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.

Imagining a Yankees Lineup w/ Matt Holliday

The New York Yankees have Matt Holliday in the fold for at least the 2017 season after giving the free agent a $13 million contract for next season. Holliday will DH for the Yankees but don’t be surprised to see him in left field from time to time as well as first base. Let’s assume everything is in a perfect world with everyone healthy, everyone having equal splits against RHP and LHP and that no one “needs a day” from manager Joe Girardi. What will the Yankees lineup look like in 2017? Here’s my shot at it.

Against RHP:

CF: Jacoby Ellsbury

LF: Brett Gardner

DH: Matt Holliday

C: Gary Sanchez

1B: Greg Bird

RF: Aaron Judge

2B: Starlin Castro

SS: Didi Gregorius

3B: Chase Headley

Against LHP:

CF: Jacoby Ellsbury / Brett Gardner

2B: Starlin Castro

1B: Matt Holliday

C: Gary Sanchez

RF: Aaron Judge

LF: Aaron Hicks

SS: Didi Gregorius

3B: Chase Headley

DH: Robert Refsnyder/Tyler Austin/ Rotation

Keep in mind that this is what I would do, not what I think manager Joe Girardi will do. Thanks. Leave your lineups and criticisms in the comments below. 

USA Today Predicts the AL East Lineups

The USA Today is a one-stop shop for all things news, entertainment and sports and it is a website that I frequent pretty much every day. Their sports sections is especially entertaining because it offers fantasy baseball advice, news, opinions and so much more…. A lot like we do here at The Greedy Pinstripes. Today we bring you a bit of predictions from the crew over there as they predict the lineups for the American and National Leagues. If you want the full list you can head over there but for the purposes of this post we’ll keep it relevant and including just the American League East.

Baltimore Orioles

LF Hyun Soo Kim

3B Manny Machado

1B Chris Davis

CF Adam Jones

C Matt Wieters

RF Mark Trumbo

DH Pedro Alvarez

2B Jonathan Schoop

SS J.J. Hardy

Boston Red Sox

RF Mookie Betts

2B Dustin Pedroia

SS Xander Bogaerts

DH David Ortiz

1B Hanley Ramirez

3B Pablo Sandoval

LF Rusney Castillo

C Blake Swihart

CF Jackie Bradley Jr.

New York Yankees

CF Jacoby Ellsbury

LF Brett Gardner

RF Carlos Beltran

1B Mark Teixeira

DH Alex Rodriguez

C Brian McCann

3B Chase Headley

SS Didi Gregorius

2B Starlin Castro

Tampa Bay Rays

CF Kevin Kiermaier

2B Logan Forsythe

3B Evan Longoria

RF Corey Dickerson

LF Desmond Jennings

1B James Loney

DH Logan Morrison

C Hank Conger

SS Brad Miller

Toronto Blue Jays

CF Kevin Pillar

3B Josh Donaldson

RF Jose Bautista

DH Edwin Encarnacion

SS Troy Tulowitzki

1B Chris Colabello

C Russell Martin

LF Michael Saunders

2B Ryan Goins

Imagining a Lineup w/ Heyward & Zobrist

Zobrist's reaction when he learned the New York Yankees signed him. 

Earlier today and also earlier this week we announced here on the blog that MLB Trade Rumors predicted three free agents coming to the New York Yankees this offseason, Jason Heyward, Ben Zobrist and Chris Young. Young would fill his old role from the second half of the 2014 season and the entire 2015 season while Zobrist would presumably be the team's starting second baseman. You have to think with Young in the fold and a couple of no-trade clauses attached to the contracts of Carlos Beltran and Jacoby Ellsbury that Heyward would be playing left field on Opening Day 2016 for the Yankees. What would that Opening Day lineup look like for New York is the team was to sign these two men this winter?

Hopefully a little something like this:

Ellsbury
Heyward
Rodriguez
Teixeira
McCann
Beltran
Zobrist
Headley
Gregorius

2015 MLB All-Star Game Thread

Major League Baseball’s Mid-Summer Classic is about ready to start as Joe Buck prepares for introductions and first pitch baseball. The American League and the National League will face off head-to-head for the 86^th time tonight inside the home of the Cincinnati Reds, the Great American Ball Park. Earlier we took a look at the complete rosters for both clubs and now we take a look at the starting lineups for both Ned Yost’s American League club and Bruce Bochy’s National League club.

American League

1. Mike Trout - CF

2. Josh Donaldson – 3B

3. Albert Pujols – 1B

4. Nelson Cruz - DH

5. Lorenzo Cain - RF

6. Adam Jones - LF

7. Salvador Perez – C

8. Jose Altuve – 2B

9. Alcides Escobar - SS

National League

1. Andrew McCutchen - CF

2. Todd Frazier – 3B

3. Bryce Harper RF

4. Paul Goldschmidt – 1B

5. Buster Posey - C

6. Anthony Rizzo - DH

7. Jhonny Peralta - SS

8. Joc Pederson - LF

9. DJ LeMahiue – 2B

The game will be televised on FOX. Head over to Twitter and follow @GreedyStripes to chat during the game and to root on the Yankees trio of representatives Dellin Betances, Mark Teixeira and Brett Gardner. 

Quick Hit: The Yankees Lineup This Afternoon

The New York Yankees welcome Mark Teixeira back to the team today and back into the lineup so what better time to take a look at who should be in that lineup today. Keep in mind that New York is facing Cesar Ramos, a left handed pitcher, so the lineup should be pretty right handed heavy. Let's take a look:

Jacoby Ellsbury

Derek Jeter

Carlos Beltran

Alfonso Soriano

Brian McCann

Mark Teixeira

Yangervis Solarte

Brett Gardner

Brian Roberts

I wanted to find a spot for Kelly Johnson, who hits lefties as well as he does righties, but found it hard to take out either of Roberts or Solarte. New York could always get creative and send Solarte to DH, Soriano to left field, insert Johnson at third base, and have Gardner come off the bench. The binder would never say that though...

Game Thread: Yankees @ Blue Jays 4/6

The New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays will finish their three game set north of the border this afternoon at Rogers Centre. The Yankees will send CC Sabathia to the mound to face off with Drew Hutchinson for the Jays and the game will be played at 1:07 pm ET. You can see the game on the YES Network, MLB Network, MLB TV, and WFAN. Enjoy the game and enjoy the rest of your Sunday Yankees family.

Here is the Yankees lineup:

Brett Gardner LF

Derek Jeter SS

Jacoby Ellsbury CF

Brian McCann C

Alfonso Soriano DH

Kelly Johnson 1B

Brian Roberts 2B

Ichiro Suzuki RF

Yangervis Solarte 3B

Don't forget to join the conversation on Twitter by following @GreedyStripes or join us in our growing comments section on the site. Also remember to join our Mega Prediction Game where you predict the outcome of the Yankees game daily.

Game 140: Yankees vs. Red Sox

The Yankees begin a crucial four-game set with the Boston Red Sox tonight at the Stadium. While the division may be out of reach, this is still a must-win series, as is practically each one for the remainder of the season. After this, they play the Orioles for three games in Baltimore and then the Bo-Sox again for three games at Fenway. These next 11 games likely will decide the Yankees' fate, so here's hoping they win every one! 

Anyway, here are the lineups for tonight...

RED SOX

#2 Jacoby Ellsbury CF
#18 Shane Victorino RF
#15 Dustin Pedroia 2B
#34 David Ortiz DH
#29 Daniel Nava LF
#12 Mike Napoli 1B
#7 Stephen Drew SS
#20 Ryan Lavarnway C
#16 Will Middlebrooks 3B

Pitching: #44 Jake Peavy

YANKEES

#11 Brett Gardner CF
#2 Derek Jeter SS
#24 Robinson Cano 2B
#12 Alfonso Soriano LF
#14 Curtis Granderson DH
#13 Alex Rodriguez 3B
#55 Lyle Overbay 1B
#31 Ichiro Suzuki RF
#19 Chris Stewart C

Pitching: #47 Ivan Nova

Game time: 7:05pm
TV: YES Network
Radio: WCBS 880

Spring Training 3/28/13 Lineup

Here we go, it's the Spring finale for the Yankees!

Ichiro Suzuki CF
Vernon Wells LF
Robinson Cano 2B
Kevin Youkilis 3B
Juan Rivera 1B
Ben Francisco DH
Brennan Boesch RF
Jayson Nix SS
Francisco Cervelli C

RHP Hiroki Kuroda

Start Time: 1:05 p.m
T.V: None
Radio: MLB.com (Pittsburgh Pirates Radio)