Based on spring numbers so far (reported in the following table), as well as past performance and what we know about what Girardi and Cashman want in the bullpen, I think we should see the following seven men break camp with the Yanks:

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In seeking to fill the hole which A-Rod may soon leave in the lineup and on the diamond, I would go the following course in order, moving to the next plan if the previous doesn’t work. But I wouldn’t do anything as drastic as trading for a star 3B or someone who would want permanent, everyday playing time there now or into the future. If we acquire someone, it should be a stopgap who has defensive flexibility so we can keep using the replacement at other positions after A-Rod returns.

1.) Play Tex at 3B, Swisher at 1B, and Nady in RF every day. Tex started out as a 3B but switched to 1B when he was blocked by Hank Blalock in Texas. Maybe he could still play that position, given his defensive skills on the other corner. Thankfully, we have time now, with a month left until the season, to experiment with this.

2.) Try Cody Ransom every day. He has impressed as a Yankee. He’s athletic and plays hard, like Brett Gardner.  We could also try Cano at 3B, where he played in the minors, and Ransom at 2B.

3.) Trade for Martin Prado or Chone Figgins. They don’t hit for much power but get on base and hit for average, and Figgins is a base-stealing wizard. Both can play multiple IF and OF positions and would be outstanding bench players should A-Rod return. In either case, don’t give up a prospect too promising, like Hughes, Brackman, McAllister, Melancon, Betances, Montero, Romine, Jackson, et al.

Players I would not acquire:

Mark Grudzielanek--turns 39 in June; hasn't played at 3B since 1995; career average OBP/SLG .332/.395

Brandon Inge--last two seasons were below his dismal .237/.304/.392 career average

Hank Blalock--no longer strong defensively at 3B

Scott Rolen--deteriorating bat, would want permanent playing time

Melvin Mora--age 37

Garrett Atkins--would want permanent playing time

Adrian Beltre--would want permanent playing time, especially in his walk year, and has been playing at or below his career-average .327 OBP since he came to the AL in 2005

Mark Teahen--career-average .332 OBP, only .313 last year

Chad Tracy--non-existent bat, terrible defensively at 3B

Aaron Boone--almost nothing beats his infamous blast to left, but he no longer can hit very well and has been a journeyman since leaving the Yanks

Vote in the poll below on which of my options you would prefer.

I've started a custom roto league on Yahoo! that drafts on Friday afternoon (though that can change).  Right now, it's just my dad, brother, and I, and I'd like to have more competition to dominate.  All three of us are, naturally, Yanks fans, and more are certainly welcome, but if you know of any Red Sox fans or general baseball fans who'd like to join, particularly if you're stuck in the South or somewhere else outside the NY or Boston markets, point them our way.  Max teams is currently set at 7 but can grow if there is interest, which I hope there will be.

Not a bad suggestion from MLB Trade Rumors (in a post on the subject of the Rangers' own overstacked OF).  But what would the Rangers want for Byrd, who has been a valuable utility OF for them?  Likely a MLB-ready SP because their rotation sucks and will especially suck if they don't add Sheets (who won't pitch for anyone until at least halfway through the year anyway).  That would probably mean Ian Kennedy.  Kennedy for one year of Byrd?  No thanks.  But could we put together a lesser package?  The Rangers also have a weak bullpen, and we have plenty of those sorts of arms.  Or what about a megatrade involving either 2B/SS Joaquin Arias, either Taylor Teagarden or Max Ramirez, and Byrd?  Impossible but one can fantasize.

I'm surprised no one has posted his comments to MLB.com's Indians reporter Anthony Castrovince yet.

"When you're down, you expect your organization to pick you up, not kick you when you're down," Pavano said. "I've had to pick myself up quite a few times the last four years."

We treated him so terribly.  Every time he got ready to pitch for us, we injured him with our words and expectations.  We're sorry.  We shouldn't have expected you to actually perform and earn your millions.  Maybe if we had fellated him more in public, he would have become a Yankee star.

What a douche.

You know what Scott Boras likes more than money, or at least alongside money?  Opt-out clauses.  There has been no discussion of them when it comes to Mark Teixeira and his potential contract.  Boras is reportedly looking for massive AAV over massive years.  But wouldn't he love to have the opportunity to sign his player to another fat contract a few years down the line?  Think about it: if he's under contract for 8 years, Tex will be 36 when he's up for his final contract.  It's harder to find teams willing to sign someone in his late 30s to multiple years, especially not at high AAV and especially not if his production has started to wane (see Jason Giambi, et al).  But if he signs for 8 years and can opt out halfway through, Tex will be 32 and can sign another guaranteed 7- or 8-year contract which would likely pay him more for his age 37-40 seasons than would a contract he'd get at age 36.  Boras would follow his own A-Rod model. 

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Two interesting names who could be valuable to the Yankees in 2009 were not offered contracts by their teams today and are now free agents: Ty Wigginton and Willy Taveras.  Taveras is a 28-year-old speedy CF who steals a ton of bases, hits for a solid average, and is at least as strong a defender as Melky Cabrera and Mike Cameron.  Wigginton is a power-hitting utility IF/OF who is coveted by several teams to be a starter but who was an underrated utility guy for the Rays before they traded him to the Astros straight-up for Dan Wheeler. 

Though he wouldn't know a homer if it hit him in the forehead, I'd rather sign Taveras for two or three years at $2 million per and keep Cabrera around than trade him for a low-BA 35-year-old who we'd have to pay about $10 million for one year--that is, unless getting Cameron means we get rid of Igawa, which seems unlikely, based on reports.  (Those who worry signing a longer-term CF would block Austin Jackson's emergence should remember that Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, and Xavier Nady are in contract years, so AJax will have plenty of places to play.  The fact that those players will be playing for their next contract with another team (therefore increasing their usual run production) also means people who want a lineup with nine big boppers that includes Mark Teixeira are idiots. Molina also is in a contract year.)

There were rumors we were in talks for Wigginton before the '07 trade deadline.  We would have sent the Rays Scott Proctor, but they wisely refused, so we were stuck with Wilson Betemit.  I was clamoring for Wigginton then, and I'd rather sign him now than Rich Aurilia or Nomar Garciaparra (two options I mentioned in my "Utitily Infielder, Bench" post) because he is several years younger and has more pop in his bat.  The only downside to Wigginton is that we'd still need to use Cody Ransom to back up short because Wigginton hasn't played a single inning there in his entire career.  But we can afford to have three utility guys on the bench (Wigginton, Ransom, Cabrera) in addition to Jose Molina.

Thus, here's my ideal 2009 Yankee roster, considering the already-made moves.  I would prefer Derek Lowe to Burnett or Pettitte or Ben Sheets, but we're not going to change history or block a rotation slot for Phil Hughes or Ian Kennedy for the next three or four years, so it's either Pettitte for $10 million or Sheets for $30 million over two years.  Next to each player is his 2009 salary (or my best guess for those who are arbitration-eligible or for those who have not signed with the Yankees).

C - Jorge Posada - $13.1

1B/LF/RF/CF - Nick Swisher - $5.3

2B - Robinson Cano - $6

3B - Alex Rodriguez - $32

SS - Derek Jeter - $20

LF/CF - Johnny Damon - $13

CF - Willy Taveras - $2

RF/LF - Xavier Nady - $6

DH/LF - Hideki Matsui - $13

Bench

C - Jose Molina (R) - $1

1B/2B/3B/LF/RF - Ty Wigginton (R) - $5

1B/2B/3B/SS - Cody Ransom (R) - $0.45

CF/RF/LF - Melky Cabrera (S) - $0.465

Rotation

C.C. Sabathia - $23

Chien-Ming Wang - $5

A.J. Burnett - $16.5

Andy Pettitte - $10 or Ben Sheets - $15

Joba Chamberlain - $0.4

Bullpen

Mariano Rivera - $15

Damaso Marte - $4

Brian Bruney - $1.2

Jose Veras - $0.4

Edwar Ramirez - ? (assume $0.3)

Phil Coke - ? (assume $0.3)

Alfredo Aceves - ? (assume $0.3)

That comes to a total payroll of $193,715,000 (or $198,715,000 if we sign Sheets instead of Pettitte)--no less than 2008, even though we apparently were planning to save some money.  If we sign Teixeira and move Swisher to the bench (replacing Cabrera), we'd owe our major-league team a record $213,250,000 (or $218,250,000).  Not gonna happen, as much as we'd all love to have him in our lineup.  Plus, we need to keep 1B relatively open for Jeter or Posada or both in a few years.  Swisher is only under contract through 2011, and he can be moved to the OF (Jeter could also move there instead of 1B).

Now here's a proposed starting lineup, along with their batting arm and their three-year averages (BA-OBP-SLG-HR-RBI-SB):

Damon, LF (L) - .286-.362-.448-17-71-27

Jeter, SS (R) - .322-.390-.448-12-79-20

Matsui, DH (L) - .297-.372-.469-26-109-3 (note: averages do not include injury-shortened 2006 and 2008 seasons)

Rodriguez, 3B (R) - .302-.403-.581-41-126-19

Posada, C (S) - .293-.396-.503-21-85-2 (note: averages do not include injury-shortened 2008 season)

Nady, RF (R) - .289-.343-.481-20-77-2

Cano, 2B (L) - .304-.340-.471-16-82-3

Swisher, 1B (S) - .246-.363-.454-27-80-2

Taveras, CF (R) - .280-.333-.336-1-26-44

Thoughts on Wigginton, Taveras, or my proposed roster or lineup?

We need a utility infielder (or two, if Cody Ransom doesn't cut it).  Reports have us pursuing Nick Punto, which wouldn't be terrible.  But what about Rich Aurilia or Jerry Hairston, Jr., or Nomar Garciaparra?  Or two of them, even?  I'd also be interested in Ty Wigginton, but we don't seem to match up with the Astros' needs.

Now with the possible Cameron trade, we'll need a bench player who can reliably play the outfield.  Would we use Brett Gardner or Justin Christian for some speed and defense, or would we try to find another free agent who can play the outfield as well as the infield?  Hairston would fit that bill.

It's looking like it will be difficult to sign two top-tier free-agent pitchers this offseason.  Could we trade for one instead?  We're often mentioned in the Jake Peavy talks, but who else may be available?

The Reds are looking for an outfielder and are reportedly in talks for Jermaine Dye.  What would it take to get Edinson Volquez or Aaron Harang?  Xavier Nady and a pitching prospect?

The Giants are looking for all sorts of pieces.  I imagine Tim Lincecum is off-limits, but Matt Cain is possibly on the table.

Edwin Jackson or Andy Sonnanstine may be available to make room for David Price, but would the Rays trade in-division?  Not likely.  They need a DH and a RF, so we could supply Nady or Matsui.

The Angels' rotation is going to be overcrowded if they sign Sabathia, and it's already bordering on packed.  They likely would make Jered Weaver available rather than Kelvim Escobar or Ervin Santana, and we don't want him.  His ERA has increased significantly every year he's been in the majors.

What about the A's and Justin Duchscherer?  Seems Billy Beane's always dumping tons of young talent every offseason, but this year, trading for Matt Holliday and gunning hard for Rafael Furcal, they may be serious about actually contending for a change.

The Rangers are reportedly shopping Vicente Padilla, who started off hot as a pistol this season before really turning into a bum.  This will be a contract year for him, and he's only 31, so getting him for one year and about $11 mil may not be a terrible option, if push comes to shove.

I'd love to have the Marlins' Ricky Nolasco.  They could probably use an outfielder.

Looks like, God knows why, the Astros are buying pitchers, not selling.  Roy Oswalt and, to a far lesser extent, Wandy Rodriguez would be welcome additions to the rotation.

Anyone else I'm missing?

Pete Abe says it all.

It's nice to lose the two weakest links in a strong bullpen in one day.  I don't know that Cusick will ever amount to anything, but it's just nice to get Hawkins off the roster and the payroll to make room for better, cheaper players like Bruney, Britton, Melancon, and Aceves.  I think Bruney and Britton warrant immediate call-ups, and Melancon and Aceves need a little more time in AAA.  They may just have to prove themselves in spring training next year if our pen stays as strong as it has been.

Nady can play 1B and is better defensively in RF than is Abreu.  He's also on a hotter offensive tear than either Abreu or Giambi (though Abreu has still been one of our better hitters so far this season).  There are often rumors he could be traded to a contender.  Should it be our Yankees?

And to fill up the stupid length requirement, I will just type another sentence that is nineteen words long.

Interesting suggestion by Tom Covill about how to work Joba into the rotation by the All-Star break:

For those who believe that Chamberlain is an easy heir to the Mariano Rivera throne and a comparable closer to Boston’s Jonathan Papelbon for years to come, consider this - Rivera became a closer because he had one fantastic pitch and couldn’t make it work as a starter.

Papelbon is sitting in the bullpen because he wanted to be there. He was a closer at Mississippi State and didn’t start until entering the Boston system.

Chamberlain doesn’t have one dominant pitch. He has four. He’s always been a starter. He has better stuff than anybody on the New York staff or in the New York system, and there is no reason the best pitcher in the system shouldn’t be giving the team the most innings.

So what about the eighth inning? And how will the Yankees transition their phenom to the rotation?

They answered both of those questions last season when the devastating righthander made his first appearance in the majors.

New York is blessed with one of the best farm systems in baseball. In terms of pitching depth, there are few other organizations that can compete. So, pick a starter at the high levels of the minors that is ready to make the jump.

Alan Horne, who just reached Class AAA, perhaps. Or Jeffery Marquez, who has made six starts at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season, or Daniel McCutchen, who is tearing up the Eastern League.

The idea is to integrate another of the top pitching prospects onto the major league team while limiting their innings, just like with Chamberlain last season.

So slot Horne, Marquez, McCutchen or whomever into the rotation with Chamberlain scheduled on the same day and piggyback the appearance.

For example, let Horne pitch the first five innings and give Chamberlain two or three. Five days later, Horne gets four and Chamberlain gets four, and so on.

Both pitchers would be available in the bullpen on their throw days in between the start.

Will Horne, Marquez or McCutchen be as dominant as Chamberlain in the bullpen? Probably not, but that is what Kyle Farnsworth, LaTroy Hawkins, Ross Ohlendorf, Jose Veras, Edwar Ramirez and Chris Britton are for - to do their jobs.

What do you all think?

Per MLBTR.  To trump the Sox's rumored hopes of landing both Santana and Nathan for a slew of players, if I were Cashman and really any AL GM but Epstein, I'd hope all three teams pull the trigger on this one.  It'd keep Santana out of Boston and out of the AL completely but would keep Minnesota competitive, putting pressure on the Tigers and Tribe and helping the Yanks in the Wild Card competition.  It wouldn't do that much to keep the Angels out of the playoffs, but it would make things very interesting in the East and Central, and in NY.

I'm sure you've all read the rumor at MLBTR that the Yanks are discussing with Loretta.  While they speculate that it means Cano could be sent to Minnesota for Santana (yeah right!), could it also mean that Betemit will be used as trade fodder?  Could we back off of Santana and package Betemit with Melky and Kennedy for Haren or Bedard?

If we trade away Melky Cabrera (seeing as he's the second most commonly mentioned piece after the Trinity), what do we do in center field for the '08 season?  Johnny Damon with Brett Gardner or Kevin Thompson as backup?  Go after the big remaining free agents--Aaron Rowand or Andruw Jones?  Get a less costly free agent like Corey Patterson?  Trade for someone big like Ichiro Suzuki, who recently said he wanted to play for the Yanks?  Or something else?  If a trade, what would it take to make it happen?  Take the poll and discuss below.

Joe Pawlikowski of River Ave. Blues, guest-posting on MLBTR, mentioned the possibility of trading for Cliff Lee if Pettitte doesn't return.  I don't know what you all think, but personally, I think that would be unnecessary and probably regrettable.  I'd rather chance it working the Trinity into the rotation in the coming years.  Discuss below.

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