* Trade Matsui to SF for left-hand reliever and general prospects
* Trade Melky and Ian Kennedy to SD for Peavy
* Sign Manny to 1-year, $24 million
Those three items completed, here's the line-up and rotation for Opening Day:
Damon LF
Jeter SS
Rodriguez 3B
Teixeria 1B
Ramirez DH
Posada C
Cano 2B
Nady RF
Gardner CF
Sabathia LHP
Peavy RHP
Wang RHP
Burnett RHP
Hughes RHP
Joba goes back into set-up mode for Mo. Bullpen can be Marte, Bruney, Veras, Ramirez, Coke. Swisher, Molina, and Ransom are on the bench.
Honestly? That just flat out scares me. Can you see that rotation in pinstripes? That line-up? Manny hitting FIFTH? Seriously, if you were Manny - wouldn't you call up Boras and say - "You know what, I want to go there just to see what it would be like for one year. I'll be good for one year - we'll win a title - and I'll play the market again next year. See if there are any takers."
The trade for Peavy won't happen - but gosh - wouldn't that be fun. Peavy throwing the day after Sabathia? I only put Burnett as #4 because I would like to mix it up with Wang throwing ground outs in between. And why not Hughes? I read somewhere that any of the other teams would gladly take him off the Yankees hands - an ace in the waiting. Well, what better way to shelter him here than to put him in at #5... with that everyday row of excellent hitters? Goodness gracious.
Sure - Gardner at CF isn't a run-producer. But the same type of logic applies as with Hughes - how could he NOT build confidence hitting in this line-up? And his defense will more than make-up for any oh-fer's.
I just scrolled back up, and looked at that line-up again. And then the rotation. And then I grinned. Big grin. Like, holy-cow-YES-will-be-my-obsession-next-year grin.
What would that be on the field - chemistry-wise... TEAM-wise? Don't know. But I would be MORE than willing to find out, as a fan of this club.
Heh. I just grinned again. Merry Christmas, everyone.
