Nova has looked really sharp and in fact, might be an early favorite in the race.
With Garcia, Colon and Nova competing to get a spot, the other three spots are locked.
CC Sabathia pitched even better in his second season for the Yankees, going 21-7 with a 3.18 ERA in 237.2 innings and struck out 197 batters. Sabathia finished third in the 2010 Cy Young voting behind Felix Hernandez and David Price.
Sabathia looks to of shed about 30 pounds off his frame, which should only enhance his durability in 2011 and help the Yankees in the later months.
After the 2011 season, Sabathia has an opt-out clause in his contract, one he has been rumored to exercise and possibly get another big payday, one the Yankees would likely have to make since Sabathia is such an important part of the rotation.
After Sabathia is Phil Hughes, who finally is developing into the pitcher the Yankees envisioned when he was dubbed as the Yankees top pitching prospect that came up in the majors in 2007.
Hughes finished 18-8 with a 4.19 ERA in 176.1 innings and struck out 146 batters. Hughes also made his first all-star appearance in 2010, pitching very well in the first half for the Yankees. Hughes did slow down a bit in the second half and struggled in the playoffs, struggles that some attributed to the fact that Hughes had never pitched as many innings in his career.
With a full season of starting under Hughes' belt, his progress and development should continue in the rotation.
The final spot belongs to someone who desperately needs a bounce back season, A.J. Burnett.
Burnett finished 10-15 with a 5.26 ERA in 186.2 innings and struck out 145 batters. Burnett was taken out of the playoff rotation in the ALDS against the Twins but got a chance against the Rangers and pitched well until he surrendered the go-ahead home run to Bengie Molina in Game 4 of the ALCS.
Now, with Larry Rothschild as the new pitching coach and taking a special interest into fine-tuning Burnett's mechanics and skills, Burnett desperately needs to have a rebound season after a terrible 2010 campaign.
Bullpen
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The Yankees weren't able to upgrade the starting rotation.
However, they were able to upgrade their bullpen. Big time.
Damaso Marte had to have shoulder surgery this winter, which will keep him sidelined until after the All-Star break, so with Marte out until after July, the Yankees needed a left-handed arm.
The Yankees brought in former Mets reliever Pedro Feliciano to be a key left-hander out of the bullpen. Feliciano was always one of the more dependable and durable arms for the Mets, and now will look to do the same for the Yankees.
Along with Feliciano, the Yankees made an even bolder move by bringing in former Rays closer Rafael Soriano and signed him to a three-year deal.
Soriano will be the setup man and the heir to be the next closer for the Yankees. Soriano saved 45 games and had a 1.73 ERA for Tampa last season.
Along with Feliciano and Soriano, and whenever Marte returns, the Yankees will have both David Robertson and Joba Chamberlain slated to be in the bullpen at the start of 2011 as well.
Robertson struggled in the beginning of the 2010 season but was able to eventually regain his form towards the end of the season. He did however struggle in the postseason for the Yankees and will have to pitch better if he wants Joe Girardi to rely on him in major situations.
Chamberlain has fallen off tremendously in the Yankees' pitching staff.
Once a dominant setup man to decent starter in 2008, Joba hurt his arm in the summer of 2008 against the Rangers and was never the same pitcher.
He was a mediocre starter in 2009 and eventually lost his starting job and went back to the bullpen in the 2009 playoffs and then permanently in the 2010 season when Phil Hughes beat out Joba for his spot.
As the setup man in 2010, Joba was extremely erratic and blew quite a few leads for the Yankees, as his ERA was 4.40.
Many have wondered if the Yankees will try to deal Chamberlain this year if a deal presents itself. After once being a very popular player, many people wouldn't be surprised if the Yankees did deal him away.
Closer: Mariano Rivera
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The Yankees tried playing hard-ball in their negotiations with Mariano Rivera this winter. Why they would do that is beyond me.
Then they got word that the Red Sox and Angels were making serious offers to the best closer in the game. That quickly changed the Yankees minds and offered Rivera a better contract that he immediately accepted.
Rivera signed on for two more years to continue his dominant, Hall-of-Fame career with the Yankees and will now have a strong bullpen in front of him to bridge the gap to his appearances.
Rivera just turned 41 over the winter but has shown no signs of slowing down with his age. He posted a 1.80 ERA and saved 33 games for the Yankees in 2010.
With Trevor Hoffman retiring and ending his career with 601 career saves, Rivera has a chance to surpass him for that record.
Rivera currently sits at 559 career saves, 42 away from tying the record and 43 from breaking it. If Rivera does play two more years, he should have no trouble breaking Hoffman's record.
Potential Moves for the Yankees To Make?
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The Yankees have been still rumored to be looking to add starting pitching for 2011. A few names have come up.
One is Chris Carpenter from the Cardinals.
With Adam Wainwright now out for the season and the fact that the Cardinals will have to negotiate a large contract to keep Albert Pujols in St. Louis, Carpenter might be expendable.
Carpenter will turn 36 this season but still continues to be a dominant arm in the Cardinals rotation. But, he is also due $15 million this season and next season, so if the Cardinals do need to unload a contract for money for Pujols, it might be a deal the Yankees could make.
The other name linked to the Yankees is Francisco Liriano.
Liriano will enter 2011 as the Twins ace, but with the Twins having decent depth at starting pitching, Liriano could become expendable, especially if the Twins don't want to look to extend Liriano.
One rumor that has been recent is that the Yankees have been having discussions to figure out a possible package for Liriano, while the Twins have been scouting the Yankees' minor leaguers and a deal could eventually come together if Brian Cashman and Bill Smith ever do sit down and work something out.
What To Expect in 2011
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Last year, the Yankees were a 95-win team and made the playoffs as the wild card. They finished one game behind the Rays in the division.
This year, it will likely be a return of the Red Sox who will challenge the Yankees in 2011.
Right now, the Yankees look decent enough to win another wild-card spot and get to the playoffs. But, the chances of the Yankees not adding a starter is unlikely, many expect the Yankees to make a trade before July 31. If anything, it could come sooner, depending on if the right deal comes along.
Since no starting pitching was added yet, as a spring training prediction, I am predicting the Yankees to finish 93-69, win the wild card and make the playoffs again in 2011.
