Projected 2004 Lineup:
1. Kenny Lofton, CF
2. Derek Jeter, SS
3. Alex Rodriguez, 3B
4. Jason Giambi, 1B
5. Gary Sheffield, RF
6. Jorge Posada, C
7. Hideki Matsui, LF
8. Bernie Williams, DH
9. Miguel Cairo/Enrique Wilson, 2B
If anyone's counting, there are 38 All-Star Game appearances in that
lineup. The only position that the Yankees don't have a former All-Star at
are left field and second base. There's also two former MVPs and 10 Gold
Gloves scattered around. If this isn't one of the most dangerous lineups
assembled since the days of Ruth and Gehrig or Mantle and Maris, I don't know
what is.
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Lofton Is All Smiles |
Kenny Lofton, Opening Day Age 36
With Bernie William's eligibility for Opening Day in question due to an
appendectomy, Lofton will start the season in centerfield. The two players
will swap around the centerfield duties once Williams returns from the surgery,
with the other player either riding the bench or seeing time at DH.
Lofton's signing came as a surprise to many Yankee fans, who are extremely
used to seeing Bernie patrolling center. The signing, in retrospect only
makes sense from one angle. Lofton's main contributions to the team won't
be in the field, but from the leadoff spot of the lineup. Excluding Derek
Jeter (who everyone but me sees as not a leadoff hitter), the Yankees were
without a man that could handle the duties that batting first entails, namely
getting on base and running said bases. Even at 36, Lofton is pretty
capable of that. He's been a leadoff hitter for his whole career, now he
gets to do it in pinstripes.
The signing of the former Brave and Indian doesn't make sense from a
defensive point of view, as Lofton's - like Bernie's - Gold Glove days are long
behind him. The signing of Travis Lee causes further questions as well,
because Lee is talented enough at first base to push Giambi to the DH slot,
which obviously means someone has to sit. This all remains to be seen.
Derek Jeter, Age 29
Can you believe that our dear captain turns 30 this season? It seems
like yesterday that he was a fresh-faced kid playing shortstop for us. Now
we have a grizzled and savvy veteran man entrenched in Yankee mystique and the
number two hole. Jeter actually had a great season last year, finally
bucking his downward trend and posting his best batting average since his huge
2000 season. Barring another freak injury like the one he suffered right
at the start of 2003, The Captain should return to being the singles and doubles
machine that he was not too long ago.
2003 marked the first time that Jeter spent any significant time on the
disabled list. With his shoulder fully healed, and his thumb in proper
condition, there's really no reason to think that Jeter can't stay healthy and
produce at the level that Yankee fans have become accustomed to.
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A-Rod Is Learning
His New Position |
Alex Rodriguez, Age 28
One of the greatest shortstops in history is now the third baseman for the
greatest team in history. Most baseball people don't think that A-Rod will
have any trouble adjusting to his new position. His excellent athleticism
and strong throwing arm should be sufficient to eventually become a mainstay at
the hot corner. It's to be expected that he'll have a relatively rough
first season at third, but over the long haul, he'll be just fine.
The other question (and yes, I'm ignoring the Jeter/A-Rod soap opera, for the
sake of all of our sanities) is how he adapts to working in the bright lights of
New York City. A-Rod was born in New York, and he's always been
media-savvy. So, for me, this isn't so much of a question. In the
middle of this lineup, Rodriguez could drive in 140 runs with his eyes closed,
but will anything less be cause for scrutiny from Big Stein?
Jason Giambi, Age 33
Giambi suffered through his worst season as a major leaguer, and he still
hit 41 homeruns, drove in 107 runs and walked 129 times. There's good
reason to think that his sorry .250 batting average was a fluke caused by all of
his various injuries (namely that he had never hit below .291 in a full season
in his whole career). Without an eye infection, with his knee in better
shape than before, and with a slimmer overall package, Giambi should bounce back
nicely this season.
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Sheffield Brings A
Lot To The Yanks |
Gary Sheffield, Age 35
Sheffield brings something to the Yankees that they haven't had in a while:
a power hitter that doesn't strike out often. Sheffield struck out far
fewer times than every single Yankee regular in 2004, while hitting more
homeruns than all but Giambi and Alfonso Soriano. With his ludicrous bat
speed and ability to get on base and absolutely destroy the ball, Sheffield will
provide a higher level of protection for the rest of the Yankee lineup.
The only question about him is durability, as he is getting on in years and has
a history of minor injuries.
Jorge Posada, Age 32
Posada finished third in the AL MVP voting last season, behind new teammate
A-Rod and Carlos Delgado. He set career highs in homeruns and RBI while
posting his best OBP and SLG totals since 2000. 2003 was probably Posada's
peak year, and decline is expected, but he is still in a class that few other
catchers can even look at. Turning a position that is generally a weakness
on teams into a strength is part of what will make this Yankee offense so
prolific.
Hideki Matsui, Age 29
Matsui's debut went very smoothly in 2003, as he finished second in the
Rookie of the Year voting. Matsui is actually a rather average player in
the majors, with inflated RBI totals, but he blends in exceptionally well with
the Yankees. Instead of being a left-handed masher (like Giambi), Matsui
is a finesse hitter that strikes out less often. Matsui's other gift is
his ability to hit with runner on base - something that plagued the Yankees in
2003. Godzilla in America is far more like a left-handed Derek Jeter than
he is like Giambi, except that he pulls the ball and puts it on the ground more
often. If he adapts this season and starts lifting the ball more, he'll
ground out less and probably hit more singles and even homeruns.
Bernie Williams, Age 35
Bernie is actually going to miss opening day, meaning Travis Lee will
probably start in his stead at DH or 1B (with Giambi at DH), but he's not
expected to miss more than a few days from his surgery. Williams is in a
make or break year of his career. He needs to prove to everyone that 2003
was a fluke and that he is capable of hitting .300 with reasonable power like he
used to be. His days in centerfield are similarly numbered. If
Bernie can't bounce back, and this is a real possibility, he's going to turn
into one expensive bench player when the Yankees turn around and sign Carlos
Beltran after this season.
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Cairo Will Play Some
2B In 2004 |
Miguel Cairo/Enrique Wilson, Age 30
Cairo and Wilson are the frontrunners to play second base for the now-Soriano-less
Yankees. Wilson might get the nod based on experience with the Yankees and
his switch-hitter feature, despite that Cairo is probably the better hitter
(though I use the term "better" loosely). Either way, this is
going to be the lone weak link in the Yankee lineup. One dark horse
candidate to take some ABs at second is former-Yankee Homer Bush. If
Bush's hip is in good condition then he can seriously run, and he was always a
guy capable of hitting for average. Bush is in Spring Training with the
Yanks, where they'll see if he can make the team.
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