Spring Training is officially in full swing, and the first exhibition games are set for this weekend. And with the start of Spring Training comes the debate over who's going to end up on each team's Opening Day roster. There's obviously a lot of time between now and Opening Day, and injuries, trades and late signings usually end up changing things, but, for the most part, a lot of rosters do seem pretty much set.
Take the Yankees. They head into Spring Training knowing their entire projected starting lineup, as well as 60 percent of their rotation. They also have their closer and eighth-inning guy firmly established (assuming Betances' arbitration situation gets settled out, which it will), and some of the pitchers that are candidates for the rotation are bound to join them in the bullpen. So, the way I see it, there are only about two or three roster spots that are really up for grabs.
Masahiro Tanaka has already been announced as the Opening Day starter. CC Sabathia and Michael Pineda will obviously be in the starting rotation, too. The real question is who the fourth and fifth starters will be. Although, since the Yankees play Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday to start the season, they won't need a fifth starter during the first week, which could mean they go with an extra bullpen guy or extra bench guy on that opening road trip.
Luis Severino, Chad Green, Luis Cessa, Adam Warren and Bryan Mitchell have all been mentioned as starter candidates. I think Severino is all but a lock for one of those two spots. For all of his struggles last season, they've got a lot invested in him, and the Yankees still view Severino as a starter. He'll have a shorter leash, but considering how committed they are to this youth movement and their faith in him moving forward, they need to give Severino the vote of confidence and name him the fourth starter.
The fifth starter is much more interesting. Adam Warren has shown incredible value and versatility with his ability to both start and relieve. But Warren's biggest value is as the seventh-inning guy in front of Betances and Chapman. I'd leave him there. I'd also leave Mitchell in his valuable role as the long man. He'll be available for the spot start, but has been effective in that very difficult role. You might pitch once a week, and when you do, it's because the starter got shelled and you're getting blown out, and you're just going out there to eat innings. It's not for everybody, but Bryan Mitchell does it very well.
So, that leaves Chad Green and Luis Cessa. My preference is Green. It again goes back to what you see his role being in the long run. Green has really only been a starter. Cessa has shown an ability to pitch out of the bullpen. That's why I'm going with Green.
In fact, I don't have Cessa on my projected roster at all. Assuming Warren and Mitchell go to the bullpen, you've already got Aroldis Chapman as the closer, Dellin Betances in the eighth inning and Tyler Clippard as your right-handed set-up guy. That leaves two spots, one of which will go to a lefty--either Tommy Layne or Chasen Shreve. Although, I like having the option between two lefties out of the bullpen, so I wouldn't be surprised to see them both.
It's pretty obvious who the two catchers will be. That's one of the reasons why they traded Brian McCann to Houston. Gary Sanchez is the new face of the franchise. He'll start and Austin Romine has proven to be a capable Major League backup catcher.
Likewise, the starting infield looks pretty much set. Greg Bird at first, Starlin Castro at second, Didi Gregorius at short and Chase Headley at third. It's the two additional infielders where things become interesting. I don't quite understand the Chris Carter signing. He's essentially a right-handed DH, which is why they signed Matt Holliday. Carter played first base for the Brewers last year, so that gives them the option of sitting the left-handed Bird against lefties.
I had kinda assumed Tyler Austin was going to be the backup first baseman, but if Carter is going to be on the team, I don't see a place for Austin on the Major League roster to start the season. Because the other backup infielder will be a utility guy, which Austin is not. If Rob Refsnyder can get enough of a grasp on third base during the spring, that utility infield role could be his. If not, Refsnyder starts the season at Scranton and Ronald Torreyes, one of the most unheralded guys on the team, will return as the utility infielder.
All five "outfielders" are set. "Outfielders" is in quotes because Matt Holliday was signed to DH and play a little first base. I don't think he'll play the outfield very much. Brett Gardner and Jacoby Ellsbury, of course, will. Gardner's a Gold Glove left fielder and Ellsbury is the leadoff hitter. Right field is Aaron Judge's job to lose, and Aaron Hicks, who can play all three positions, is really the only "backup" outfielder. I don't see Hicks playing left that much, though. That was always Holliday's position, so if his knees allow it, he'll probably be the one giving Gardner a break in left field. When Hicks starts, it'll probably be primarily in right.
As I said, this is all subject to change pending injuries and late trades/signings. Spring Training performance will obviously come into play, too. It's still six weeks until Opening Day, so there are still a lot of questions that need to be answered regarding the roster. As of now, though, that's the team I'm putting on the field against the Rays on Opening Day.
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