29-year old righty starting pitcher Chien-Ming Wang is off to the worst start of the season for a starting pitcher in recent memory. He has started 3 games this season for the Yankees and he is 0-3 with a 34.50 ERA and a 4.83 WHIP. Wang has allowed a stunning 23 hits and has walked 6 batters in only 6 innings this season! It’s likely that the Yankees will make up some injury to put Wang on the D.L. if he doesn’t improve soon. Of course, they could call it whiplash! 22-year old righty Phil Hughes and 24-year old righty Ian Kennedy are both off to great starts in the minors and one of them might get a chance to replace Wang in the near future. Hughes has started 2 games in AAA-ball and he is 2-0 with a 2.31 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. He is the more likely of the two pitchers to be recalled because of Kennedy’s struggles with the Yanks last season. Kennedy has started 2 games in AAA-ball also and he is 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP. The Yankees can’t afford to show much more patience with Wang if he doesn’t start pitching better soon.

The Yankees demoted 24-year old righty reliever Anthony Claggett after he got destroyed by the Cleveland Indians in his major league debut over the weekend. He pitched 1 2/3 innings in that game and he allowed 9 hits (2 homers), 8 earned runs and he walked 2 batters. The Yankees have recalled their #29 rated prospect according to Baseball America in 26-year old righty Steven Jackson. Jackson has pitched in 4 games (0 starts) in AAA-ball this season and he is 0-0 with a 2.84 ERA and a 1.74 WHIP. In his previous five minor league seasons Jackson pitched in 145 games (66 starts) in which he was 27-29 with 7 saves, a 4.31 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. Don’t expect miracles out of Jackson.

The New York Yankees have placed starting RF Xavier Nady on the 15-day disabled list with a major elbow injury that could require Tommy John Surgery. Nady has played in 7 games for the Yanks this season and he is 8 for 28 (.286 avg, .739 OPS) with 4 runs scored and 2 RBIs. The Yankees will replace Nady in the starting lineup with the super hot swinging Nick Swisher. Swisher has played in 11 games for the Yankees this season and he is 13 for 35 (.371 avg, 1.377 OPS) with 11 runs scored, 4 homers and 11 RBIs. Swisher is more than capable of replacing Nady so the Yankees are still in good shape. The Yankees have recalled 25-year old lefty swinging Juan Miranda to replace Nady on the active roster. He is the Yankees #20 prospect according to Baseball America heading into the 2009 season. Miranda was off to a hot start this season in AAA playing in 8 games in which he was 13 for 36 (.361 avg, 1.092 OPS) with 7 runs scored, 3 homers and 13 RBIs. He could thrive with the Yankees if forced into regular playing time.

The Yankees have designated 31-year old righty starter/reliever Dan Giese for assignment. Giese pitched in 20 games (3 starts) for the Yankees last year and he was 1-3 with a 3.53 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. He has now pitched in 28 games (3 starts) in his major league career and he is 1-5 with a 3.76 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. Some team will likely snap up Giese but it wouldn’t have made sense for the Yanks to keep him on the 40-man roster this season.

UPDATE: The Oakland A’s have claimed Giese off of waivers. He will have a better chance to pitch there than he would have with the Yankees.

Just looking at the Yankees’ roster you would think that 95 wins is a mortal lock. But, the Red Sox and Rays will have a lot to say about that. Not only those teams but the Blue Jays can’t beat anyone at any time. With Joe Girardi calling the shots and A-Rod missing at least the first month of the season you have to be leaning towards the under with the Yankees in 2009.

44-year old Joe Girardi can use all of the excuses he wants about injuries last season but the Steinbrenner’s don’t want to hear it as they are a bottom line business. If any team can suffer a rash of injuries and but buy their way out of it that would be the Yankees, yet, they finished in third place with a 89-73 record despite having the highest payroll in the majors by a landslide. If Girardi doesn’t have this team purring at the All-Star break I wouldn’t be surprised if the Yankees pull the plug on Girardi. He won the Manager of the Year Award as a rookie manager with the Marlins a few years ago but that team didn’t miss a beat after firing Girardi so how good of a manager was he really that year? In his two seasons as a major league manager Girardi has won 167 games and lost 157 (51.5%) games with a average division finish of 3.5. If Girardi doesn’t get the Yankees to the playoffs this season he won’t be around for 2010 and you can bet on that.

30-year old righty swinging Xavier Nady has repelled 28-year old switch hitting Nick Swisher’s bid for the starting RF job. Nady played in 148 games for the Yankees and Pirates last season and he was 169 for 555 (.305 avg, .867 OPS) with 76 runs scored, 25 homers and 97 RBIs. Nady made 2 errors in 89 games in RF last season while showing good range. Nady also has a big arm as he threw out 10 baserunners that challenged him in 2008.

Nick Swisher played in 153 games for the White Sox last season and he was 109 for 497 (.219 avg, .742 OPS) with 86 runs scored, 24 homers and 69 RBIs. Swisher has a lot of holes in his swing meaning he won’t likely ever hit much higher than .250 in a season. He was whiffed a stunning 135 times last season. Swisher played in 18 games in RF last season for the White Sox making 1 error while showing poor range.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE 2009 SEASON: C+

25-year old lefty swinging Brett Gardner has won the starting CF job for the Yankees. He played in 42 games for the Yankees last season and he was 29 for 127 (.228 avg, .582 OPS) with 18 runs scored, 16 RBIs and 13 stolen bases. Gardner also played in 94 games in AAA-ball last season in which he was 101 for 341 (.296 avg, .836 OPS) with 68 runs scored, 3 homers, 32 RBIs and 37 stolen bases. Gardner has a ton of range and he didn’t make any errors in CF for the Yankees last season in 22 games there. If Gardner can just hit .250 or better this season he will be a huge asset to the Yankees.

24-year old switch hitting Melky Cabrera has been a huge disappointment lately and the Yankees are likely looking to trade him. Cabrera played in 129 games for the Yankees last season and he was 103 for 414 (.249 avg, .642 OPS) with 42 runs scored, 8 homers, 37 RBIs and 9 stolen bases. He has played in 415 games in his career with the Yankees and he has a .268 batting average with a .703 OPS so there is hope that he can rebound in 2009. Cabrera’s defense also regressed last season as he played in 117 games in CF for the Yankees making 4 errors while showing slightly below average range.

Nick Swisher will also likely get some P.T. in CF for the Yanks in 2009. He played in 70 games there for the White Sox last season making 4 errors while showing poor range.

22-year old righty swinging Austin Jackson is the Yankees’ top minor league prospect according to Baseball America. Jackson played in 131 games in AA-ball last season and he was 148 for 520 (.285 avg, .773 OPS) with 75 runs scored, 9 homers, 69 RBIs and 19 stolen bases.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE 2009 SEASON: C-

The Yankees have decided to move 35-year old Johnny Damon to LF full time to save some wear and tear on his body. Damon played in 143 games for the Yankees last season and he was 168 for 555 (.303 avg, .836 OPS) with 95 runs scored, 17 homers, 71 RBIs and 29 stolen bases. Damon also won’t be leading off this season as that torch has been passed to Derek Jeter. Damon only made 1 error in 87 games in LF last season while showing good range. He should be a fine defensive left fielder in 2009 for the Yankees.

28-year old switch hitting Nick Swisher will back up Johnny Damon in LF. He played in 18 games without making an error in LF last season for the White Sox while showing good range.

28-year old switch hitting Todd Linden will start the season in AAA for the Yankees. Linden played in 113 games in AAA-ball last season and he was 116 for 402 (.289 avg, .886 OPS) with 64 runs scored, 17 homers and 62 RBIs.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE 2009 SEASON: A-

The Yankees have received 22-year old switch hitting 2B Reegie Corona back from the Mariners who had selected him in the Rule 5 Draft. Corona played well for the Mariners this spring appearing in 26 games in which he was 16 for 57 (.281 avg, .697 OPS) with 9 runs scored, 1 homer, 7 RBIs and 1 stolen base. Corona played in 129 games in AA-ball last season for the Yankees and he was 125 for 457 (.274 avg, .710 OPS) with 72 runs scored, 3 homers, 39 RBIs and 24 stolen bases. The Yanks are probably glad to get Corona back.