Baseball Preview: New York Yankees Hitting Lineup, 2008

The New York Yankees look to rebound from the past year's failure of losing in the first round and finally win a championship after their 8-year drought. The success of their team will likely depend on how good their lineup is, as it is expected to help keep pace and ease the burden for their new young pitching staff. So without further ado, let's break down the New York Yankees lineup:

1. Johnny Damon: the center fielder and sometimes Designated hitter has not been quite what the Yankees expected when they signed him to a 3 year deal worth more than $30 million. Last year Damon batted .270 with 27 Stolen Bases. The Yankees had expected a high on base percentage and a higher average out of their leadoff hitter. In addition, Damon has huge arm troubles in the field and has one of the worst arms in the game from throwing from the outfield. His arm troubles have also led to a loss of power in his bat, although Damon was never really a home run hitter.

2. Derek Jeter is the captain and leader of this Yankees team. He is a great fielder and always hits for a high average. He hit .322 but he seemed to lack power, hitting only 12 homers. Two years ago, Jeter had an amazing season as hit hit for an average over .350. Jeter did have 73 RBIs last year and they are confident that Jeter will duplicate his production from last year.

3. Bobby Abreu was perhaps the biggest question mark on the team last year as he struggled in the first half but was one of baseball's best hitters in the second half of the season. Overall he finished with a .283 batting average, 16 homers, and 101 RBIs. Abreu's power numbers in homers have declined over the past couple of years but the Yankees have been successful utilizing Abreu's ability to get on base and drive in runs out of the #3 slot in the order.

4. Alex Rodriguez: what more can you say about baseball's MVP last year and the number one choice chosen in baseball fantasy leagues. A-rod has had a bit of trouble in the past week with Jose Canseco's new book being released in which he attacks A-rod for using steroids and for trying to hit on Canseco's wife. Alex Rodriguez finished last season with a .314 average, 54 homers, and an astounding 156 RBIs along with 24 stolen bases.

5. Jason Giambi is another question mark in this Yankees order. If he is healthy, he can have a big year that the Yankees need from the one time Al MVP. However, Giambi has been plagued by injuries and the steroids scandal. Last year he hit .236 with 14 homers.

6. Jorge Posada is another veteran on this team along with Derek Jeter. Last year Posada had one of his best years as a Yankee and had one of the best seasons for a catcher in baseball. He hit .338 with 20 homers and 90 RBIs. Posada signed a big contract with the Yankees in the off-season but it is unlikely that Posada can duplicate that production or do better than those numbers. Still, the Yankees are expecting him to come close to hitting that. It is also the intangibles which the Yankees love from Posada like his ability to call a great game and how he is able to manage the pitchers on the staff and work with them during the game. As a former catcher himself and Posada's mentor, Girardi has great respect for Posada.

7. Hideki Matsui is also coming off a season that plagued him by injuries. Still, he hit .285 with 25 homers and 103 RBIs. He is still one of the best hitting outfielders in baseball and even though he doesn't have a strong arm, he does cover the outfield ground very well and is a fan favorite. He even just released news in which he told his teammates and fans that he is engaged and soon to be married.

8. Robinson Cano has had huge expectations bestowed upon him ever since he arrived in the majors. He is a solid fielder and a great hitting second baseman. He hit .306 with 19 homers and 97 RBIs. The Yankees are hoping that with age and experience, Cano increases his power numbers in home runs and RBIs even more. They are expecting big things out of the man they believe can be one of the best sluggers in baseball.

9. Melky Cabrera finally has the outfield job that he has wanted as a member of the Yankees. Two years ago he was the forth outfielder with Gary Sheffield but now Cabrera finally has some job security after the Yankees failed to land Johan Santana. Cabrera hit .273 with 8 homers and 73 RBIs last year. The Yankees think that Cabrera can one day become their leadoff hitter by increasing his average and home runs.