Predicting The New York Yankees Opening Day Roster

Obviously a lot can change between now and the Yankees opener on April 1st at home against the Boston Red Sox because a lot has changed since the last time I typed up this post. I had Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira penciled into the middle of the line up, had Dan Johnson winning a bench spot, Clay Rapada winning a bullpen spot, and Brennan Boesch was no where to be found. Let's try this again, shall we?

C - Francisco Cervelli
1B - Juan Rivera
2B - Robinson Cano
SS - Derek Jeter
3B - Kevin Youkilis
LF - Brett Gardner
CF - Melky Mesa
RF - Ichiro Suzuki
DH - Travis Hafner

BN - Chris Stewart
BN - Brennan Boesch
BN - Eduardo Nunez
BN - Jayson Nix

SP - CC Sabathia
SP - Hiroki Kuroda
SP - Andy Pettitte
SP - Phil Hughes
SP - Ivan Nova

LR - David Phelps
MR - Boone Logan
MR - Joba Chamberlain
MR - David Aardsma
MR - Jim Miller
SU - David Robertson
CL - Mariano Rivera

Jim Miller has pitched well enough to earn a spot, albeit not a huge spot, in the Yankees roster. Joe Girardi has already said that he plans to use a veteran righty in place of Clay Rapada so I think that guy will be Jim Miller. Cody Eppley and Shawn Kelley are also vying for that spot but they have minor league options remaining where Jim Miller does not and I think that is the ultimate decision maker.

Brennan Boesch was basically guaranteed a spot on the Opening Day roster when he signed a minor league contract last week. He will platoon with Ichiro Suzuki in right field if I had to guess and will fill in whenever Melky Mesa is not playing and Brett Gardner is in center field.

No other big surprises here if you ask me. It is a forgone conclusion that Juan Rivera will win the first base job, Melky Mesa will win the center field job, and I think the Yankees will carry both Jayson Nix and Eduardo Nunez out of camp. This is not a common occurrence in Yankees camp having a prospect and a guy on a minor league job winning big spots out of spring but I guess when injuries pile up the depth is tested. I just hope the Yankees can survive a touch early schedule with a 25 man roster like this...

Baseball Cards : Yankees Legends

The latest share of my baseball card collect will be Yankees Legends. Included are the likes of Roger Maris, Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, and Lou Gehrig. Enjoy!

Yankees Prospects Battling The Injury Bug As Well

The New York Band-aids Yankees are nursing big injury after big injury already this early in spring and their prospects are not fairing any better.

Tyler Austin was hit in the hand with a pitch while playing in a minor league game for the Trenton Thunder. The X rays were negative and he seems to be okay. Thank goodness Tyler is fine after that especially after seeing how an innocent hit by pitch derailed Curtis Granderson's season.

The Yankees first round pick in the 2012 MLB First Year Player's Draft Ty Hensley has pulled an abdominal muscle and will miss a few weeks of minor league games and work outs. The probably Charleston Riverdog will undoubtedly start the season on the disabled list due to this.

Ravel Santana has stiffness in his right ankle much like Derek Jeter has stiffness in his left ankle and will miss some time. This is the same ankle that he injured when he took a spike to it while sliding into second base just two seasons ago. No word on when he will be back into game action but let's hope that it is just "normal" like Jeter's inflammation is.

Ronnier Mustelier returned to action with the big league spring training camp after getting multiple leg contusions, aka bruises, after crashing into a camera well. He did not get a hit or get on base but he played the field so he must be okay.

New York Yankees Spring Training Notes 3/19

Boone Logan made his Spring Training debut today after nursing a painful left pitching elbow all spring and he looked good. With Clay Rapada shelved with a shoulder bursitis and no end in sight to his rest and rehab Boone Logan looks more and more important to the Yankees bullpen by the day. Today he took his first step to breaking camp with the Yankees pitching a scoreless inning in his return. Boone faced four lefties and after giving up a lead off single to Chase Utley he would retire the next three in a row to end the frame including two strike outs. 

Vidal Nuno and not CC Sabathia, as scheduled, will make the start tomorrow afternoon at home against the Boston Red Sox. The Yankees do not want to show their ace off against their division rivals just yet. Instead CC will throw in a minor league game tomorrow in what is considered to be a "heavy workload" game in order to get ready for Opening Day.

Derek Jeter Injury Update 3/19

Derek Jeter was scratched from a Spring Training game today with what was originally called a "cranky ankle" and was sent for precautionary tests on the ankle. The X rays were negative thankfully and the condition is being called inflammation of the ankle. Jeter is listed as day to day and this is not to be considered a big deal but nothing more then normal after testing the ankle out in real game situations in back to back days. I wouldn't expect Jeter to be in the lineup the next day or two and I expect him to slowly come back as a DH. No need in rushing things in mid March with a whole season ahead of us. If anyone deserves for us to be cautious with it is Derek Jeter. Let's just hope the Yankees aren't downplaying the significance like they did the Mark Teixeira wrist injury but I guess only time will tell.

New York Yankees @ Philadelphia Phillies 3/19

The Yankees will travel to play the Philadelphia Phillies in their latest Spring Training game. The Yankees will send Adam Warren to the mound to try and slow down the Phillies offense. The game will be televised at 1:05 pm ET on ESPN and MLB TV.

MLB & MLBPA Working Towards Worldwide Draft

The World Baseball Classic apparently has Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association thinking world wide because the two are trying to hammer out a world wide draft before this year's draft on June 1st. This would essentially end the cap on International Free Agents that is currently worded in the collective bargaining agreement.

Spring Training 3/19/13 Lineup

Brett Gardner CF
Derek Jeter SS
Ichiro Suzuki LF
Kevin Youkilis 1B
Travis Hafner DH
Brennan Boesch RF
Chris Stewart C
Ronnier Mustelier 3B
Corban Joseph 2B

RHP Adam Warren

Start Time: 1:05 p.m.
T.V: ESPN

Morning Bits: Pettitte, Cano, Lineup

Good Morning all.  Let's get started with the links....

-- Andy McCullough of The Star Ledger writes about Hughes,  Mariano and Pettitte.

-- Kevin Kernan of The New York Post writes that Cano is growing as leader.

-- Wallace Matthews of ESPN NY asks what is your opening day lineup?

Baseball Cards : Joe Girardi

Continuing to share a little bit of my baseball collection I decided to scan some of manager Joe Girardi during his playing days. Enjoy!