Predicting the 2018 Yankees Lineup

My apologies if this has been covered elsewhere and here on the blog, but I am just catching up and I wanted to take my own stab at predicting the Yankees “everyday” lineup for the 2018 season. The more I think about the signing of Neil Walker the more I warm up to the idea, he has been a middle-of-the-order type hitter for a few teams throughout his career and would not have to be here in New York, which is a plus, while Walker also brings a switch-hitter back into the fold which makes the Yankees lineup more versatile and dangerous. Will this lineup be the best lineup of all-time? Probably not, but it could hit the most home runs ever and that’s sexy enough for me with this pitching staff both in the starting variety and the bullpen variety. Pitching wins championships so they say but having a potential lineup like this gives said pitchers a little leeway on the mound every fifth day.

1.  (L) Brett Gardner – LF

2.  (R) Aaron Judge – RF

3.  (L)  Greg Bird – 1B

4.  (R) Giancarlo Stanton - DH

5.  (R) Gary Sanchez - C

6.  (L) Didi Gregorius - SS

7.  (S) Aaron Hicks - CF

8.  (S) Neil Walker – 2B

9.  (R) Brandon Drury – 3B

I have to admit, I truly played around with the idea of hitting Didi Gregorius third. Honestly, if I were doing MY lineups for the 2018 season I would have switched Didi and Greg Bird. I am not trying to knock on Bird at all, but I think Didi is more of a complete hitter with power AND average where Bird will likely never flirt with a .300 average over the course of a 162-game season at the Major League level. Could you imagine the number of fastballs Didi would get the opportunity to pull down the right field line with Judge hitting in front of him and Stanton hitting behind him? I’d imagine it would be more than a few, and enough for Didi to push or surpass 30 home runs in a season. Again, I know I caught hell last time I suggested Didi in the third slot, but I don’t care. I stand by my thoughts, and I stand by my decision. I think Didi is the best pure and most complete hitter on the team, maybe I’m wrong, but maybe I’m right also.