Looking Forward: The 2009 New York Yankees
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by Audino237
This is a just for fun post on how I think the Yankees in 2009 will look. The new stadium looks like it's coming along great and it is sure to be incredible and electric when it opens up in 2009. Of course excluding some middle relievers and deep bench players, here is how I think the team will shape up during that summer. I think we should leave out Johan Santana because they are unlikely to get him in a trade, and the team the trades for him will likely recieve a 72 hour negotiating window and sign him to a contract long term, so he will not be available.
Manager: Joe Torre. After this year's job, resuscitating the team, he will be rewarded with a 3 year extension, and I think he would accept it. If not, they could turn to in-house options Don Mattingly, Joe Girardi (announcing), or go outside for someone like Tony LaRussa.
1B: Hideki Matsui: Matsui has been a good soldier since coming from Japan, and his contract is not ridiculuous. Excluding and unforeseen collapse, he will be removed from the outfield and play at first base.
2B: Robinson Cano: Unless they are offered a drop dead deal, Robby will be wearing pinstripes for a long, long time.
3B: Miguel Cairo. I'm just kidding. Alex Rodriguez will sign long term. Personally, I believe that he will opt out of his deal (unless they win the World Series) after this year. I think he has to do what's best for his family. However, once he reaches the market, can you see the Yankees being outbid for the greatest player in the world?
SS: Derek Jeter: Whether it's a good thing or a bad thing, The Captain will be at short until his legs fall off. In 2009, it won't be a problem. He will be at the tail end of his prime and gaining more of a power stroke.
LF: I was thinking about putting Bobby Abreu here, but I don't think he'll be here. I believe they will exercise his 2008 option then let him walk after that year. He is losing his arm and getting up there in years and it is best that they move on. Carl Crawford and Rocco Baldelli are scheduled to be free agents. Tampa Bay will probably trade Baldelli before that and then that team will sign him long term. Crawford is so important to them that he will be signed long term by them. Therefore I think that homegrown Shelley Duncan will be playing left despite defensive shortcomings. He will have become a crowd favorite because of long home runs and energy, and they are placing a premium on players that came up through their system.
CF: Melky Cabrera: The Melk Man will keep delivering and he offers speed and options (switch hitting, bunting) in the 1 spot or 9. He will be signed to a long term deal to patrol death valley.
RF: Jose Tabata: The Yankees fans will adore their very own 5-tool outfielder, the most exciting thing for an organization to develop on their own. He has a rocket arm and plus athleticsm. He will be only 21, but should have gotten a cup of coffee in 2008.
C: Jorge Posada: After a long winter, the Yankees will hammer out a deal with their catcher so he can continue to bring along the pitching staff.
DH: Jason Giambi will be gone so his role will have to be assumed by someone else. Matsui and Duncan are best suited for DH-type roles, but you can have only so many big, slow guys on a team. After letting the system fill up the outfield, they will make their big free agent splash in the winter leading up to this season, so they can go into the stadium with a mix of superstars and exciting, homegrown talent. Vladimir Guerrero, Ken Griffey Jr., Manny Ramirez, and Jim Thome will all be free agents. Thome is much too old. Manny and the Yankees would not talk about a contract, and the Angels will re-sign Vlad. I think Griffey to the Yanks is a natural fit, even though he has said New York is not high on his wish list (citing when his father played for them). In a part time DH/LF role, he could stay injury free for the most part, and it would make for many stories (as if there are any needed) from being re-united with A-Rod.
SP:
Ace: Chien-Ming Wang: Wang will only throw harder and gain better control, and they will continue to pay their ace his arbritration money.
2: C.C. Sabathia: Many pitchers will be on the market, including Rich Harden, Mark Prior, Jake Peavy, and Ben Sheets. However, Cleveland figures to be in contention the next few years and I doubt that they will want to re-build. The Yankees will also need to be targetting a lefty, as Pettite's return is not a certainty. The Yankees will sign to a free agent deal in the neighborhood of 5 years, $110 million.
3: Phil Hughes: By this time, Hughes should have harnessed his phenomenal stuff and turned himself into a 2-caliber pitcher. The Yankees will give him every oppurtunity to succeed because of the publicity they gave him and how he represents the first of their big prospects to be called up.
4. Ian Kennedy: So far, Kennedy has looked extremely talented, poised, and confident. If he continues to develop, he will be a formidable number 3 pitcher in a bottom of the rotation role.
5. Andy Pettite: He will exercise his $16 million mutual option for 08 and then I think the Yankees will sign him for 2 years, a la Mussina 2007, for veteran leadership and to teach the young kids a warrior's mentality.
Long man: Tyler Clippard: I love how this kid throws with the big curve and challenging hitters. He won't be intimidated by anyone and is sure to get 5-10 starts on a snake-bitten Yanks team.
Middle Relief:
Edwar Ramirez: The changeup artist has shown confidence in his changeup and will throw it in any count, he also has a 91 mph fastball.
Chase Wright: Tricky, crafty lefty. He won't give up 4 straight homers every time he pitches.
Alan Horne: The big man is a Gator who throws hard and will show enough in the minors for the team to give him a chance.
Humberto Sanchez: If he can recover from surgery, he will go back to throwing over 100 mph. If there is a rotation spot open for him is another chance, but he could be a back end of the bullpen fixture for years.
Set Up: Joba Chamberlain. The team's best relief pitcher at the point. The game is over in the 7th.
Closer: Mariano Rivera. New stadium, strong team. Oppurtunity to tutor the next generation. They have to have Rivera finish out the games.
