Hot Offseason Action: Yankees

This is one in a series of posts that will call out all 30 teams for their wily offseason moves and tragic offseason blunders.

The Yankees haven’t done much this offseason. It’s been more addition by subtraction.They traded Garry Sheffield to the Tigers for prospects. They traded Randy Johnson to the Diamondbacks for a middle reliever and prospects. And they are about to let Bernie Williams walk. About the only big thing the Yankees did add was SP Andy Petitte.

So how do the Bombers look heading into 2007? Better than ever.

Say what you will about small-ball being a more dependable postseason strategy. Or that the Yankees have too many big swingers to handle amped up playoff pitchers. But over 162 games, no team will score as many runs as the Yankees.

It’s telling that the Yankees have added only two significant regulars this offseason (Petitte and Kei Igawa — we’re not counting Doug Mientkiewicz) and yet their GM is being lauded for his savvy. That’s how stacked the team already was.

The team still has some pitching questions, both in the bullpen and in the rotation, but they’re not big questions. And the bullpen is improved by the addition of Luis Vizcaino, who held left-handed hitters to a paltry .163 AVG last season in Arizona.

Moreover, with an offense like this, the pitchers really won’t have to do much.

Offseason Grade: A-

Acquisitions

Kei Igawa, Andy Petitte, Doug Mientkiewicz, Luis Vizcaino

Losses

Gary Sheffield, Randy Johnson, Bernie Williams, Craig Wilson, Jaret Wright, Tanyon Sturtze, Octavio Dotel

Projected Lineup, Rotation and Closer

CF Johnny Damon - .285/.359/.482, 80 HR
SS Derek Jeter - .343/.417/.483, 34 SB
RF Bobby Abreu - .330/.419/.507, 42 RBI
3B Alex Rodriguez .290/.392/.523, 35 HR
DH Jason Giambi - .283/.359/.411, 43 RBI
LF Hideki Matsui - .302/.393/.494, 8 HR
C Jorge Posada - .277/.374/.492, 23 HR
2B Robinson Cano - .285/.359/.482, 78 RBI
1B Doug Mientkiewicz - .283/.359/.411, 43 RBI

SP Mike Musina - 15-7, 3.51
SP Andy Petitte - 14-13, 4.20
SP Chien Ming-Wang - 19-6, 3.63
SP Kei Igawa - none
SP Carl Pavano - none

CL Mariano Rivera - 34 S, 1.80

- Hot Offseason Action Index -