Yankees Lineup Ideas for Joe Girardi to Use In 2017

According to Fangraphs.com, the Yankees were ranked next to last in a category called “correlation of actual to ideal lineup” in 2016.

Basically, the man who contributed much to the above-mentioned article, Jonah Pemstein, who seems to be some sort of mathematician, calculated all 30 MLB teams’ ability to place the right hitters in their most suitable lineup spot versus where they traditionally are located. And unfortunately, the master juggler, Yankees manager Joe Girardi, finished higher than only Ned Yost of the Royals last season.

Girardi is used to the knocks against him at this point in his managerial career — entering his tenth season at the helm of the Yankees. The issue is, depending on the job he does this year, and the front office’s dedication to the rebuilding process, 2017 could very well be his final go-around with the club.

Whether you like Girardi’s managerial style or not, one thing is for certain, if you’re a daily reader of this site, you want to see the Yankees win ball games. To do that, Girardi will once again unveil a plethora of different lineup choices. But before he goes ahead and makes that happen for the Yankees’ first Spring Training contest on Feb. 24 against the Phillies, I figured I’d beat him to the punch and suggest a few different options depending on things such as pitching matchups, injuries, trades, and flat-out poor play.

I’m sure my theories as to why I feel these lineups would ignite a fire under certain players is bound to cause an uproar, but that’s cool. Because all I want is for this club to find an identity through the use of one or two steady lineups — not dozens like we’ve seen over the past few seasons. I truly believe that without consistency in the lineup, only uncertainty will be brought about.

Versus Right-handed Pitching

This would be my defacto go-to lineup for the majority of contests, as I think it gives the Yankees the best chance of winning ball games.

1. Jacoby Ellsbury (CF)
2. Didi Gregorius (SS)
3. Gary Sanchez (C)
4. Matt Holliday (DH)
5. Starlin Castro (2B)
6. Greg Bird (1B)
7. Aaron Judge (RF)
8. Chase Headley (3B)
9. Brett Gardner (LF)

Ellsbury and Gardner need to be broken up. They are way too similar to bat back-to-back. Besides, you gave Ellsbury all that money to be your table setter, batting him second is a waste. In the event Ellsbury does get on base, Girardi won’t give him the steal sign because Sanchez and his RBI potential are up next.

I know someone out there is going to complain that I dropped Gardner to No. 9 because he led the club last season in walks with 70 and had a OBP of .351. When you factor in his 106 strikeouts and .261 average, his numbers look much less inspiring.

Getting runners on base to drive in was a huge problem for last year’s team, so it’s time to shake things up from the top on down to the bottom. Besides, Gardner batting ninth gives the team a second leadoff hitter with a bit of pop, once the lineup rolls over.

I’m not totally sold on Castro as a No. 5 hitter, and he could be swapped with Gregorius depending on which one of the two works more counts, but until Bird and Judge prove they can consistently handle big league pitching, he’s the best option this lineup has to offer. Headley could also move up a spot with Judge moving down, but Judge’s potential to drive the ball out of the park lends itself to batting a spot higher because there is a chance more men will be on base… hopefully.

Versus Left-handed Pitching

1. Jacoby Ellsbury (CF)
2. Starlin Castro (2B)
3. Gary Sanchez (C)
4. Matt Holliday (LF)
5. Chris Carter (DH)
6. Didi Gregorius (SS)
7. Greg Bird (1B)
8. Chase Headley (3B)
9. Aaron Judge (RF)

Notice in this iteration Gardner has been left out. That’s due to the fact he is a career .257 hitter versus southpaws with a .341 OBP, as compared to Ellsbury’s .279 career BA and .357 OBP. As for the newly signed Chris Carter, if you’re not going to play him against lefties, then he’s strictly a pinch hitter. I know, I know, strikeouts — and if they are being racked up the way they traditionally do, then sure, use him sparingly — but give the reigning co-NL home run leader a shot. 2016s .875 OPS against lefties wasn’t a fluke. Just keep him off the field, at all costs.

Bird has to play against left-handed pitching, it’s the only way he’ll develop into what most of us hope he will become — the Yankees’ first baseman for the next 10 years. Eric Hosmer does it. So does Anthony Rizzo, Chris Davis, Adrian Gonzalez, and Freddie Freeman. Let’s the kid prove he belongs in this elite company before placing limitations on him.

Gregorius could stay at No. 2, as he proved exceptional in 2016 with a .324 BA versus lefties, but I like his power, and in the six spot, he could drive in any runs that Carter whiffs on. Headley at eight is out of sheer necessity. When he inevitably goes on one of his patented three-week hot streaks in Aug, he could find himself batting behind Gregorius, but this lineup is compiled as if the season started today. Judge is stuck at No. 9 until he earns a promotion up the line.

Injuries, Underperformance and/or a Fire sale

Any one of these designations — or all three for that matter are a real possibility for this Yankees team. So let’s venture into a space we hope to not find ourselves in this season, but very well could.

1. Aaron Hicks (RF)
2. Didi Gregorius (SS)
3. Greg Bird (1B)
4. Gary Sanchez (C)
5. Clint Frazier (CF)
6. Tyler Austin (DH)
7. Gleyber Torres/Rob Refsnyder (2B)
8. Miguel Andujar (3B)
9. Dustin Fowler (LF)

Here I’ve shunned pitching matchups altogether and come up with a Baby Bombers-centric lineup that could come a lot sooner than 2018. For this lineup scenario, the following has happened: Ellsbury’s injured again — Gardner has been traded — as has Castro, Headley, Holliday, and Carter. Judge can’t hit the side of a barn… and oh yeah, Girardi’s been canned.

So let’s start at the top. Hicks was everyone’s punching bag until Carlos Beltran was traded and he finally got to prove that with some steady playing time that he actually has a bunch of tools that are valuable to a Major League club. Still only 27, Hicks has surprising power, can steal bases, plays wonderful defense and has a rocket for an arm. There’s a reason at one time he was a top prospect in the Twins organization.

Bird is fully healed from shoulder surgery and hitting like it’s 2015 all over again. Frazier and his new haircut finally get their chance in the Bronx. Austin is back from his extended stay at Scranton with improved defense. The Yankees call up top prospect Torres, even with his limited experience at second base. Refnsynder’s kept around as an insurance policy of sorts. Andujar gets a small window to prove to the Yankees they don’t need Manny Machado, and hidden gem Fowler brings his raw combination of speed, power, and defensive ability to the show.