So it seems pretty clear that if NY stays relatively healthy (always a big if), their main issue this year will be scoring runs, especially against LHP. Their defense looks the strongest I can remember, the bullpen seems very deep, and the rotation is thin but with a lot of upside if they stay healthy. The lineup, on the other hand, is filled with question marks.
The first thing to note is that the corpse of Jeter is finally out of the top of the lineup, so that is addition by subtraction right there, and that will finally allow Gardner and Ellsbury to hit 1/2 consistently, against RHP at least. The problem with setting the lineups is that while they can easily put out 9 left-handed hitters against a RHP, they don't have much flexibility in the other direction.
Regular lineup vs. RHP
LF Brett Gardner (L)
CF Jacoby Ellsbury (L)
RF Carlos Beltran (S)
C Brian McCann (L)
1B Mark Teixeira (S)
DH Garrett Jones (L)
3B Chase Headley (S)
2B Stephen Drew (L)
SS Didi Gregorius (L)
Regular lineup vs. LHP
LF Brett Gardner (L)
3B Chase Headley (S)
CF Jacoby Ellsbury (L)
RF Carlos Beltran (S)
C Brian McCann (L)
1B Mark Teixeira (S)
DH Alex Rodriguez (R)
2B Stephen Drew (L)
SS Didi Gregorius (L)
3-7 against RHP and 2-7 against LHP seems really up in the air, a whole lot of guys that could be good or could be awful. They can let John Ryan Murphy and Brendan Ryan fill in for McCann and Gregorius or Drew against LHP, but those guys aren't going to help much. This team might as well not show up against someone like Chris Sale, thankfully there aren't too many tough lefties around these days.
That's enough to start discussion anyway, curious what Girardi comes up with.
The first thing to note is that the corpse of Jeter is finally out of the top of the lineup, so that is addition by subtraction right there, and that will finally allow Gardner and Ellsbury to hit 1/2 consistently, against RHP at least. The problem with setting the lineups is that while they can easily put out 9 left-handed hitters against a RHP, they don't have much flexibility in the other direction.
Regular lineup vs. RHP
LF Brett Gardner (L)
CF Jacoby Ellsbury (L)
RF Carlos Beltran (S)
C Brian McCann (L)
1B Mark Teixeira (S)
DH Garrett Jones (L)
3B Chase Headley (S)
2B Stephen Drew (L)
SS Didi Gregorius (L)
Regular lineup vs. LHP
LF Brett Gardner (L)
3B Chase Headley (S)
CF Jacoby Ellsbury (L)
RF Carlos Beltran (S)
C Brian McCann (L)
1B Mark Teixeira (S)
DH Alex Rodriguez (R)
2B Stephen Drew (L)
SS Didi Gregorius (L)
3-7 against RHP and 2-7 against LHP seems really up in the air, a whole lot of guys that could be good or could be awful. They can let John Ryan Murphy and Brendan Ryan fill in for McCann and Gregorius or Drew against LHP, but those guys aren't going to help much. This team might as well not show up against someone like Chris Sale, thankfully there aren't too many tough lefties around these days.
That's enough to start discussion anyway, curious what Girardi comes up with.