TAMPA — Asked what his biggest concern was on the first official day of spring training, Yankees manager Joe Girardi eschewed the delicious competition for the fifth starter’s spot between Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes. Instead, Girardi pointed to getting a lineup in place he feels comfortable with.
Forget his lame duck status, something he shares with Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera. Ignore where Curtis Granderson and Brett Gardner will play. Downplay if Javier Vazquez will handle New York better the second time through The Bronx.
Twenty-four hours prior to pitchers throwing to catchers today — the official start of spring training — at George M. Steinbrenner Field, Girardi was thinking about the batting order that is missing the productive lumber of Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui.
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“Our No. 1 concern is ironing out our lineup,” said Girardi, who must decide between Granderson and Nick Johnson in the No. 2 spot where a big void was created by Damon’s departure. “In saying that, that doesn’t mean it will be the lineup the whole year. Some times you tweak things. But you would like to have a consistent lineup when you leave spring training. I really like the players assembled in camp, and we have to figure out exactly where all the parts fit.”
There are pluses to Granderson and Johnson, but more check marks go into Granderson’s boxes regarding hitting behind Jeter and in front of Mark Teixeira.
Granderson runs a lot better than the heavy-legged Johnson, he strikes out more and hits more balls in the air, thus avoiding killer double plays.
Granderson hit into one double play last season, and Johnson banged into 15. He fanned 141 times opposed to Johnson’s 84. Ground balls were roughly the same (Johnson hit 167; Granderson 161), but Johnson hit 212 fly balls compared with Granderson’s 334.
Because Damon and Matsui were so productive, it’s up to Granderson and Johnson to replace them.
“When I say [the lineup] is a concern, I am not concerned we don’t have the players,” Girardi said. “I am concerned how we place them.”
A year ago the Yankees were bracing for what impact Alex Rodriguez being outed as a steroid user would have on their camp. A year later, the Yankees are World Champions, and Rodriguez is coming off a calm and very productive season in which he missed the first five weeks of the season because of right hip surgery.
Though the lineup doesn’t stack up against Rodriguez as a large issue, it isn’t the only question the Yankees have this training camp.
Chamberlain and Hughes are locked into a fight for the fifth spot with the loser likely to become Rivera’s setup man.
“I expect it to play out with great competition,” Girardi said. “One thing as the manager that you worry about is they start competing [today]. I don’t want them competing [today]. I want them to be ready to pitch in a couple of weeks. I expect two guys to pitch at a very high level.”
Girardi also said that Chad Gaudin, Sergio Mitre and Alfredo Aceves are in the mix, but in reality it’s a two-horse race.
When it comes to who will play left and center, the way to bet is Granderson in center and Brett Gardner in left against righties and Marcus Thames versus lefties.
“Right now we have what I believe are two good center fielders,” Girardi said of Granderson, who has more experience, and Gardner. “The criteria is that we will look at what’s best for the team and what we think gives us the best chance to win every day.”