Here we are in the middle of Janurary and Spring Training is about a month away. Most of the big moves have already been made this offseason but there is still one big name out there, Johnny Damon. As good as he would fit in the Yankees lineup this year, I still don't see him returning to the Bronx. As for the 2010 Yankees, I think improved from their 2009 World Championship team. Let's see how..

Curtis Grandersen will the Yankees CF in 2010 and he is a defensive and offensive upgrade over Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner. Curtis can give you 30 HRs, 90 RBI (100 depending on what spot in the lineup he's hitting) and 20-30 steals. He also is a solid defender and while he doesn't quite have the arm Melky has, he does a good one. Melky was traded to Atlanta in the offseason but he's best suited to be a fourth outfielder. It'll be interesting to see how he does with the Braves.

Javier Vazquez was acquired in the afermentioned Melky Cabrera trade with Atlanta. Javy had a nice first half with the Yanks in 2004 but it ultimately ended in disaster in Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS when he came out of the bullpen and Damon hit the first pitch Vazquez threw for a grand slam, thus cementing the historic Yankee collapse that season. He is a strong option for a fourth starter replacing Andy Pettitte's spot in the rotation. Pettitte will take the number three spot in the rotation replacing Chien-Ming Wang's spot. The pressure will still be there for Vazquez to perform but with CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett and Pettitte ahead of him in the rotation, the lights might not be so bright for him this time around. He essentially is replacing Wang on the roster and if the Yanks won without Wang, they can certainly win with Javy being a solid pitcher and winnning around 12 games.

The losses of Damon and Hideki Matsui will hurt the Yankees as they are losing a lot of offensive production but Grandersen and Nick Johnson can help fill most, if not all that void. Vazquez as the projected fourth starter gives the Yankees one of the best rotations in baseball.

So are the 2010 Yankees better than the 2009 Yankees that won the title on November 4th? It's debatable, but I think so. Of course, the season will have to be played to get the answer to that. Until then, the Yankees are STILL the World Champs of baseball!

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Tags: AJ Burnett, Andy Pettitte, Baseball, Brett Gardner, CC Sabathia, Chien Ming Wang, Curtis Gandersen, Hideki Matsui, Javier Vazquez, Johnny Damon, Melky Cabrera, Nick Johnson, Yankees

The question in Yankeeland is what do the Yankees do with left field for 2010? The answer might not be what most Yankee fans want to hear. It's going to be a small move, like a Reed Johnson or staying with Brett Gardner. That means no Matt Holliday or Johnny Damon.

I would love to see Damon back in pinstripes but his asking price is just to high, even for the Yankees. GM Brian Cashman has made it known to everyone over the last couple years that he wants to get the Yankees younger and more athletic. Re-signing Damon goes against both. Damon is 35 and isn't getting any younger. His health, isn't getting any better and he most certainly would be more of a DH at this stage of his career than a LF. He started out as the Yankees CF in 2006 but because of his declining skills on the field and health issues, he became a LF, now he's a DH. The big thing against Johnny is his asking price of 3 years and $12 million per. Not an area the Yankees want to explore. With the addition of Nick Johnson at DH and no. 2 spot in the lineup, that all likely spells the end of Johnny in pinstripes.

Matt Holliday is a good player, but he wants Teixeria money ($18 million per year), not happening in the Bronx. The Yankees in my opinion have improved their roster from the final out of Game 6 of the World Series, so how much better can Holliday make the world champs? He would be a luxury, not a necessity. I expect him to re-sign with St. Louis.

That leaves Brett Gardner in LF. The Yankees won in the 90's and 2000 with players like Chad Curtis, Shane Spencer, Clay Bellinger, and Tim Raines. They have an All-Star at almost every position so I'd say give Gardner a chance to play a full season out there. If he struggles or gets hurt then you can make a move accordingly, but until then, Brett Gardner will be your Opening Day LF in 2010, I can't see it being any other way.

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Tags: Baseball, Brett Gardner, Brian Cashman, Johnny Damon, Nick Johnson, Yankees

The Curtis Granderson trade is a good move for the Yankees. At least I wasn't so sure, mainly because of his sub .200 average against lefties but the more I think about it, the more I like the move.

With Granderson's arrival, two of the Yankees key 2009 championship contributors are likely not coming back to the Bronx. Hideki Matsui for sure isn't coming back because he signed a one-year $6.5 million deal with the Angels and the other, is Johnny Damon.

Damon and his agent Scott Boras are apparently worlds apart on their contract talks and with the Yankees signing Nick Johnson on Friday, it appears Damon's door to return is just about shut.

It's a shame because Damon was a good player in many ways for the Yanks. His personality fit perfectly in the clubhouse. His "diminished" skills were perfect for the no 2 spot in the lineup in 2009. His subpar arm and shaky fielding skills led the Yankees front office to believe he is the perfect DH for the 2010 Yanks. Damon still believes he's one of the best players in the game. I have to disagree Johnny. I guess Johnny will go where the money is. That's a shame because if he agrees to a pay cut and DH's for the Bombers, he is certain to be in the thick of another 1 or 2 championship runs in the Bronx. Only time will tell.

I still want the Yankees to grab another arm for the rotation. I'm not sold on either Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes being a solid starter for a defending World Series Champion. Much talk is around Ben Sheets and taking a risk with him. I like that idea, so I hope GM Brian Cashman makes that signing. You can never have enough pitching.

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Tags: Baseball, Brain Cashman, Curtis Ganderson, Hideki Matsui, Joba Chamberlain, Johnny Damon, Nick Johnson, Phil Hughes, Yankees