Hideki Matsui Throws Final Wrench in Yankee Lineup Options

The New York Yankees came into 2009 with more depth on offense than any year since Darryl Strawberry came off the bench.

With the acquisition of Nick Swisher and the emergence of Brett Gardner in CF, Joe Girardi had countless ways to mix and match a powerful offensive attack.

The signing of Mark Teixeira, however, was the first spark in an eventual flame out of Girardi’s plans.

It is impossible to question the signing of a dynamite offensive leader in his prime who also possesses top-notch defensive prowess.

Teixeira will exponentially improve the Yankees, and is everything Brian Cashman looks for in a potential signing.

The problem is not in his ability. The problem lies in the position that he plays.

By bringing in a 1B that absolutely must play every day for the Yankees to reach their full potential, they in turn eliminated their lineup flexibility.

Nick Swisher and Jorge Posada will no longer be able to cling to 1B as a security blanket, ensuring themselves 75-100 extra at-bats.

As a result, Xavier Nady and Swisher must battle for playing time on a game to game basis.

Swisher seems to have won over Girardi with his attitude and work ethic, leaving Nady uncertain of his ultimate role.

The flexibility issues have magnified themselves with a hip injury to Alex Rodriguez, as well as reports that Hideki Matsui will be unable to play the field until at least June.

The Yankees now have three of their best power threats in Rodriguez, Matsui, and Posada nursing injuries that could leave them in need of temporary DH duty.

While Swisher or Nady losing playing time should not knock fans out of their recliners, losing one of the keys to Yankee success each night would be a crushing blow.

All signs are pointing to Rodriguez being the most likely to return to his everyday role.

If Posada is unable to catch consistently when the season opens, or at any point before Matsui can return to the outfield, the Yankees should be concerned.

With Rodriguez out, Matsui becomes the Yankees only true everyday option at cleanup hitter.

Matsui is able to drive the ball, work the count, get on base, and drive in runs. He has also done it before in the cleanup spot very successfully in New York.

He is simply too good to keep out of the lineup when healthy.

There were clear signs that his knees felt strong as he rotated on them to crush a deep home run into the night on Tuesday. He also ripped a double down the right field line.

Matsui’s importance leaves the Yankees in a terrible spot in the event Posada cannot catch 120 games.

It appears that the same issues that haunted the lineup in 2008 could affect this year’s team.

The Yankees could be left trying to fit squares pegs into a round hole if they cannot successfully heal from injuries.

The pitching staff should be able to hold the Yankees afloat until the summer months, but the pennant race will require them to be firing on all cylinders.

Joe Girardi Is Learning from the Tom Coughlin Instruction Manual

Two seasons ago, Tom Coughlin sat in a dark office, wondering what he could possibly do to save his job.

He had ultimately lost his locker room, and the veteran presence was beginning to shut him out.

The implementation of a leadership council, coupled with the brightening of a stern personality only a soldier could love, eventually paved the Giants path to a Superbowl title.

After similarly losing touch with the countless stars in the Yankee dugout, Girardi watched as his team finished six games out of the AL Wildcard race.

Even more concerning were reports of Derek Jeter’s displeasure with the locker room and coaching situation in the Bronx.

Permanently stuck within the league’s strongest division, Girardi knew that cosmic changes were necessary during this past offseason.

While $423.5 million of expenditure seems cosmic enough in itself, it has been the changes Girardi has made with his own attitude that may loom even larger.

Enter Tom Coughlin playing the role of Socrates, and Joe Girardi trying out for the role of his finest pupil Plato.

Actually, with as much talent as is present within the Giants and Yankees locker rooms, it is more so a revised copy of Coaching for Dummies.

Girardi’s job is even more simplistic than Coughlin’s. Coughlin needed to show a team’s core how to win, while Girardi needs to remind his core how to win.

Girardi’s “leadership council” has already been in power for fourteen years. By allowing Jeter, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte, and Mariano Rivera to handle their business, the Yankees will be far better off.

This is what Joe Torre always did best. He knew that he had the keys to a Ferrari, and he set it on cruise control. He never belittled his players, nor attempted to fix the unbroken.

Girardi has cancelled practices for team social gatherings, attempting to create a unified dugout. His relaxed demeanor has also been very well received by his players.

Aside from Girardi’s own behavioral changes, the Yankees have brought in an excellent compliment of personalities to the clubhouse.

Nick Swisher has already been dubbed the Yankee jester, making sure there is never stale air in the room.

He also works as hard as anyone on and off the field, showing a normally businesslike roster how to work and play. Damon will finally have a partner in crime.

CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira are two of the true fun-loving players in the league as well, and will deliver as many smiles and laughs in the dugout as they will victories on the field.

Even AJ Burnett has already made an impact on the Yankee roster. His relentless recruitment of Andy Pettitte during his contract negotiations made him realize how important he could become as one of the final pieces to the puzzle.

The likes of Brett Gardner and Cody Ransom will bring a toughness and gritty intensity from its role players that have been missing since the dynasty years.

The Yankees are a long way from following the Giants road to a championship. However, it appears Girardi has learned some important lessons in dealing with a big market sports franchise.

Bad Day for Posada and Chamberlain: Yankees Battery Needs a ‘Shot in the Arm’

Jorge Posada was far along his road to recovery from an injury that left him without the ability to reach second base with his throws.

Joba Chamberlain was experiencing more off the field problems than those focused on performance, as a DWI infraction and identity imposter helped to shake up his offseason.

Both stars arrived at February camp in good spirits. They were confident that 2009 would bring positive outcomes for the team and for them as individuals.

The spring had started perfectly for Posada. The Yankee catcher had been attacking the baseball like he was in his 20s again, crushing line drives all over Florida.

Chamberlain had voiced his enthusiasm and devotion to starting pitching, and had come through all workouts without discomfort. His 2008 arm troubles have yet to resurface.

However, after an encouraging start for the Yankees this spring, something appeared wrong with two precious right shoulders.

Chamberlain was lit up in one inning in his first start of the spring on Saturday. He performed a distant third in terms of effectiveness among the young threesome of Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, and himself.

There is nothing to be alarmed about, as Joba came through the game without reaggravating any injuries.

It is expected for many pitchers to struggle mightily early on, especially those who are inexperienced.

Their early goals are generally to work on fastball command and establishing both sides of the plate. A full repertoire of pitches is rarely utilized, and velocity is pulled back to avoid injury.

The bigger concern lies with Posada’s surgically repaired shoulder. Though neither Posada nor Girardi seems overly concerned, he was scratched due to increased soreness.

Soreness is anticipated in any rehabilitation program, but to experience it before attempting to catch a game is slightly disheartening.

Posada acknowledged that the pain did not affect him during the swing, but this implies that it still hurts significantly while throwing.

With opening day a little over a month away, any lingering soreness could prevent the progression of his rehab. These limitations could cause him to be unprepared to catch full-time as the team breaks camp.

Perhaps the soreness is merely a tiny roadblock on a long path back to success. There is a high likelihood that this is the case.

However, if Posada suffers a major setback at some point in the next few weeks, the Yankees will quickly awake from their World Series dreams.

Yankee fans, players, and office personnel will be watching Posada closely in the weeks and months to come. They know that the achievement of their ultimate goal may depend on him.

Posada’s Debut Provides Yankees a ‘Ray’ of Light for 2009

Although the weather near the newly constructed Yankee Stadium is more suited for a December football game than America’s Pastime, it certainly feels like spring again.

As the Yankees played the Rays in Thursday’s spring home opener at George M. Steinbrenner field in Tampa, fans were reminded how important Jorge Posada is to their success.

Posada crushed a home run deep into the right-field bleachers in his first at bat of the spring, before later lacing an RBI double in the 5th inning.

Not only were the results encouraging, but also the always important ‘eye test’. Posada passed with flying colors, as his bat speed and fluidity were as impressive as his prime.

Posada was batting from the left side, where his surgically repaired right shoulder absorbs a lot of stress after the bat explodes through the zone.

He showed no signs of discomfort whatsoever, nor any desire to be cautious with his swing. His approach was aggressive and his competitive fire was once again unleashed.

Derek Jeter is unquestionably the Yankee captain as a result of his on-field guidance and leadership by example.

However, it has arguably been Posada who has provided the tough love and locker room motivation equally as vital to a team’s success.

The Yankees were incredibly lucky that backup catcher Jose Molina was as defensively impressive and consistent as he was in 2009. The adverse effects of Posada’s absence could have been much worse.

Offensively, however, there is no comparison. When he is at the top of his game, it is difficult to compare Posada to almost any catcher in the league.

Posada provides both power and plate discipline, allowing him to generate 20+ home runs while maintaining a career .380 on-base percentage.

Posada’s on-base percentage is nothing short of remarkable considering the demands of his position.

His career OBP is higher than Johnny Bench, Yogi Berra, and Mike Piazza. They are often considered the best hitting catchers in baseball history.

While it is unrealistic to expect results similar to his career year in 2007, it is not out of the question to anticipate a bounce back season from Posada.

Production in the neighborhood of 18-20 home runs, 75-80 RBI’s, and a .270-.275 batting average are fairly reasonable. Especially if he is able to DH in excess of twenty-five games this season to rest his rehabilitated throwing shoulder.

If Posada can return to representing a dangerous offensive threat in 2009, the Yankee lineup becomes that much more explosive.

The benefits begin with taking large amounts of pressure off of Xavier Nady, Hideki Matsui, and Robinson Cano to carry the bottom half of the offense.

It will not be known until the summer if Posada’s arm is strong enough to last a full season, returning him to the force that the AL East has come to expect.

The truth is, Jorge Posada’s right shoulder may prove to be even more significant than AJ Burnett’s or Chien-Ming Wang’s heading into 2009.