5 Burning Questions Spring Training Edition

Yesterday officially kicked off the 2012 New York Yankees season as pitchers and catchers reported for the first day of spring training.  Though the day consisted mostly of the players taking physicals and throwing long toss, without Joe Girardi, the idea of baseball finally starting up again was music to my ears.

As the rest of the players begin to arrive in Tampa, here are some burning questions to keep an eye on for the next six weeks as the regular season approaches.

1. After C.C. who's next?
Joe Girardi confirmed today in his first press conference, that C.C. Sabathia will be the Yankees No. 1 starter, which is not a surprise to anyone.  Sabathia showed up to Tampa noticeably slimmer, weighing  290 pounds, down from 315 which is the weight he finished last season at.  But after Sabathia, Girardi will have to consider how to round out his rotation.  He has the newly acquired Michael Pineda and Hiroki Kuroda as well as Phil Hughes, Ivan Nova and Freddy Garcia to round out his rotation. Thankfully, he has A.J. Burnett off of his hands. 

Too many pitchers is always better than having not enough.  Pineada will obviously make the rotation as will Nova and Kuroda.  This means the fifth starter's role will come down between Hughes and Garcia.  Earlier in the off season, general manager Brian Cashman said Garcia will not have to compete for a roster spot but, that was before the signing of Pineda and Kuroda.  If Garcia beats Hughes for the final spot, Hughes will obviously slide to the bullpen but will he be as effective? Hughes also showed up to camp looking slimmer as well while adding muscle.  Would Cashman trade Garcia if Hughes beats him out?  We'll see.

My guess: Sabathia, Nova, Pineda, Kuroda, Hughes. 

2. Who will be the primary back up catcher?
Girardi all but confirmed that Francisco Cervelli will resume his duty of Russell Martin's back up in today's press conference.  But, what if Cervelli's on again/off again concussion symptoms become a problem again?  After trading away Jesus Montero to the Mariners, the Yankees are down to one player who is on the active roster: Austin Romine.

Romine impressed the coaching staff last season when he appeared in nine games for the Yankees.  Though he is not as well equipped with his bat as Montero, his defensive skills go above and beyond Montero's.  Romine is just 23 years old and another season in the minors may help his bat develop.  But, if Cervelli or Martin down for an extended period of time, I expect Romine to be back with the club.  He has the benefit of having worked with Hughes and Nova in the minors while they were all teammates. 

3. The DH situation 
While this may look like it's resolved, with the signing of Raul Ibanez, I think the situation is anything but.  The reality is Ibanez will be 40 in June and in all likelihood, his best days are behind him.  The DH spot was already an overcrowded position for the Yankees, in my opinion.  Andruw Jones was brought back to hit against righties while the team also has two aging veterans, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, whose bodies would appreciate a little break every now and then at the DH position.  Ibanez, who will hit mostly lefties, knew what he was getting himself into though as his contract is incentive heavy contract.  Ibanez was signed to a $1.1 million contract but has the opportunity to make $4 million with incentives. 

4. The health of Alex Rodriguez 
It's no secret that Alex Rodriguez's best and healthy days are behind him.  Last season, Rodriguez was limited to just 99 games due to a lingering knee injury.  Because of the injury, Rodriguez's power numbers were down with only 16 home runs and 62 RBI's.  Everyone believed Rodriguez would continue to get healthy over the off season, but he had a mysterious knee surgery over the winter in Germany which was also performed on Kobe Bryant previously.  Rodriguez has not played in 150 games since the 2007 season and at 36, he's more likely to have injuries than a 26 year old.  For what it's worth, Cashman said that Rodriguez is healthy, but we'll see what happens once the grind of the 162 game season begins.

5. Will Mark Teixeira return to form?
Teixeira is an interesting player to take a look at.  In the 2011 season, he played in 156 games and hit 39 home runs while driving in 111 runs, but hit just .248. Teixeira admitted he was frustrated with his lack of consistency and did not like that he was hitting just mostly home runs.  Since Teixeira signed with New York, his number of hits per year has decreased dramatically.  In 2009, his first season with the team, he had 178 hits, 2010: 256 and last year 148.  It was particularly frustrating when runners were in scoring position and Teixiera often struck out or flew out to end a rally.

Fans should not be complaining about his production given the number of runs he drives in each year, but hearing that Teixeria is frustrated is comforting to know that he wants to improve and return to being the all around player he once was.  Sadly, his days as an American League All Star may be over as Albert Pujols makes the switch to the AL this season.  Teixeira will have to compete with Pujols, Detroit's Prince Fielder and Boston's Adrian Gonzalez to find a spot on the roster.


* Photos courtesy of:
AP
http://johnalbone.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/romine.jpg

Pinch Hitting

Today, I am honored to be featured on the Journal News' Yankees blog as a guest poster.  In my post, I talk about how the Yankees age actually helps the team rather than hurts them as many critics believe.  Please check it out. 

Special thanks goes out to Chad Jennings for letting me share my thoughts with so many people.

Yankees Acquire Pineda for Montero; Sign Kuroda

Just about an hour and a half ago (around 7:30 p.m. EST) the Yankees almost broke the Twittersphere. 

First, news started breaking that the Yankees had acquired Mariners No. 2 pitcher Michael Pineda and 19-year-old pitching prospect Jose Campos for catcher Jesus Montero, who kickstarted the Yankees when he made his debut in September and Hector Noesi, a promising young pitcher in the Yankees system.  Noesi made a few spot starts for the Yankees and was lights out of the bullpen as well. 

Jack Curry of the YES Network also reported that the Yankees agreed to terms with Hiroki Kudora.  Kuroda, 36, has spent his entire four year major league career with the Dodgers.  He was 13-16 with a 3.07 ERA last season with 161 strikeouts.   

In Pineda, the Yankees received a solidified No. 2 starter behind ace CC Sabathia.  Pineda, a 6 foot 7 right-hander, was 9-10 with a 3.74 ERA who made the All Star team as a rookie last season.  Pineda had a 3.03 ERA in the first half of the season but fizzled out in the second half with a 5.12 ERA, which could be attributed to a Mariners team that hit rock bottom last season. 

Campos, spent his second year in the minors at low A-ball in 2011.  He was 5-5 with a 2.32 ERA with 85 strikeouts and just 13 walks in 81.1 innings pitched. 

Brian Cashman finally found the right suitor to trade away Montero.  Montero, the 21-year-old catcher was most likely going to split time at catcher and DH, which was already a crowded enough position for the Yankees.  Montero played in 18 games for the Yankees and hit .328 with 4 home runs and 12 RBI's. For those who believed that Montero would take over the catcher's position from Russell Martin may be disappointed but, Pineda should prove to be more valuable to the Yankees. 

The piece of the puzzle that the Yankees may regret trading the most is Noesi.  Just 24, Noesi made starts for the Yankees and appeared in 28 more.  Overall, he was 2-2 with a 4.47 ERA.  He stuck out 45 over 56.1 innings pitched. 

A few days ago, starting pitching seemed to be one of the Yankees weaknesses.  Now, the Yankees have an overload of starting pitching.  In Sabathia, Pineda, Nova, Kuroda they have four proven starters.  The fifth starter however is up for grabs.  There are three possible pitchers that could win the fifth starter's role in AJ Burnett, Phil Hughes and Freddy Garcia.  Expect a trade in the near future of one of the three for perhaps, another bat. 


*Image courtesy of ussmariner.com

Jorge Posada's Yankee Legacy

Yesterday afternoon, Sweeney Murti of WFAN reported that Jorge Posada will announce his retirement from the Yankees and from the game of baseball within the next two weeks.

As a fan of the game and the Yankees, it was refreshing to see Posada know when to bow out gracefully. The fiery catcher had a fantastic 16 year career for the Yankees.

Posada is a lifetime .273 hitter, with 275 home runs, a .374 on-base percentage, .474 slugging percentage and 1,075 runs batted in.

Though his career statistics may seem underwhelming compared to other Yankee greats, it's important to compare with other catchers who have worn the pinstripes.

Posada's 275 career home runs rank second all time behind Yogi Berra.  His 1,664 hits rank third all time behind Berra and Bill Dickey.  Posada also ranks second all time behind Berra on games played.  (**All Yankee records.**)

Perhaps Posada's greatest contribution to the teams he played on was his defense and ability to call games.  Though he never won a Gold Glove, Posada was responsible for guiding the dynasty pitching staffs of the '98-'00 teams.  Those starting staffs included Andy Pettitte, David Cone, David Wells and Roger Clemens among others.  Wells pitched his perfect game in '99 with Posada behind the plate calling the pitches.

He became a postseason hero among fans during the Yankees glory years by producing timely hits and driving in key runs.  One of his most memorable hits was off of Pedro Martinez in the eighth inning of the 2003 ALCS which allowed the Yankees to tie up the game and eventually win, sending the Bombers to another World Series.

Posada prided himself in his ability to stay healthy.  The first time he was placed on the 15-day disabled list was in 2008, which also coincidently was the first time the Yankees missed the playoffs since 1994.  Posada recovered nicely from a shoulder injury, hitting .285, 22 home runs and driving in 81 runs.  It was the last great season for Posada, as he saw his playing time reduced due to younger catchers.

Though he batted a career-low .235 in 114 games in 2011, he still managed to hit .429 in the Yankees postseason series against the Detroit Tigers.

Posada's friendship with shortstop Derek Jeter, closer Mariano Rivera and Pettitte was well chronicled as the four earned the nickname of "the core four" during the latter years of Pettitte and Posada's career.

As Posada joins his "core four" teammate and friend, Pettitte in retirement, Yankee fans will now turn to Jeter and Rivera to cling to the glory years of the '90s.  Rivera, could be entering his final season, with Jeter retiring soon thereafter.

The Glory Days of the "Cour Four" are really coming to a close.

I'll leave you with a picture of the "core four" from the last home game at Old Yankee Stadium

*Photos courtesy of Detroit Free Press and Sports Illustrated

Ps I'm going to miss this commercial.

Brian Cashman's Christmas Wishes

With Christmas just five days away, I thought it would be fun at what Yankees general manager Brian Cashman would like to see under his Christmas tree for the 2012 season. Fortunately for Yankee fans, the team is pretty much assembled for 2012, but, Cashman is always looking for ways to make improvements. 

Wish No. 1: A (reliable) starting pitcher 

When the offseason began, I like many others, believed that Cashman was going to overspend for a pricey free agent starting pitcher named C.J. Wilson.  Wilson had previously expressed that he would not mind pitching in New York.  As the baseball capital, New York is often one of the most intimidating places to play for free agents due to increase scrutiny from the press as well as from the fans.  What was a big turn off for Cashman and other executives though was how forward Wilson's agent was in demanding a contract from the Bombers. The Yankees didn't budge and Wilson eventually signed with the Los Angeles Angels who no doubt could have bailed out the government with how much money they invested in Albert Pujols and Wilson.  

The free agent pitchers that are now available are at best, mediocre.  Roy Oswalt, was once a top of the line starter when he pitched for the Houston Astros.  However, once he got out of the offensively challenged NL Central and moved to the elite NL East, he struggled.  I'm questioning what his stuff would be like in the best division in baseball, the AL East.  He recently came out and said that he would only like a one year contract, but at what price?  Oswalt was hurt most of the season last year with the Phillie and had one of his worst seasons (9-10 3.69 ERA).  But Cashman proved last year that he is willing to take a risk on a proven veteran (see Freddy Garcia, Bartolo Colon).  The Garcia gamble proved to be a huge signing for the 2011 Yankees.  

Other possibilities: Edwin Jackson, Erik Bedard (I would highly advise against this), Jason Marquis. 

Wish No. 2: Somebody please take AJ Burnett from the Yankees

Where to begin with Mr. Burnett? After the 2008 season when the Yankees signed then free agents, CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and Burnett, I was fine with all but one signing.  It's no surprise that I was apprehensive about the Burnett signing.  Through his first three years as a Yankee, Burnett is 34-35 with a 4.70 ERA, the highest of all three Major League teams he's been on.  Last season, Burnett was 11-11 with a 5.11 ERA.  He also received 11 no decisions. He did not win a game in the entire month of July and it took an in game adjustment of his mechanical motion by pitching coach Larry Rothschild for Burnett to start winning games once again.  

However, One thing that I do admire about Burnett is his accountability.  He will be the first one to take responsibility for his poor performances day in and day out.  But, at some point, enough is enough.  Unfortunately, I believe the Yankees are stuck with Burnett.  He's signed through the end of the 2013 season and is still owed $16.5 million over each of the next two seasons.  Who is going to want to be responsible for a 34 year old that is capable of self imploding on the mound at any point? 

Wish No. 3: Find the fountain of youth 

This is more of a silly request than anything.  Let's face it, the Yankees are an old team.  Derek Jeter will be 38 in June, Alex Rodriguez will be 37 in July. Believe it or not, Robinson Cano will be 30 in October and Teixeira will be 32 in April.  The youngest starter in the rotation will be Phil Hughes, who turns 26 in June, Sabathia is the next youngest at 32.  What we learned last year is these players can no longer bounce back from injuries like they used to when they were younger, (see Alex Rodriguez knee injury, and Derek Jeter quad injury).  The average age of the outfielders is 29.6. The youngest position by age will be at catcher.  Russell Martin is 28 and if Jesus Montero can make the team, he'll be the youngest player on the team at the age of 21. 

Wish No. 4: Bring home Championship No. 28 to the Bronx

This is the goal every season, no matter how unrealistic it may be.  As we learned the past few seasons, Cashman will do basically anything except trade high end prospects for a short term rental, to guarantee winning the World Series.  I expect to see more or less of the same this season.  I hope for Granderson's sake that the team does indeed win.  After the Yankees acquired Granderson two years ago, he changed his number because manager Joe Girardi chose to wear No. 28 symbolizing the team's goal for the season.  While Granderson had a spectacular 2011 season, I'm sure he'd like to be reacquainted with his familiar 28.  No player is currently assigned to 29. 

That's it for now. Check in soon for another preview! Happy Holidays!  

10 Days until Opening Day!

The 2011 MLB season officially gets underway exactly 10 days from now.  With the season approaching so quickly, I thought this would be the perfect time to give a preview of the projected Yankees roster as well as discuss the remaining question marks for the team that is once again expected to contend once again for the world series. 




Projected Roster:
Infield:
C: Russel Martin - For the first time in about a decade Martin will be the first starting catcher not named Jorge Posada.  It will be interesting to see if Martin regained his offensive swing from three years ago when he was an all star for the Dodgers.
1b: Mark Teixeira - Teixeria will look to get off to a quick offensive start after a horrible start last season.  Teixeira is hoping to remain injury free after having several nagging injuries throughout last season.
2b: Robinson Cano - Cano will look to carry over his 2010 season to this season.  If he does, he should contend for the MVP.  Hitting coach Kevin Long believes Cano has the ability to hit 40 home runs. 
3b: Alex Rodriguez- This spring, Rodriguez has returned to the form he had prior to his hip surgery in 2009.  Rodriguez is leading the team in home runs this spring and hopes to continue that this fall.
SS: Derek Jeter - To put it plain and simple, Jeter is looking to avoid his disastrous 2010 season.  After resigning with the only team he's ever played for, Jeter revamped with his swing with Long and is now hitting a solid .330 this spring.  Hopefully, these results will carry over to the season.
DH: Jorge Posada - Posada will have to adjust to his first season as the team's full time DH.  A break from catching everyday should benefit Posada's aging body, who like many Yankees is also seeking a bounce back season offensively.
Outfield:

RF: Brett Gardner - Gardner too, revamped his swing with Long this spring.  He's trying to become a better bunter after raising his average significantly last season.  Gardner may bat lead off this fall which could be beneficial to Jeter.
CF: Curtis Granderson -After reviving his swing last summer, Granderson looked like an entirely different player offensively.  In his second year in New York, Granderson is just trying to stay consistent offensively while remaining a solid force in the field.
LF: Nick Swisher- Over the last two years, Swisher has been very solid during the regular season but his bat has gone stone cold in the postseason.  Swisher hopes to get off to a hot start and keep it going throughout the season.  Last season, he hit a career high in home runs. 
Starting Pitchers:

SP: CC Sabathia -Sabathia will look to repeat the two seasons he's already had in New York.  This season in particular could be especially important for Sabathia as he has stated he might opt out of his contract following the 2011 campaign.
SP: AJ Burnett - How do I say this bluntly? I can't. Burnett was TERRIBLE last year.  But, with the help of new pitching coach Larry Rothschild Burnett has made his delivery more simple and has looked tremendous this season.  He's improved so much, he earned the second spot in the rotation ahead of Phil Hughes.
SP: Phil Hughes - Hughes is looking to improve his 2010 all star campaign, except he wants to be better.  Hughes hit a wall after the all star break but still managed to finish the season with 18 wins.  His goal though is to lower his ERA which was 4.19
SP: Ivan Nova - Nova was a dark horse candidate to even make the pitching staff.  But, this spring he has already gone 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA in four games this spring.  Nova forced his way into the rotation and it will be interesting to see if his success will continue once the regular season begins.
SP: Freddy Garcia or Bartolo Colon - Both Garcia and Colon are veteran starters who once had great success.  Unfortunately, due to injuries to both, their careers are now in jeopardy of being over.  Both signed minor league contracts in the off-season with a chance to make the team.  Garcia already stated he will not go to Triple A if he doesn't make the major league team.  As of right now, I have to believe that Colon has the upper hand over Garcia.
Bullpen:

P: Mariano Rivera - After an interesting off-season, one in which Rivera admitted to entertaining offers from the hated Red Sox, he finally resigned.  I expect nothing but the usual greatness from Rivera, although it will be interesting to see if he continues to age gracefully.
P: Joba Chamberlain- Oh Joba... what can I say about you? Chamerlain showed up much heavier then he was over the past two seasons.  Chamberlain was also injured last week, with an oblique strain.  Ironically, maybe it has something to do with his weight? Chamberlain will probably share the 7th inning duties with David Robertson.
P: Boone Logan - Logan came over to the Yankees in the trade that brought Javy Vazquez to the team for a second time.  Fortunately for Logan, he turned to be the most important part of the trade and was one of the most important parts of the bullpen.  He'll probably serve as the lefty specialist again.
P: David Robertson- Robertson proved his value to the Yankees last season as he was one of the team's most consistent relievers.  Joe Girardi trusted Robertson so much last season that he became the 8th inning guy over Joba Chamberlain.  This season however, he'll probably serve as the primary 7th inning guy as the team signed Rafeal Soriano.
P: Rafeal Soriano- Soriano had a career season last year with the Rays when he served as the team's closer.  This season he will serve as the 8th inning man as he is a crucial part of the bridge to Rivera.  If all goes well, when Soriano's contract is up and Rivera is retired, he may be the Yankees new closer.
P: TBD (most likely Pedro Felicano)
Bench:
C: Francicso Cervelli (will start season on DL due to broken bone in foot) - Cervelli's spring training's have been plagued with bad luck for him.  This season, was no different.  Cervelli broke a bone in his foot and is in a walking boot.  Because he is a catcher he can't do anything.  Cervelli will begin the season on the DL with either Austin Romine or Jesus Montero.
INF: Ramiro Pena or Jorge Vazquez, Eric Chavez - Pena and Vazquez who are good friends, are competing against each other for a spot on the Yankees bench.  While Vazquez has out hit Pena this season, he is not guaranteed a spot.  Pena proved his value defensively last season so it will be interesting to see what the team decides to go with.  Chavez is looking to regain his all-star form from when he was with the Athletics.  Chavez has looked great this spring and if he remains injury free, it will be hard for Girardi to keep  him on the bench. 
OF: Andruw Jones, Colin Curtis or Greg Golson - Jones has played sparingly in the past two seasons with the Texas Rangers and Chicago White Sox.  Jones will most likely start at DH against left handed batters.  He's become a defensive reliability, which is sad considering he was a 10 time gold glove winner with the Atlanta Braves.  As of right now, Golson has the job over Curtis.  Curtis, dislocated his shoulder earlier in Spring Training so Golson will most likely start the season with the Yankees.  

Now, it's time to address what questions will follow the team around throughout the season. 

1. Which AJ Burnett will show up?

• The Burnett who was the leader of the Marlins staff in 2008?  The mediocre but effective Burnett in 2009 or the horrific Burnett of 2010?  Hopefully it will be somewhere between 2008 and 2009. 

2. Will the Yankees be able to get by with Nova and Colon/Garcia as their fourth and fifth starter or will GM Brian Cashman make a trade?

• Again, it's just something that's going to have to play out

3. Will Derek Jeter bounce back?

• All signs are indicating Jeter is now comfortable with his new swing but we will not know until he sees consistently decent pitching throughout the season.

4. Will CC Sabathia opt out of his contract at the end of the season?

• Hopefully not, but he might because of the money that Cliff Lee got this past offseason. 

5. Do the Yankees have enough talent to make the playoffs?

• Offensively, Yes I believe they do.  Pitching wise?  Check back with me in a month.

That's all for now.  I'll be updating again soon!

State of the Yankees: Offseason Edition

Two nights ago, the San Fransisco Giants were crowned the kings of Major League Baseball for the 2010 season.  I know I have been slacking on my posts but school has consumed my life thus far.  So here's a quick recap of the 2010 Yankees postseason.

The Yankees were crowned the American League Wild Card Winners after losing the AL East title to the Tampa Bay Rays.  Winning the wild card was a good thing for the Yankees as they were able to play the Minnesota Twins in the division series.  The last few years the Yankees have played the Twins in the division round they were able to dispose of them easily, particularly in 2003, 2004, and 2009.  Nothing was different in 2010, as the Yankees swept the Twins.

The League Championship series was a different story for the Yankees.  The Yankees won games 1 and five, but were outplayed severely by the Rangers.  Cliff Lee was not the biggest problem, it was the Ranger's pitching in general and the Yankees inability to hit at all.  Robinson Cano was the only offensive player who showed up to play in that series.

Following the postseason, the Yankees made some changes.  Most notably, pitching coach Dave Eiland was given the axe in what General Manager Brian Cashman called a "personal reason".  The public was given no other explanation but Manager Joe Girardi did not object.  Girardi signed a new three year contract worth between $9 and $10 million.

Cashman's checklist for the remainder of this offseason should be a big one.  Here's some areas that need to be addressed:

1. What to do with Derek Jeter?

I like everyone else believes Jeter will be resigned.  The biggest questions however are how long will Jeter resign and for how much?  Hal Steinbrenner went on the radio yesterday to say that negotiations between Jeter's camp and the Yankees could get "messy".  The issue will be how the Yankees decide to reward Jeter.  I expect a very heavy incentive based contract.  But, will they reward him for the 14 seasons prior to this year's dismal performance, where five championships were won and Jeter put up MVP-caliber seasons?  Or, will Cashman try to play the card that Jeter is in decline after batting .40 points lower then his career average?  My guess is they go somewhere in the middle.  It has been rumored that Jeter wants to play until he is 42 - the same year Alex Rodriguez' contract will run out.  I don't expect Jeter to earn a six year contract but I would assume he could get a three of four year deal. Just think, nothing will look worse then Jeter getting his 3,000 hit in another uniform - one without pinstripes.

Closer Mariano Rivera is also a free agent, but after having another amazing season his new contract should not be an issue.  

2. How can the rotation be fixed?

As of right now, three of the five starters are coming back.  Unfortunately, this is not a guaranteed good thing.  CC Sabathia and Phil Hughes were two of the more reliable starters this past season and should be able to maintain (in Sabathia's case) and potentially improve in Hughes' case their form for next season.  A.J. Burnett was the most inconsistent starter in the major leagues all of last season.  One could never know what would occur each time he took the mound.  Hopefully, the new pitching coach that is hired will be able to correct Burnett.  It is unknown what  Andy Pettitte's plans are for next season especially since it was reveled Pettitte had injuries in the offseason in his back.  After taking some time off I do expect Pettitte to come back after having one of his best seasons - minus the groin injury he experienced.  Finally with one spot in the rotation up for grabs, I expect the Yankees to sign free agent Cliff Lee.  The Yankees tried to go after Lee before the trade deadline in July when the Rangers acquired him from Seattle.

3. What about the bullpen?
Last season, the bridge to Mariano was in pretty good shape.  With David Robertson, Joba Chamberlain and Kerry Wood the Yankees had the best late inning bullpen relief in the majors.  Chamberlain and Robertson will be back next season.  The Yankees already declined Wood's option for next season and they will try to resign him at a lower price but that does not seem possible as Wood was lights out next season.  Boone Logan was the Yankees most consistent and at times only left handed reliever in the bullpen.  Look for Brian Cashman to add another lefty in the pen for at least Spring Training.

4. Will the Yankees go after Carl Crawford?

My personal wish is no.  The Yankees did just fine this past season with Curtis Granderson hitting at a sub par level for the majority of last season.  But hitting coach Kevin Long worked with Granderson in late July to revamp his swing.  After Long fixed his swing, Granderson became one of the most reliable hitters in the Yankees lineup - especially in the postseason.  Granderson has proven he can handle the spotlight of New York and I think it would be wise to bring Granderson back with a smaller contract.  Brett Gardner and Nick Swisher should be able to handle left and right field respectively.