New York Yankees vs Baltimore Orioles Preview Spring Training 3-16-11

And so let the second guessing begin.

For the first time this Spring the Yankees are putting together their full regular season lineup:  Derek Jeter leads off and Brett Gardner bats 9th.

As Mark Carig at the Star Ledger likes to point out, this lineup is virtually no better than one where Gardner bats first but what I think you’re going to find today is a boring approach to the game of home run hitters swinging for the fences.  This kind of lineup is going to be feast or famine where they will score 10 runs a game or 2 runs. 
Swisher is not your prototypical number two hitter and he has a propensity for swinging away at balls he should try to drive in the gap. 
Let’s pay attention to the times Jeter comes up with Gardner on base.  If he swings at the first pitch, not allowing Gardner time to steal or Girardi to put on any kind of play like a bunt, or hit/run, it will say a lot about what the manager’s approach will be this year.

I would also like to know if it might be starting to frustrate Gardner when Jacoby Ellsbury had 70 steals two years ago and he had the brakes put on him during the second half of last season.

The Orioles are bringing a heavy hitting heart of the order so it will be fun to see how Ivan Nova handles them.  He should get at least two full turns through the lineup today, and it is always those second and third times a batter faces you during a game that makes or breaks a pitcher.

YANKEES
Derek Jeter SS
Nick Swisher RF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Jorge Posada DH
Curtis Granderson CF
Russell Martin C
Brett Gardner LF
RHP Ivan Nova
ORIOLES
Robert Andino 2B
Nick Markakis RF
Adam Jones CF
Vladimir Guerrero DH
Luke Scott LF
Mark Reynolds 3B
Matt Wieters C
Josh Bell 3B
Cesar Izturis SS
RHP Jim Johnson

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