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To no surprise of many, speedy Brett Gardner has won the centerfield job to start this 2009 season, beating out Melky (who we all know and love). Listen, Melky had a good spring - he’s got an edge over Gardner as far as experience, being a switch-hitter, and having a big arm, BUT we all know what Melky is. He’s a very good 4th outfielder (which you still need for depth). Gardner already was a favorite of Girardi going into this fight, but he overwhelmingly took the job after hitting the heck out of the ball and playing hard. It’s been said that Gardner has started slow at every level, and then he adjusts and becomes a near .300 hitter. If he can do that in the bigs, he’s going to be around for a very long time. He should be able to run down any ball out there, and won’t really need to adjust to the new stadium since it’s got the same dimensions as the old stadium. It’s gonna be exciting to watch this kid grow, especially as we open the new cathedral and welcome in the future of this franchise.

Yesterday the Yanks had a bit of slug-fest with Pittsburgh, defeating them 9-8. It included a 7-run 4th inning, in which Cano hit his 3rd homer of the spring. It’s good to see Robbie hitting, and even better to see him hitting with some pop. He can literally transform this line-up from very good to great with a big year. On the rubber, Burnett didn’t have that great of a start, which was actually good to get out of the way before we open up the real season. He had been pitching very well, so it’s not a big deal that he was hit around - he’s gonna keep working hard and make sure that he’s ready to go when the bell rings. A positive to take from the outing was that he still threw 53 strikes and only 30 balls, a very good ratio for a power-pitcher.

As we are now only 7 days away from opening in Baltimore, and C.C. throwing that first pitch to Brian Roberts, Andy Pettitte will take the ball this afternoon and face Toronto. I actually drafted Andy late in my fantasy draft yesterday, so I’m hoping he can be a great value-pick, and win us 14-15 games as the number 4 guy.

Yesterday the Yankees didn’t perform too bad on the mound, but what stuck out was their offense, after manhandling the Phillies 10-2. Joba understands that he needs to be more efficient, and control his fastball on a consistent basis - he came out saying so after the game. The only 2 runs given up were back-to-back homers by Utley and Howard early in the game, and that was it. Then the offense began…

Jeter singled in the 1st, and ended up scoring on Hideki Matsui’s 2-run dinger to start off the game. It’s a very good sign that Matsui is not only hitting the ball, but hitting with power - this is something that will really extend the line-up, and naturally will help with the absence of Alex Rodriguez. Ransom then homered in the 4th inning, putting everyone at ease and justifying the fact that he will be playing 3rd for a while to start the year. Jeter came up and doubled in the 5th, then scored again, this time on Damon’s RBI-single. To put on a cherry on top, Swish and Melky both went deep in the 8th, and that was all she wrote. If only we could have every game end this way.

The Notorious C.C. will get the start tonight against Cincy, as the Yanks play their final night-game of the spring. Not much else to write, today…except for the fact that….

It’s Fantasy Friday! This week’s edition will focus on relievers, and how rare a good one can be (especially closers). Mariano Rivera is of course the name that initially comes to mind, and he should have plenty of opportunities to come in to save games in 09′. That’s pretty self-explanatory, but it’s the other guys that you may not think about - the middle/late relievers that could really help out your team if you pay attention. Now the Yankees bullpen is pretty deep and loaded with live, young arms - however, here’s a few to watch that could make the biggest impact:

Brian Bruney: Bruney is on a contract-year, so he’s really really motivated. It’s his mission to become the everyday set-up-man for Mo, and he wants to establish himself early. He was having a great season in 08′ before getting hurt, and he’s in even better shape this spring. Bruney hasn’t had the best spring so far, but I think he’s gonna be focused once the real games get started, and he’ll be used a lot. Also, he’s got great strikeout-ability.

Damaso Marte: Marte was included in that deal last year with Nady, and he’s originally from our system. He will also get a chance to make many appearances this year, being the main lefty in the pen. DM throws hard like Bruney, so again you could get a bunch of K’s from this hurler - however, at times he can get a little wild, so keep an eye on him early in the year to see if he’s in a rhythm.

Jose Veras: This hard-throwing righty was very impressive last year, and he will hopefully duplicate it this time around. Veras was given the 8th inning a number of times in 08′, so it’s going to be interesting to see if he can outperform Bruney for the job. I’d say by about May 1st we’ll know who has won over Girardi.

Edwar Ramirez: This kid was also pretty impressive last year, as he became an off-speed specialist, and threw off many hitters when he was called on before Joba ran out there. Edwar is not gonna get you anything in the K category, and he will probably not be used as much as the previous 3 listed, but he should still be one of the top 5 arms that come out of the pen at any given time.

Phil Coke/Jonathan Albaladejo: Lastly, here’s a couple of interesting young arms who could be thrown into the mix, but we’re not entirely sure which one will be with the club come April 6th. I guess you could also consider Brett Tomko, who has been trying to make the team as a long-man, but I’m not so sure he’ll be here. Coke has got a distinct advantage over others, being that he’s a left-hander and he’s looked pretty solid - some have even said he could be a future closer with his stuff. Albaladejo is also nothing to sneeze at, standing at 6′5″, 260 lbs. He could potentially be a long-man/spot-starter for the team if he makes a good enough impression on Girardi, and he’s another guy that can rack up the K’s.

One more arm to keep a very, very close eye on - I’ve mentioned him before…Mark Melancon. I’m convinced that we will see him come up at some point this year, and he’s got electric stuff. Closer-type stuff. In fact, many think that he could be the heir to Mariano, allowing Joba to stay in the rotation and ending the ugly debate. He’ s definitely starting the season in AAA, but stay tuned.

Happy Thursday folks, almost Friday! Thank the lord. As we come closer to opening day (11 days) in Baltimore, Joe Girardi is feeling confident about sending newly acquired C.C. Sabathia to the mound to kick off 2009. He will start both the real opener, and then the home-opener according to Joe. As the big guy steps onto the rubber April 6th, some may have memories similar to when Ron Guidry was around in the 70’s - a hard-throwing lefty in his prime, not afraid to face any line-up that stood in front of him. C.C. was excited to hear that he’s definitely getting the start, and he seems to be taking a lot of pride in it. There’s something special to starting opening day for the New York Yankees, and there will be a ton of adrenaline racing through his veins, that’s for sure.

The Yanks didn’t play yesterday, but today Joba Chamberlain will take the ball and get some more work in before the season gets started, taking on the Phils. It’ll be Joba’s 5th start of the spring, and he seems to be getting more and more comfortable as the dates pass by. I know the starter/reliever debate will never end, but as long as he learns to be efficient and can stay healthy and all, I don’t see any reason why Joba can’t win at least 13-15 games as the 5th starter. However, there’s the concern of the max # of innings being placed on him, so I’m not sure if that can allow him to win a lot of games. I think it’s time to take off the training-wheels, and let him pitch. Same goes for Hughes - when he gets called up again, LET HIM PITCH.

There may be a slight tweak in today’s line-up, as Girardi is flip-flopping Damon and Jeter. I don’t see any real issue with leading off Jeter, he’s got enough discipline to do it, and he still runs the bases pretty well. Damon’s clearly got more power, and can get on base enough, but the only thing would be that you’d have back-to-back lefties hitting with Tex behind him (if facing a righty pitcher). It’s an interesting idea, but I don’t think it will last very long - Gardner will be in the lead-off spot when all is said and done, and Damon will probably be on the DL before we know it.

In our last piece of news for the day, apparently we’re still open to trading Melky for the right offer, even before the season begins. I think they should keep him around for depth if nothing else, I mean he’s still got very good range and a great arm. He’d be a very solid 4th outfielder, not many teams have a guy they could stick in like that. Plus he’s a switch-hitter with some power, so he and Swish would be a couple of nice bats off the bench.

Last night was  a great game all-around, and it was fun to watch - in fact, it got me twice as pumped for the season (if that’s even possible). A.J. Burnett took the ball, and he showed why the Yanks were eager to sign him as a 2nd big arm. Whewww, he was flashing some filth against Boston, which is another thing I love. The ability to step on the mound and throw a great game against the arch-rival is nothing to sneeze at, it’s something that we absolutely need in order to get back to the promise-land. When Burnett has his breaking ball working, he could be virtually un-hittable….seriously. I don’t want to throw around names, but you could compare his stuff to Nolan Ryan’s, when it’s on and he’s healthy (that being the key word). I remember when the Marlins had that young staff back in the early 2000’s, and they used to say that Burnett could be even better than Beckett. Well, it’s very possible that we may see that matchup this season, and possibly in post-season action. It would certainly be fun.

At the plate, Brett Gardner once again came through, and could quite possibly be the Yankees version of Dustin Pedroia this year. Man, this kid’s got speed. He legged out a triple in the 6th, and then ended up scoring on Damon’s single (beat the throw to home). Captain Jeter was back in action (returning from the WBC), and singled/walked, while Angel Berroa drove in a run with a double in the 8th. However, the most impressive of all (and most memorable), was the grand salami hit by Austin Jackson. This kid is showing more and more why they think he’s their next great one to be called up - his swing was so nice and easy, and he’s got a lot of speed to go along with it. It’s possible that we may see him at some point this season, and just imagine the speed we’d have in the outfield?

The next-generation Yankees are coming….

The Bombers had a day off today, and will face off against Philly again tomorrow afternoon with Joba getting the start. Sorry for the later post guys.

So Wang didn’t have the best start yesterday against the Phils, giving up a few runs through 5, but no worries. He’ll be fine, just has to keep the ball down and mix it up while changing speeds. I just hope he’s not letting the injury from last year creep around in the back of his mind, because that can mess up a pitcher’s flow. As soon as they start worrying about reinjuring themself, it affects the mechanics and can lead to bad results. It may take a few regular-season starts, but the Wanger will get back in a groove before you know it.

A couple of other important things to note - Jorge Posada is feeling good again, and is able to throw out runners for the first time in a while. He sounds confident, and his bat has certainly not been slowed, as he’s spraying the ball all over the diamond. This is great news for the team, since they want to DH Matsui full-time (liability in the outfield), and Tex is going to be at 1st everyday. You also can’t underestimate the leadership that Jorge provides for this team, and that’s going to be felt and embraced by the clubhouse. The other news to note: Xavier Nady is named the everyday rightfielder. We pretty much knew this would be the case anyway, so not a shocker. However, if Damon gets hurt at some point (quite possible), you could still see Swisher starting in the outfield along with Nady and Gardner. Don’t feel bad for the Swish, he’s still going to be a very big part of this team. This brings us to my next point….

I absolutely loved the move when they got Nick Swisher from the White Sox, and I still love the move. I’ve listened to a few interviews with him now, and he’s a fantastic personality for this town. The great thing about him is that he doesn’t let anything get to him, he’s loose as a goose. He’ll do whatever Girardi needs him to do. I mean obviously he wants to play everyday, but he’s not going to whine and throw a tantrum if he’s on the bench. Mark my words - Swish will become a fan-favorite here, and he’ll also be a nice switch-hitting bat off the bench. The Yankees have not had this kind of depth, nor have they had a group that meshes so well in a long time. “Let’s Go Swish” will be a chant that echoes throughout the new stadium this year, just wait and see.

A.J. Burnett didn’t have too bad of a start yesterday (3.1 IP, ER, 3 BB, 3 H, 1 K), but he was more importantly able to continue pitching after taking a line-drive off his left tricep. Bruney followed, but had some trouble, allowing a couple of runs and 4 walks in 1.3 innings - if he wants to be that lock-down set-up guy, he’s gonna have to master his command better than that. However, Mariano came out and looked brilliant again, as he retired the inning on 5 pitches. In the batter’s box, Nady scorched a triple early, Swish doubled, and Jorge continued to swing a big bat (also doubling). Eduardo Nunez (don’t know much about him) homered in the 8th. Phil Hughes will pitch today at 1:05 against Minnesota.

Fantasy Friday: As promised, each Friday I will bring something into the mix where our readers can get information on fantasy-related Yankee info. This week, we focus on speed players, and how they can affect your line-up day in and day out. The top guy we obviously must mention is Brett Gardner, the probable starting centerfielder in 2009. Now the kid is young, and he’ s still gotta prove he can get on base consistently, but he’s flat out got the ability to steal 70 bases - lightning legs. What can this do for your line-up you ask? Well of course it adds additional points to your team, but it sets you up for even more points - if a player is constantly ending up on 2nd and 3rd base, they will have a better opportunity to come in and score.

With that said, I project Gardner to improve his OBP dramatically, somewhere in the range of .330-.340, with at least 50 steals and 90 runs scored.

Yesterday we saw the Chien-Ming Wang that we all know and love, as he threw 5 innings of 1-run baseball with a couple of K’s. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, mark Wang down for at least 18 W’s (pending he stays healthy).

One of the new arrivals, A.J. Burnett (up next tonight against his former Jays team), has transitioned quite well in his new clubhouse so far. In fact, he has provided some advice for Wang, which could help him relax and become more of an all-around starting pitcher in this league. After all, A.J. has been in this league a while, and he’s about 5-6 years older than Wang, as well as having pitched in both leagues now. He told him to further develop his other pitches, and change speeds frequently. You can’t argue with him, because it’s the right mind-frame - can’t just continue to pound sinkers all day, cause you’ll eventually get hit hard when it’s not working. Another thing that was also noticed by Dave Eiland (pitching coach) was that Wang’s mechanics fell apart at times, so when corrected he was able to be much more effective.

On the offensive side of the ball, it was nice to see Robbie Cano come up with a couple of hits while DH’ing yesterday. He’s expected to play 2nd tomorrow, and get back to where he belongs. Unexpected camp-invitee and once rookie of the year, Angel Berroa, continued to show that he’s got the ability to play in this league and came up with another hit, raising his average to .421 for the spring. It’s safe to say that he will be the back-up infielder come opening-day in Baltimore.

C.C. Sabathia showed last night why he was brought here - simply to be a dominant ace. The big guy fanned 7 batters over a 4-inning performance, while only allowing 1 run and 1 walk. That’s the kind of ace you want on the mound when the game’s on the line, and hopefully we’ll be seeing that type of effort at Fenway this summer. Following C.C., Mariano Rivera made his debut this spring, and looked like classic Mo. He was spotting his cutter, throwing with nice velocity, and had no pain while doing so. Mo also struck out 2 in that inning, something that puts everyone at ease going into one of the most anticipated seasons in a long time.

At the plate, aging Hideki Matsui clobbered a 2-run homer, and also doubled in 2. Posada added a 2-run single to center, and the Melk-man included an RBI. On the other side of the diamond, former home-grown prospect Jose Tabata (included in the Nady/Marte deal) singled, stole a base, and scored - if this kid develops into what the Yankees thought he could be, the Pirates could very well have one of the best young outfields in the game with him and McLouth.

A couple of other things to note -

1) Wang faces the Astros today (again) - Why have we played the Astros like everyday of the spring? Wang didn’t look so good against Boston last Friday, so let’s hope he settles in and finds that magnificent sinker before we start the real season.

2) Some Yankee official came out and said that Joba would be the closer if Rivera was to get hurt this year - what?! What is wrong with the Yankee brass??? Stop with the back and forth, it’s ridiculous! If you want the kid to be a starter, leave him in the rotation. If you really think he’ll be the next closer, leave him in the bullpen. It’s not right to mess with Joba like this, nor is it beneficial to his health. I understand in a scenario if Mo goes down, and then you try a couple of different guys to fill in but they fail miserably, THEN you can consider throwing him in there. The way they’re handling him is absurd, and you need to just decide on a role and let him pitch. Thanks for listening to the rant.

Joba Chamberlain looks to be getting quite comfortable in his starting role this spring, as he threw another scoreless 3 innings  while striking out a few. The Yanks certainly hit the ball against Philly too  - Nick Swisher with 3 hits and 3 RBI, Gardner went 1-3 with a triple and RBI, Cano with a pinch-hit single, Nady 2-4 with an RBI, and even Shelley Duncan took over in rightfield ending up with 2 hits. Good day overall.

C.C. Sabathia will take the mound again tonight, coming off a shaky outing. He’ll face the Pirates, a team that he’s familiar with from pitching in the N.L. Central for a chunk of last season, and I expect him to be much better. Even if he struggles again, it’ll be taken with a grain of salt, as the big guy has been named opening-day starter against the O’s at Camden Yards.

Good news out of the doc’s office - Robbie Cano and lefty-reliever Marte seem to be fine, and there’s no real damage with their shoulders. I think that the WBC is going to be looked at much closer before the next one in 2012, because teams are getting furious about potential injuries to their players.

Happy Monday folks! So the Wanger wasn’t so sharp against Boston Friday night, but he was good in his first start, so everybody relax. When his ball isn’t moving, and he’s leaving it up in the zone, it’s not gonna be a good day. We know this. What Wang really has to do this year is utilize his other pitches when the sinker isn’t working, and adjust so he can still win the game. I expect nothing less than 18 wins for him this season.

On another note this weekend, Andy was dandy. He threw 3 scoreless on 2 hits, with one strikeout and zero walks. Pettitte is going to be a very solid back-end starter, and he’ll be facing plenty of inferior pitchers this year, being that he’s marked down as numbero 4 in the rotation. Mr. Coke also got some work in, and continued to look pretty sharp as he fights for a permanent spot in this bullpen. Another notable to mention in this game was that Jorge was behind the plate, and felt good catching his buddy. His bat is still as good as ever, slapping 2 hits and scoring a run in the 1st. Also on Saturday, potential future outfield-star Austin Jackson had a 2-4 game with a homer - nice to see.

The Yanks are home today against the defending champs (Phils), and Joba gets another start on his quest to prepare for the 09′ season as a starter. He will face another young farm-hand for Philly, Kyle Kendrick. Cano and Marte pushed back their MRI’s to today, so hopefully there will be nothing serious found - these 2 guys are pretty important for this franchise, and it could be devastating to lose either of them for any length of time (more so Cano, since Coke looks to be a strong lefty-candidate for the pen).