44-year old Joe Girardi can use all of the excuses he wants about injuries last season but the Steinbrenner’s don’t want to hear it as they are a bottom line business. If any team can suffer a rash of injuries and but buy their way out of it that would be the Yankees, yet, they finished in third place with a 89-73 record despite having the highest payroll in the majors by a landslide. If Girardi doesn’t have this team purring at the All-Star break I wouldn’t be surprised if the Yankees pull the plug on Girardi. He won the Manager of the Year Award as a rookie manager with the Marlins a few years ago but that team didn’t miss a beat after firing Girardi so how good of a manager was he really that year? In his two seasons as a major league manager Girardi has won 167 games and lost 157 (51.5%) games with a average division finish of 3.5. If Girardi doesn’t get the Yankees to the playoffs this season he won’t be around for 2010 and you can bet on that.

30-year old righty swinging Xavier Nady has repelled 28-year old switch hitting Nick Swisher’s bid for the starting RF job. Nady played in 148 games for the Yankees and Pirates last season and he was 169 for 555 (.305 avg, .867 OPS) with 76 runs scored, 25 homers and 97 RBIs. Nady made 2 errors in 89 games in RF last season while showing good range. Nady also has a big arm as he threw out 10 baserunners that challenged him in 2008.

Nick Swisher played in 153 games for the White Sox last season and he was 109 for 497 (.219 avg, .742 OPS) with 86 runs scored, 24 homers and 69 RBIs. Swisher has a lot of holes in his swing meaning he won’t likely ever hit much higher than .250 in a season. He was whiffed a stunning 135 times last season. Swisher played in 18 games in RF last season for the White Sox making 1 error while showing poor range.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE 2009 SEASON: C+

25-year old lefty swinging Brett Gardner has won the starting CF job for the Yankees. He played in 42 games for the Yankees last season and he was 29 for 127 (.228 avg, .582 OPS) with 18 runs scored, 16 RBIs and 13 stolen bases. Gardner also played in 94 games in AAA-ball last season in which he was 101 for 341 (.296 avg, .836 OPS) with 68 runs scored, 3 homers, 32 RBIs and 37 stolen bases. Gardner has a ton of range and he didn’t make any errors in CF for the Yankees last season in 22 games there. If Gardner can just hit .250 or better this season he will be a huge asset to the Yankees.

24-year old switch hitting Melky Cabrera has been a huge disappointment lately and the Yankees are likely looking to trade him. Cabrera played in 129 games for the Yankees last season and he was 103 for 414 (.249 avg, .642 OPS) with 42 runs scored, 8 homers, 37 RBIs and 9 stolen bases. He has played in 415 games in his career with the Yankees and he has a .268 batting average with a .703 OPS so there is hope that he can rebound in 2009. Cabrera’s defense also regressed last season as he played in 117 games in CF for the Yankees making 4 errors while showing slightly below average range.

Nick Swisher will also likely get some P.T. in CF for the Yanks in 2009. He played in 70 games there for the White Sox last season making 4 errors while showing poor range.

22-year old righty swinging Austin Jackson is the Yankees’ top minor league prospect according to Baseball America. Jackson played in 131 games in AA-ball last season and he was 148 for 520 (.285 avg, .773 OPS) with 75 runs scored, 9 homers, 69 RBIs and 19 stolen bases.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE 2009 SEASON: C-

The Yankees have decided to move 35-year old Johnny Damon to LF full time to save some wear and tear on his body. Damon played in 143 games for the Yankees last season and he was 168 for 555 (.303 avg, .836 OPS) with 95 runs scored, 17 homers, 71 RBIs and 29 stolen bases. Damon also won’t be leading off this season as that torch has been passed to Derek Jeter. Damon only made 1 error in 87 games in LF last season while showing good range. He should be a fine defensive left fielder in 2009 for the Yankees.

28-year old switch hitting Nick Swisher will back up Johnny Damon in LF. He played in 18 games without making an error in LF last season for the White Sox while showing good range.

28-year old switch hitting Todd Linden will start the season in AAA for the Yankees. Linden played in 113 games in AAA-ball last season and he was 116 for 402 (.289 avg, .886 OPS) with 64 runs scored, 17 homers and 62 RBIs.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE 2009 SEASON: A-

The Yankees have received 22-year old switch hitting 2B Reegie Corona back from the Mariners who had selected him in the Rule 5 Draft. Corona played well for the Mariners this spring appearing in 26 games in which he was 16 for 57 (.281 avg, .697 OPS) with 9 runs scored, 1 homer, 7 RBIs and 1 stolen base. Corona played in 129 games in AA-ball last season for the Yankees and he was 125 for 457 (.274 avg, .710 OPS) with 72 runs scored, 3 homers, 39 RBIs and 24 stolen bases. The Yanks are probably glad to get Corona back.