The other day, Mark Feinsand made an excellent point on how the Yankees payroll, based on their current roster, sits right around $200 million for 2010 – and the Yankees have said that they want to have a payroll this season which is lower than the $201,449,189 they opened with in 2009.

So, unless the Yankees add a player for close to the minimum league minimum, with perhaps some incentive-based clauses built in, what you see now is pretty much what you’re going to get in terms of player personnel for 2010 in Yankeeland.

This all said, to me, the 2010 Yankees will shake out as follows:

Starting Line-Up:

1. Derek Jeter SS
2. Nick Johnson DH
3. Mark Teixeira 1B
4. Alex Rodriguez 3B
5. Jorge Posada C
6. Curtis Granderson CF
7. Robinson Cano 2B
8. Nick Swisher RF
9. Brett Gardner LF

Here, I assume that Cashman and Girardi will play Granderson in CF. But, if it was up to me, I would play him in left field.

Starting Rotation:

CC Sabathia
A.J. Burnett
Andy Pettitte
Javier Vazquez
Joba Chamberlain

Bullpen:

Mariano Rivera
Damaso Marte
Phil Hughes
David Robertson
Alfredo Aceves
Boone Logan
Mark Melancon

Bench:

Francisco Cervelli
Ramiro Pena
Jamie Hoffmann
Kevin Russo

In the end, that bench is very green. (Although, Kevin Russo is my sleeper pick to win a roster spot this Spring and see a lot of time in the outfield – esp. when Gardner sits.) And, the bullpen after Mo is not a lock – as you don’t know, for sure, how Marte, Hughes and Robertson will perform over a full season. But, the Yankees starting rotation and line-up should be able to hold their own against just about every other team in baseball.

O.K., if – as of New Year’s Day 2010 – WYSIWYG with the 2010 Yankees, how do you feel about the team and their chances?

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After close to 5 years of operation, YanksBlog.com is closing up shop. Patrick O’Keefe and the gang there did a very good job at covering the Yankees. And, in my opinion, on the 20 to 80 scale, Patrick gets a solid 80 in the category of “professionalism.” In fact, I wish many, many, other Yankees bloggers were more like him. YanksBlog.com will be missed. And, my thanks to that entire crew for the great job that they’ve done all these years.

Sounds like this was a tough decision for Patrick – as I would imagine it would be…but, I fully understand where he’s coming from on this one…sooner or later, it’s a call that every blogger has to make…

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