The Magic Carpet

...sigh...

The endless peace and quiet of another Manhattan Winter begins to fade...

The subtle inaction of another Yankee offseason is all but lost...

The limitless calm of Big City life and Yankee fandom are about to be swallowed up by the clamor and tumult of endless Florida sunshine, Tampa Bay Golf Courses and Stripper Bars, fresh cut grass, 20,000 adoring Yankee fans, the feel of tapered wood, of stitched hide...

Or something like that!

Of course, the City NEVER sleeps and neither do the Yankees. They've retained Damaso Marte and Andy Pettitte, signed Free Agent Pitchers, CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett and 1B Mark Teixeira, traded Utility Infielder Wilson Betemit for 1B/OF Nick Swisher and taken a flyer on 2003 Rookie of the Year, Angel Berroa, to compete with incumbent Cody Ransom for the Utility IF job that belonged to Betemit.

They also bring back a bevy of critical performers in varying states of rehab, after 2008 injuries or maintenance procedures during the offseason. Of those, #3 starter, Chien-MIng Wang, has been handled with suitably delicate care and given an entire Winter to rest an injury that Brian Bruney returned from in three months - he will be ready. Similarly, Closer - Mariano Rivera, who had an effortlessly dominant 2008, had a straightforward procedure on calcified bone in his shoulder, not impacting on structure - he should be ready to go.

Not as assured, but with a strong track record for healing, being honest with everyone about his health and finding a way to contribute is DH Hideki Matsui, who carried the moribund Yankee offense until injuring his knee in June, while leading the AL in hitting at .323. Matsui will be what he says he can be and the depth at corner OF makes it of little concern, if he can go - he will, if not Damon slides to DH and Swisher is in LF.

But the one critical and irreplaceable Yankee part is the injury that causes the most uncertainty. Unlike Mariano, C, Jorge Posada's shoulder injury was serious and his surgery a major procedure. Despite optimism around his devotion and diligence, the Yankees will not know about Posada for two months and cannot realistically replace what he brings Offensively if he cannot go. In no other area do the Yankees hold as large an edge over their AL rivals as they do with a healthy Posada, anything less than a legitimate Posada year cannot be accounted for and will narrow whatever Yankee advantages exist.

Oh, and this year?

The big, bad press corps is reallyreallyREALLY going to make those Yankees sweat over 'this year's steroid drama' (stop me if you've heard this one before!)...

Those mean, tough vocal fans in opponent ballparks are reallyreallyREALLY going to rattle the Yankees...

Those crafty, worldly, economic geniuses who own and run other MLB clubs are reallyreallyREALLY going to get serious about a Salary Cap that will reallyreallyREALLY help the game...

blah...blah...blah

In other words, or better still, let's use Jason Giambi's words, the former Yankee and former Steroid accusee/center of the circus/source of predicted fan/media ire had this to say about all the 'difficulties' of being a Yankee;

"All 25 guys got along in New York, that was what we had to do. I had a great time and a lot of fun there. In New York, there was always something going on. There were 55,000 fans in the stands every night and it was fun to be a rock star. That's what it felt like."

Like Manny's glowing reviews in LA or Damon's unabashed love for all things 'Yankee', positive reviews from former Yankees are about as welcome in the Yankee-hating Universe as naked photos of Barney Frank (and escort)! So lets not expect these remarks to penetrate what 'everybody knows'. I loves me some Jason, always did, still do. Wish you well Big G!

So much for excitement from THAT angle, lets stick to what we know...the GAME!

Catcher

Jorge Posada
Jose Molina
Francisco Cervelli

We discussed Posada. He is the critical Yankee, and shall remain an unknown hanging over this team. Molina is a brilliant Defender with a rocket arm, but an anemic Offensive player who killed the back end of the lineup in '08. Cervelli will get some exposure as one of the few MLB level players on the Italian World Baseball Classic team. He is one year removed from the horrific, and wholly unnecessary Broken Wrist he suffered in Spring '08 against the Tampa Bay Rays. He played in September and in Winter and he is ready, if Posada cannot go - Cervelli will play a lot.

First Base

Mark Teixeira
Nick Swisher

Both guys are under 30, have big power from both sides of the plate and can handle the leather.

Enough said.

Teixeira, will play 150 games and Swisher will spell him, while getting serious AB's in LF, RF and DH.

Giambi gave the Yankee serious thump and OBP, but Tex is younger and infinitely more agile with the glove and arm. Swisher is three seasons removed from 35 HR and stardom. As solid as any position on any team in MLB.

Second Base

Robinson Cano

Cano had a down year in '08, but its been overblown. He still hit .307 in the second half and finished with .271/14/72, while handling SIXTY ONE more chances at 2B than his nearest AL competitor. He has the sweet swing, the power, the rocket arm and endless range you dream about at 2B and is only 25.

Short Stop

Derek Jeter suffered two nasty beanings on his left hand on 95 MPH darts from former Oriole starter, Daniel Cabrera that interrupted and then finished his season. Outside of those periods, he was his typical .317 self, spraying the ball, avoiding rally-killing, reliable Defense (I know, I know...one of these years, the Bill James smears are reallyreallyREALLY going to stick!). Just not this year, even with the hand, Derek hit .300 and was an AL Silver Slugger, he turns 35 in June and looks the same as ever.

A rock.

Third Base

The Anti-Christ, Destroyer of Worlds, Devourer of Virgins, Rationalizing, Needy, Awkward...he may be all those things (hey, it worked for Bill Clinton!), but Alex Rodriguez is also a 3B with unrivaled SS range, with a rocket arm, who made only T-E-N errors all season, led the AL in Slugging % (.573), hit .302/35/103 while undergoing constant scrutiny (even I am yawning...).

Like him. DON'T like him. But you cannot get away from his game, which is H-U-G-E.

Left Field

Johnny Damon had a big-time year for the Yankees last year, he was dynamic at Leadoff, hit for power (.461 slugging) and speed (29 SB's), was typical clutch (6-6 game with a walkoff hit!) and did a decent job tracking balls and scaling walls in LF. What he didn't do, what he CANNOT do is throw, and that makes him a liability anytime he has to play the field. Swisher is a solid OF with a decent arm who would be an upgrade Defensively and offer OBP and power from a Switch Hitter. Anytime the Yankees can keep Damon and Matsui OFF the field, it is a plus for the team and with Hideki's knee, it is likely Damon will get lots of DH AB's and allow Swisher to play in LF.

The loser of the CF battle will get innings as a Defensive stopper here at times.

Center Field

The battle is ON!

Speedster Brett Gardner (think Juan Pierre, Joey Gathright....) can run like the wind and steal bases at will...but his bat has little thump. He's an excellent ball tracker with those legs, showed the ability to climb walls and has a solid arm. If he can hit .270, his legs make him an asset, but his Offensive limitations make him a part-time player.

Gardner will compete with deposed incumbent/fan favorite, Melky Cabrera, a wall scaling Defender with a rocket arm who switch hits and has shown promise Offensively, but who bottomed out in the latter months of '08 with terrible mechanics and slothful habits. Like Cano, he had the fear of Yankee banishment put into him and has worked feverishly to retain his job, declining to be the starting CF for the loaded Dominican WBC team in order to compete for CF. If Guru gets a vote, he starts, on a short leash and looks to reproduce his hot April of '08 when he slugged 5 HR and hit .299. With the Yankee offense as strong as it appears on paper, no reason not to carry Melky's arm AND Brett's legs - both are weapons that winning teams need.

Swisher and Damon have both played CF in MLB, if needed.

Right Field

Xavier Nady is simply a solid MLB player. He hits for serious power, 2B's from line to line and HR thump. He plays a better OF than deposed RF Bobby Abreu, but will not hit for as high an average. He should be good to replicate his '08 numbers and the Yankees will sign on for them (25/97).

Swisher and Melky may see time in RF as well.

Designated Hitter

Hideki Matsui, Nick Swisher, Johnny Damon and Jorge Posada all figure to get plenty of AB's in this catch-all slot for the Yankees. Each is capable Offensively, for reasons we've already discussed.

Utility Infielder

Cody Ransom has good thump and plays reliable Defense anywhere in the IF, but is weakest at SS.

Angel Berroa was once a promising SS but has lost the ability to hit in recent years. Ransom is the sort of reliable reserve Girardi likes and relies upon, seemingly his job to lose.

Starting Pitching

CC Sabathia
AJ Burnett
Chien-Ming Wang
Andy Pettitte
Joba Chamberlain

The #1 is an Ace who is used to carrying his team on his prodigious back and throwing an obscene number of innings in so doing. The Yankees will not push him that way, they have plenty of pitching depth and an ample bullpen, they will seek to limit him to 7 innings per start and hope to have a fresher, more representative CC in the playoffs then he was able to be after brutal workloads in '07 (Cleveland) and '08 (Milwaukee). His larger than life persona was MADE for the big stage and it is tough to imagine him NOT thriving. He will bring 98 MPH from the LH side every five days.

The #2 is a dominant thrower, he has the 98 MPH heat from the RH side and the backbreaking curveball and can make lineups fold up. He is also not a strong instinctive thinker on the mound and can overthrow or encounter stretches of wildness at times. Like CC, he will not be asked to work any miracles or carry the club, just to show up every five days, take the ball, take care of his health and give the team a chance to win. If he does that, with his stuff, they will win more than lose.

The #3 is an Ace who has been pitching his whole career against opponent #1's and has gone 54-20 in that slot. Presumably, facing #3's, he should be similarly effective. He brings 96 MPH sinkers from the RH side, has extensive Yankee experience and has thrown shutout 2-hitters at Fenway and outdueled new teammates CC and AJ on numerous occasions.

The #4 is a veteran LH winner, whose cutter/slider/sinker mix contrasts beautifully with the power arms around him in the rotation. He gives the Yankees veteran poise, presence, 200 Inning consistency and, like Wang, will be pitching against the weakest opposing starters of his career in the #4 slot. He's proven and a beloved team leader for his former catcher/Manager Joe Girardi, his teammates and the fans and can counsel the big baby at 3B on the 'horrors' of the Scarlet 'S'!

The #5 has the best stuff of them all. Throws 101 RH heat with 4 plus pitches to accompany that, command of the strike zone, poise...the whole package. Joba Chamberlain against #5 starters is practically unfair.

Phil Hughes, 22 and Alfredo Alceves, 26, are both capable MLB ready RH starters who will absorb the bulk of spot starts and injury starts as well as play a role in long-relief.

Relief Pitching

LH specialist, Damaso Marte is dominant when left in that role and struggled when the Yankees tried to expand it last season after joining New York.

Lesson learned. Girardi spoke honestly about the misuse and the Yankees went out and retained him. meaning they intend to use him in an optimum, specialist role.

LH, Phil Coke, was originally part of the Marte deal but instead came up to the Yankees in late Summer and was Mike Stanton reborn, whistling 96 MPH past AL hitters like they were tied-up. If he can be ANYTHING like that guy, he will be the LH answer at set-up.

RH David Robertson, Jonathan Albaledejo, Edwar Ramirez and Jose Veras all have strikeout stuff and complimentary styles, expect each to get serious innings in the Yankee pen. Robertson is a 4 pitch artist, Albaladejo a grinding strike thrower, Ramirez a power-changeup strikeout machine (better K's per 9 innings than Joba) and Vera brings 98 MPH low heat with a wild windup that unsettles hitters.

RH set-up man, Brian Bruney, showed up from Arizona three years ago with a 98 MPH heater, a chip on his shoulder and fat belly. He followed up a sizzling 0.87 ERA debut in late '06 with a mediocre, overweight '07 and you wondered if that was why an arm like his was available in the first place.

Then he showed up last spring, 25 pounds lighter, focused like a laser beam and dominating to the tune of 1.59 ERA in the early going, before suffering the freakish injury to his Lisfranc that Wang suffered a month later. The old Bruney would have been surly and gotten fat while rehabbing, the new Bruney worked his ASS off, showed up late season and dominated again (1.96) while clearly establishing himself as the primary setup guy. In 2009, he claims that he is even fitter and more focused, a new dad who 'gets it' and is fully healthy. His stuff is as good as any closer and if his head is where it appears to be, the Yankees are set in the bullpen.

Mariano Rivera, can be 20% less effective than he was in '08 and still be a huge plus at Closer. No human being should be able to Strike out 77 to 6 walks and surrender only 47 total base runners in 70+ innings, blowing only ONE save along the way... Mo does it so casually and with such quiet grace...it's hard to overstate. The best player, at his role, I've ever seen in Baseball. If his performance DOES decrease by 20%, his ERA would 'balloon' to 1.68!

Coaches

Former Manager of the Year and Yankee World Series hero, Joe Girardi is back for his second go-around. Last Spring, the Yankees left camp loaded for bear, only to spend a month in the rain, watch the never-before-hurt Posada blow out his shoulder in Game 2 and miss the first couple of games in his office under quarantine with the flu! He's been a Yankee, so the circus is as second-nature to him as it is to the rest of us and the experiences of '08 and seeing Sydney Ponson and Darell Rasner trot out for 25% of his team's starts HAVE to make any 'problems' he is facing now seem miniscule. He knows what he has and knows, if he keeps them healthy and avoids fueling the distraction machine - his team will win 100 games and return to the postseason.

Former Manager of the Year, Tony Pena slides over to bench coach, providing the team with more of a players perspective and a second Spanish speaker (Girardi) as well. Rob Thomson moves from the bench, where he was miscast, to 3B. Newcomer Mick Kelleher, takes over for Pena at 1B and Kevin Long (hitting), Dave Eiland (Pitching) and Mike Harkey (Bullpen) return to their roles.

Ownership

GM Brian Cashman has done everything humanly possible to stock this team and its farm system (AAA Scranton-Wilkes/Barre won its league and finished Second overall for the level, AA Trenton repeated as league Champion, AA Champion and MiLB Organization of the Year) and should be able to concentrate on the draft and international signings, that is IF nobody makes a pitch for one of the Yankee corner OF's and brings the specter of Manny back into his ear!

Hal Steinbrenner seems to have taken the reins as the public voice of the Steinbrenner family, after Hank's boozy bluster. Hank's outbursts were often distractions, but he was right about Moose and right about Joba, if he has something else to say - let him say it and lets see if he's right again.

The Yard

We'll find out on April 16...the moment it opens its gates, the clamor, the nonsense, the haters will...poof...disappear and perhaps, if the WBC doesn't get anyone hurt and the calamities of early seasons recent don't rear their ugly heads - the Yankees can avoid spotting their rivals the first two months of the season and get off strong early. If they do, and are well positioned on June 1, it should be a magical first season in the new Palace in the Bronx.

Guru will be there for every one of the 162 games with Game reports that go in-depth, pitch by pitch, to bring you the best Yankee coverage possible...with NO Gossip, NO Payroll and NO Drug Tests.

If you like the G-A-M-E, and only the game - I'll catch you here on The Magic Carpet!