The Yankees’ big weakness coming into last year’s post-season was the starting rotation. They have went out and fixed it for the 2012 season with a couple of huge moves recently. Here is a look at how the starting rotation looks for 2012:

#1: C.C. Sabathia: 31-year old lefty starting pitcher C.C. Sabathia is going to be the ace of the Yankees’ starting rotation in 2012. He started 33 games for the Yankees last year and he was 19-8 with a 3.00 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP. Sabathia has been the Yankees’ ace since the first time he stepped on the mound for them. He has pitched in 101 games (all starts) in his first three years with the Yankees and he is 59-23 with a 3.18 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. Sabathia is a workhorse who seems to throw harder as the game goes on, but with the depth in the pen, they might try to start watching his innings a big starting this year. Sabathia has now pitched in 355 games (all starts) in his first 11 years in the majors and he is 176-96 with a 3.51 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP. He is a true ace.

#2: Ivan Nova: 25-year old righty Ivan Nova really stepped up in the second half of last year for the Yankees. He was sent to the minors for a little bit and he came back a totally different pitcher. He pitched in 28 games (27 starts) for the Yankees last year and he was 16-4 with a 3.70 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. The Yankees resisted dealing Nova last year as a lot of teams were calling about him, and it proved to be smart to keep him as he has a very bright future. Nova has pitched in 38 games (34 starts) in his first two years with the Yankees and he is 17-6 with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP.

#3: Hiroki Kuroda: 36-year old righty starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda was inked to a 1-year deal last week and he will likely be the #3 starter for the Yankees in 2012. He pitched in 32 games (all starts) for the Dodgers last year and he was 13-16 with a 3.07 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. He has now pitched in 115 games (114 starts) in his first four years in the majors and he is 41-46 with a 3.45 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. It will be interesting to see how well Kuroda does in 2012. He pitched in a pitchers’ park his whole career and in the National League…where the lineups are weaker. That being said, I still think he will do fine due to the lineup and bullpen that will have his back.

#4: Michael Pineda: 23-year old righty flamethrower Michael Pineda will be the Yankees’ #4 starter in 2012. He pitched in 28 games (all starts) for the Mariners as a rookie last year and he was 9-10 with a 3.74 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. Pineda is one of the best power arms in the majors right now as he comes right after batters. That could get him into some trouble at Yankee Stadium as it’s nowhere near the pitchers’ park that Safeco Field is. That being said, Pineda has a huge upside.

#5: Freddy Garcia: 35-year old righty Freddy Garcia will have to compete with A.J. Burnett and Phil Hughes for this job in spring training. He was by far the best pitcher of this bunch last year. Garcia pitched in 26 games (25 starts) for the Yankees last year and he was 12-8 with a 3.62 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. He has now pitched in 329 games (327 starts) in his first 13 years in the majors and he is 145-95 with a 4.09 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. Garcia would finish a distant third in this competition stuff wise, but he really knows how to pitch which gives him a slight edge heading into spring training.

A.J. Burnett: 35-year old righty A.J. Burnett is making the most money of this trio, but that usually doesn’t matter much to the Yankees. He pitched in 33 games (32 starts) for the Yankees last year and he was 11-11 with a 5.15 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. Burnett has now pitched in 99 games (98 starts) in his first three years with the Yankees and he is 34-35 with a 4.79 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP as he has been a bust for them so far. Burnett has now pitched in 314 games (309 starts) in his first 13 years in the majors and he is 121-111 with a 4.10 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. Burnett will need to step up in spring training if he’s going to beat out Garcia and Hughes for the #5 spot in the Yankees’ starting rotation.

Phil Hughes: 25-year old righty Phil Hughes had an injury ravaged 2011 season for the Yankees. He pitched in 17 games (14 starts) for the Yankees last year and he was 5-5 with a 5.79 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP. He has now pitched in 120 games (71 starts) in his first five years in the majors and he is 36-23 with 3 saves, a 4.46 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. If Hughes loses out in this competition, the Yankees will move him to the bullpen.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE STARTING ROTATION IN 2012: B

46-year old Joe Girardi is still calling the shots in the dugout for the New York Yankees. The Yankees were 95-67 (58.6%) during the regular season last year and they were 5-4 (55.6%) in the post season. The Yankees are now 287-199 (59.1%) during the regular season in Girardi’s first three years in charge and he is 16-8 (66.7%) during the post season. The Yankees won the World Series in 2009 under Girardi’s watch. Girardi has a 365-283 record (56.3%) in his first four year as a manager in the majors and he is 16-8 (66.7%) in the post season. For a guy with a $200+ million dollar payroll, Girardi gets outmanaged quite a bit.

No team will be able to match arms with the Yankees’ bullpen in 2011. 41-year old righty closer Mariano Rivera is showing no signs of slowing down. He pitched in 61 games (0 starts) for the Yankees last year and he was 3-3 with 33 saves, a 1.80 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP. He only walked 11 batters while giving up 39 hits in 60 innings pitched, which shows he still has more than enough stuff to still dominate late in games. Rivera has now pitched in 978 games (10 starts) in his first 16 years with the Yankees and he is 74-55 with 559 saves, a 2.23 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. With a good season, Rivera could catch or pass major league career saves leader Trevor Hoffman who has 601 of them.

31-year old righty Rafael Soriano took the big bucks from the Yankees to serve as their set up man. Soriano pitched in 64 games (0 starts) for the Rays last year and he was 3-2 with 45 saves, a 1.73 ERA and a 0.80 WHIP. He only gave up 36 hits and 14 walks in 62 1/3 innings last year as he was actually a better pitcher than Mariano Rivera last season. Soriano has now pitched in 342 games (8 starts) in his first 9 years in the majors and he is 11-20 with 88 saves, a 2.73 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. If you’re going to beat the Yankees, you only have 7 innings to do it in.

34-year old lefty Pedro Feliciano will likely be the top lefty out of the pen for the Yankees in 2011. Feliciano pitched in 92 games (0 starts) for the Mets last year and he was 3-6 with a 3.30 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP. He has now pitched in 459 games (0 starts) in his first 8 years in the majors and he is 22-19 with 4 saves, a 3.31 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. Feliciano has led the majors in appearances three seasons in a row as he has worked in an amazing 266 games over that timespan.

25-year old righty Joba Chamberlain will now be a middle reliever for the Yankees. He pitched in 73 games (0 starts) for the Yankees last year and he was 3-4 with 3 saves, a 4.40 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. Chamberlain has now pitched in 166 games (43 starts) in his first 4 years with the Yankees and he is 18-13 with 4 saves, a 3.77 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. He has whiffed 362 batters in his first 353 1/3 innings, so he still has great stuff. The Yankees need to straighten out Chamberlain because he still has a very impressive arsenal.

25-year old righty David Robertson is also a very solid reliever. He pitched in 64 games (0 starts) for the Yankees last year and he was 4-5 with 1 save, a 3.82 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. Robertson has now pitched in 134 games (0 starts) in his first three years with the Yankees and he is 10-6 with 2 saves, a 3.99 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. He should have better stats than he does as Robertson has whiffed 170 batters in his first 135 1/3 innings. This could be the year that he breaks out for the Yanks.

26-year old lefty Boone Logan will likely be the lefty specialist for the Yanks in 2011. Logan pitched in 51 games (0 starts) for the Yankees last year and he was 2-0 with a 2.93 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. He has now pitched in 215 games (0 starts) in his first five years in the majors and he is 7-5 with 1 save, a 5.10 ERA and a 1.61 WHIP. The Yankees are hoping that Boone Logan has finally found himself and pitches like he did last year in 2011.

36-year old lefty Damaso Marte is likely going to miss a lot of time this year due to a shoulder issue. He pitched in 30 games (0 starts) for the Yankees last year and he was 0-0 with a 4.08 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. Marte has now pitched in 76 games (0 starts) in his first three years with the Yankees and he is 2-6 with a 6.02 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE YANKEES BULLPEN IN 2011: A+

The Yankees look good in the #1 and #2 slots in the starting rotation but questions abound with the rest of it. 30-year old lefty C.C. Sabathia will be the #1 starter for the Yankees once again in 2011. Sabathia started 34 games for the Yankees last season and he was 21-7 with a 3.18 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. He has now started 68 games in his first two years in the majors and he is 40-15 with a 3.27 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP. Sabathia will be a horse at the top of the starting rotation as the Yankees need him to work a lot of innings in 2011.

24-year old righty Phil Hughes will be the Yankees’ #2 starter in 2011. Hughes pitched in 31 games (29 starts) for the Yankees last season and he was 18-8 with a 4.19 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. He kind of faded down the stretch but the Yankees think he’ll be strong all year in 2011. Hughes has pitched in 103 games (57 starts) in his first four years with the Yankees and he is 31-18 with 3 saves, a 4.20 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. I have a feeling that Hughes will win at least 15 games for the Yankees in 2011.

34-year old righty A.J. Burnett will be the Yankees’ #3 starter. Burnett started 33 games for the Yankees last season and he was 10-15 with a 5.26 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP. He has now started 66 games in his first two years with the Yankees and he is 23-24 with a 4.62 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. Burnett might have the best stuff of the Yankees’ starting pitchers in 2011, all he need to do now is learn how to pitch.

24-year old rookie righty Ivan Nova looks like he’s in line to be the Yankees’ #4 starter in 2011. Nova comes into this season as the Yankees’ #13 prospect heading into this year. He pitched in 10 games (7 starts) for the Yankees last season and he was 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. He also started in 23 games in AAA-ball last year and he was 12-3 with a 2.86 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. Nova has a nice upside but he still enters the 2011 as a question mark for the Yankees.

35-year old righty Freddy Garcia appears to have the lead for the #5 spot in the Yankees’ rotation. Garcia started 28 games for the White Sox last season and he was 12-6 with a 4.64 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. He has now pitched in 303 games (302 starts) in his first 12 years in the majors and he is 133-87 with a 4.13 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. In his first 12 years in the majors, Garcia has won more than 10 games 8 times.

37-year old righty Bartolo Colon is in camp trying to win a starting job. He didn’t pitch last season at all. He last pitched in the majors in 2009 with the White Sox. Colon has pitched in 328 games (325 starts) in his first 13 years in the majors and he is 153-103 with a 4.10 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. Colon has won double digit games in 8 of his 13 years in the majors so he could help out if he can stay healthy in 2011.

30-year old righty Sergio Mitre is also in the battle for the #5 slot in the starting rotation. Mitre pitched in 27 games (3 starts) for the Yankees last season and he is 0-3 with 1 save, a 3.33 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. He has now pitched in 39 games (12 starts) in his first two years with the Yankees and he is 3-6 with 1 save, a 5.03 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. If Mitre doesn’t win a job in the starting rotation, he will serve as the Yankees’ long man in the pen.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE YANKEES STARTING ROTATION IN 2011: C

30-year old switch hitting Nick Swisher is hoping build off his excellent 2010 season for the Yankees. Swisher played in 150 games for the Yankees last season and he was 163 of 566 (.288 avg, .870 OPS) with 91 runs scored, 29 homers, 89 RBIs and 1 stolen base. He is a career .252 hitter with a .827 OPS, so his batting average last season might have been a mirage but the power is real. Swisher had 4 errors in 134 games in RF last season while showing excellent range. He also showed off a strong throwing arm as he had 10 assists last year while playing RF. Swisher is not only a really good baseball player, but he’s a good clubhouse guy as he keeps the Yankees loose.

33-year old righty swinging Andruw Jones will be first in line behind Swisher. Jones played in 107 games for the White Sox last season and he was 64 of 278 (.230 avg, .827 OPS) with 41 runs scored, 19 homers, 48 RBIs and 9 stolen bases. Jones has only hit a combined .212 over the last four years (418 games) so he’s not going to hit for an average much higher than he did last year. But, Jones still has maintained his power stroke. Jones played in 62 games in RF last season and he made 2 errors while showing average range. He had six assists out of RF so he still has something left in that throwing arm of his.

25-year old righty swinging Greg Golson is likely #3 in line in RF for the Yankees this year. Golson played in 24 games for the Yankees last season and he was 6 of 23 (.261 avg, .609 OPS) with 3 runs scored and 2 RBIs. Golson has a great glove. He played in 17 error-free games in RF last season with 1 assist while showing out of this world range. He will have a good shot to make the Yankees out of spring training if they decide to carry 5 outfielders in 2011.

26-year old lefty swinging Colin Curtis played in 31 games for the Yankees last season and he was 11 of 59 (.186 avg, .538 OPS) with 7 runs scored, 1 homer and 8 RBIs. He often looked overmatched at the plate last season. He didn’t make any errors in 17 games in RF last season but he showed pretty awful range.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE YANKEES RF IN 2011: B