Off-season & 2012 Roster...

[JG1117]

With the contracts of:

Jorge Posada ($13.1 million)
Robinson Cano ($10 million)
Nick Swisher ($9.1 million)
Damaso Marte ($4 million)
Eric Chavez ($1.5 million)
Freddy Garcia ($1.5 million)
Andrew Jones ($1.5 million)
Bartolo Colon ($900K)
Sergio Mitre ($900K)
Luis Ayala ($650K)

coming off the books, the Yankees will have approximately $43 million to go Free Agent shopping with.

After re-signing Robinson Cano long-term to an approximate $18 - $20 million a year contract would still leave the Yankees with approximately $23 million.

In my opinion Starting Pitching is what needs to be addressed first & foremost. The youngest & best FA SP available is going to be C. J. Wilson who the Yankees need to sign to become their # 2 SP behind CC.

This is how the Yankees should look in 2012:

Jeter - SS (righty)
Nunez - 3rd (righty)
Granderson - CF (lefty)
Cano - 2nd (lefty)
Rodriguez - DH (righty)
Teixeira - 1st (switch)
Montero - RF (righty)
Martin - C (righty)
Gardner - LF (lefty)

Cervelli - C (righty)
Laird - 1st (righty)
Pena - 2nd/SS/3rd (switch)
Golson - OF (righty)

CC Sabathia - (lefty)
CJ Wilson - (lefty)
Nova - (righty)
Hughes - (righty)
Burnett - (righty)

Wade - long-relief (righty)
Laffey - long-relief (lefty)
Chamberlain - mid-relief (righty)
Feliciano - mid-relief (lefty)
Logan - left-specialist (lefty)
Robertson - setup (righty)
Rivera - closer (righty)

[JesusMontero]

they have more because they didnt spend much last offseason. They actually cut payroll buy 10 mil. Plus they may add a bit. I say they are between 25-30 mil to work with.

[Archishot]

I think Romine needs at least another year in the minors to develop. He just wont have enough at bats / behind the plate being backup next year.

As to montero to right field...interesting, don't see it happening.

[Webslinger]

This salary talk just reminded me of how funny it is that Arod's salary is nearly equivalent to the entire payroll of the Devil Rays, lol.

[el_primo_nano]

I doubt Montero will be able to play RF

[NYYankees12]

Uhh? Where's Soriano? Pretty sure his option is a Player option.

[Cano4prez]

Stopped reading at Montero in RF

[theslick1]

I don't think so. A-Rod plays 3B, Montero is DH and backup C (no need for Cervelli). Nunez is a better super utility than Pena. Golson and Laird don't hit enough to be decent bench players.

[Yankee Clipper]

I doubt Montero will be able to play RF

I doubt they will put him out there either but he does have a good deal of athleticism for a catcher so I wouldn't completely rule it out.

[yankswin27]

Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Robinson Cano 2B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Nick Swisher RF
Jesus Montero DH
Russell Martin C
Brett Gardner LF

Eduardo Nunez IF/OF
Chris Dickerson OF
Francisco Cervelli C
4th OF who can handle LHP.... Cody Ross maybe?

CC Sabathia SP
Ivan Nova SP
A.J. Burnett SP
Phil Hughes SP
Acquisition through free agency or trade

Mariano Rivera CL
David Robertson SU
Rafael Soriano SU
Cory Wade MID
Boone Logan MID
N/A (either they go in-house or sign a middle reliever on a minor league deal)
Hector Noesi LR

[LeoYankee]

Lots of inaccuracies here.

Soriano

Cano is not a FA. Two years of options at 14-15 mill.

Joba and feliciano are toast.

[bfrap]

When I saw Montero in RF, I literally fell over backwards Laughing. A-Rod is a better RF while wearing a cast on his leg then Montero will EVER be (because he will still be faster than Montero). Montero is slower than Posada (not by much), and you want him in RF? I know RF is not that big in Yankee stadium, but we still have 81 games away from it.

[Appstate2012]

Thanks for reminding me Mitre is gone again. Makes me happy

[jango2000]

When I saw Montero in RF, I literally fell over backwards Laughing. A-Rod is a better RF while wearing a cast on his leg then Montero will EVER be (because he will still be faster than Montero). Montero is slower than Posada (not by much), and you want him in RF? I know RF is not that big in Yankee stadium, but we still have 81 games away from it.

Obviously you are watching a different Montero than the rest of us if you think he's slower than Posada. Montero's actually pretty fast for a big guy. Much faster than Posada in his prime. What's he's not is quick. Which means he will be the king of passed balls.
RF has traditionally been a place to hide slow, lazy sluggers and the list of them is longer than can be fit in one post. Big, slow, slugging tubs of goo have played the outfield for years.

Look, the value of defensive catchers is vastly underrated by the fans and completely understood by baseball men. A great catcher elevates the pitching staff. Aren't we all screaming about pitching on this thread 24/7/365?
Russell Martin elevated our pitching staff. Without him, AJ has a 7.70 era, Nova doesn't win all those games, and Freddy Garcia commits suicide in Cleveland.

Montero will never be a good catcher. He's not quick enough. His position is first base. Anybody can see that.
But, he's 21 years old and has to wait five more years for first base, so we should stick him in RF. He's not quick enough for catcher, but he's fast enough for RF. And he's got a strong arm so he should be able to get the ball back to the infield with no problem.
This is a stopgap because all of our bloated contracts don't allow much flexibility.
Montero is already a better hitter than Swisher and Swish is no great defender either.
Pick up Swisher's option and trade him. Give Montero RF until 1B is available.
And re-sign Russell Martin!

["Ace"ves]

Stopped reading at Montero in RF

Truth hurts?

I doubt they will put him out there either but he does have a good deal of athleticism for a catcher so I wouldn't completely rule it out.

I think they will either trade him or move him to RF

When I saw Montero in RF, I literally fell over backwards Laughing. A-Rod is a better RF while wearing a cast on his leg then Montero will EVER be (because he will still be faster than Montero). Montero is slower than Posada (not by much), and you want him in RF? I know RF is not that big in Yankee stadium, but we still have 81 games away from it.

Well when I read your post, I fell over laughing. Have you ever seen montero in RF? You just assume he cannot be a RF? Guess what, he isn't he yankee catcher... not now, probably not ever. Might get backup time next year with DH... or he will be traded for a pitcher.

Obviously you are watching a different Montero than the rest of us if you think he's slower than Posada. Montero's actually pretty fast for a big guy. Much faster than Posada in his prime. What's he's not is quick. Which means he will be the king of passed balls.
RF has traditionally been a place to hide slow, lazy sluggers and the list of them is longer than can be fit in one post. Big, slow, slugging tubs of goo have played the outfield for years.

Look, the value of defensive catchers is vastly underrated by the fans and completely understood by baseball men. A great catcher elevates the pitching staff. Aren't we all screaming about pitching on this thread 24/7/365?
Russell Martin elevated our pitching staff. Without him, AJ has a 7.70 era, Nova doesn't win all those games, and Freddy Garcia commits suicide in Cleveland.

Montero will never be a good catcher. He's not quick enough. His position is first base. Anybody can see that.
But, he's 21 years old and has to wait five more years for first base, so we should stick him in RF. He's not quick enough for catcher, but he's fast enough for RF. And he's got a strong arm so he should be able to get the ball back to the infield with no problem.
This is a stopgap because all of our bloated contracts don't allow much flexibility.
Montero is already a better hitter than Swisher and Swish is no great defender either.
Pick up Swisher's option and trade him. Give Montero RF until 1B is available.
And re-sign Russell Martin!

THIS. Idk about resigning Swisher and trading him.... idk if that'd work. You can resign him and trade him while paying majority of his contract... but otherwise i wouldnt.

But 100% agree with what you are saying about Montero... i wouldnt move him to 1B, but def RF