Lineup Possibilities

The Yankees might want to consider hitting Miguel Cairo 2nd in the lineup while it's depleted. Especially until both Bernie and Posada are back in it. Cairo is going to get some playing time right now, especially in AL parks when the Yankees need a 9th batter.

When he was with the Yankees in 2004 he got regular playing time and had a respectable .346 OBP. It was .366 in 2001. He's also a very smart situational hitter, as shown yesterday, which is important out of the #2 spot. He can bunt and he's great with the hit and run as he's never struck out 50 times in a season (and that includes a season with 515 at bats).

This puts Derek Jeter into the #3 spot. Jeter is not the typical #3 hitter, but I don't think anybody believes he wouldn't be fine in that spot. Jeter is on pace for 119 RBI this season out of the #2 hole.

This could change the Yankee lineup from yesterday, to look as follows:
CF- Johnny Damon
LF- Miguel Cairo
SS- Derek Jeter
1B- Jason Giambi
3B- Alex Rodriguez
2B- Robinson Cano
LF- Melky Cabrera
C- Kelly Stinnett
P- Pitcher

That lineup looks a lot better to me. I felt yesterday that the Yankees better score within the first four batters.

What I would prefer for the Red Sox series though, is to bring Carlos Pena up. Pena got three hits yesterday, including two home runs. We know when Pena is hot he can hit. When he got called back up from the minors last year he was hot, and had a 1.754 OPS in August. I think Bernie will be able to start by the Red Sox series. I'm so sure about Posada. This could be a problem as the Yankees would have to shuffle the roster a lot with having to get both Pena and a catcher on the ML roster, especially with Chacon and Farnsworth both hurting but not on the DL. That cuts the pitching staff short.

This is the lineup I would put out against the Red Sox:
CF- Johnny Damon
2B- Robinson Cano
SS- Derek Jeter
DH- Jason Giambi
3B- Alex Rodriguez
1B- Carlos Pena
LF- Bernie Williams
RF- Melky Cabrera
C- Kelly Stinnett

For not having Matsui, Sheffield, or Posada, I think this is about as good as the Yankee lineup could be. If the Yankees were facing any lefthanded starters, I'd move Bernie up the 2nd spot in the lineup. They won't be facing a lefty starter again until after they face the Red Sox, and the Royals will be a very welcome sight in the Bronx.

Right now the Yankees need to just salvage what they can in their next four games (I'll be in the Bahamas for this upcoming Red Sox series with a Red Sox fan. Considering the current state of the Yankee lineup, I may not try too hard to find ESPN), and try not to hurt themselves anymore. Then they can work on recovery with the Royals, Tigers (who don't scare me), and Orioles. They have Boston at Yankee Stadium for four games starting June 5th. It's possible that Matsui will be the only person still out of the lineup by then.