The Yankees have solid 26-year old righty starter/reliever Romulo Sanchez to a Japanese team. Sanchez was out of options, so the Yankees didn’t want to put him through waivers and see him on another team in 2011. Sanchez pitched in 2 games (0 starts) for the Yankees last year and he was 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP. He also pitched in 31 games (14 starts) in AAA-ball last year and he was 10-8 with a 3.97 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. The Yankees would have kept Sanchez if he had any options left.

The Yankees have released veteran infielder Ronnie Belliard. Belliard played in 13 games for the Yankees this spring and he was 3 for 22 (.136 avg, .318 OPS) with 2 runs scored and 1 RBI. The Yankees have decided to go with Johnny Nunez and Eric Chavez as the backup infielders to start the 2011 season. Belliard didn’t show much in spring training, so the Yankees shouldn’t miss him at all.

The Astros have returned 27-year old lefty starting pitcher Lance Pendleton to the Yankees. Pendleton pitched in 29 games (27 starts) in AA+AAA-ball last year and he was 12-5 with a 3.61 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. Pendleton has now pitched in 102 games (88 starts) in his first five years in the minors and he is 32-22 with a 3.39 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. The Yankees are glad to get him back.

The Yankees have signed 36-year old righty starting pitcher Kevin Millwood to a minor league deal. Millwood pitched in 31 games (all starts) for the Orioles last year and he was 4-16 with a 5.10 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP. He has now pitched in 414 games (406 starts) in his first 14 years in the majors and he is 159-137 with a 4.11 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. Millwood will start the 2011 season in the minors but he will likely get a chance with the Bronx Bombers at some point this year.

The Yankees have acquired 28-year old lefty swinging outfielder Chris Dickerson from the Brewers for 30-year old righty reliever/starter Sergio Mitre. Dickerson played in 45 games for the Brewers & Reds last year and he was 20 of 97 (.206 avg, .518 OPS) with 11 runs scored, 5 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. He has now played in 173 games in his first three years in the majors and he is 121 of 454 (.267 avg, .759 OPS) with 62 runs scored, 8 homers, 35 RBIs and 20 stolen bases. Dickerson might wind up being the Yankees’ #4 outfielder in 2011. Mitre pitched in 27 games (3 starts) for the Yankees last year and he was 0-3 with 1 save, a 3.33 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. He pitched in 39 games (12 starts) in his two seasons with the Yankees and he was 3-6 with 1 save, a 5.03 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. The Yankees shouldn’t miss Mitre at all so this looks like a good deal for them.

46-year old Joe Girardi is still calling the shots in the dugout for the New York Yankees. The Yankees were 95-67 (58.6%) during the regular season last year and they were 5-4 (55.6%) in the post season. The Yankees are now 287-199 (59.1%) during the regular season in Girardi’s first three years in charge and he is 16-8 (66.7%) during the post season. The Yankees won the World Series in 2009 under Girardi’s watch. Girardi has a 365-283 record (56.3%) in his first four year as a manager in the majors and he is 16-8 (66.7%) in the post season. For a guy with a $200+ million dollar payroll, Girardi gets outmanaged quite a bit.

The Yankees have claimed 23-year old lefty starting pitcher Jose Ortegano off waivers from the Braves. Ortegano pitched in 28 games (27 starts) in A+AAA-ball last year and he was 5-15 with a 5.98 ERA and a 1.63 WHIP. He has now pitched in 101 games (78 starts) in his first five years in the minors and he is 25-31 with a 4.05 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. Ortegano might wind up being a steal for the Yankees down the road because last year might have just been a mirage.

UPDATE: (4/23/2011) - The Yankees have designated Jose Ortegano for assignment. He didn’t get into any games this year in the minors as he started the season on the D.L.

No team will be able to match arms with the Yankees’ bullpen in 2011. 41-year old righty closer Mariano Rivera is showing no signs of slowing down. He pitched in 61 games (0 starts) for the Yankees last year and he was 3-3 with 33 saves, a 1.80 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP. He only walked 11 batters while giving up 39 hits in 60 innings pitched, which shows he still has more than enough stuff to still dominate late in games. Rivera has now pitched in 978 games (10 starts) in his first 16 years with the Yankees and he is 74-55 with 559 saves, a 2.23 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. With a good season, Rivera could catch or pass major league career saves leader Trevor Hoffman who has 601 of them.

31-year old righty Rafael Soriano took the big bucks from the Yankees to serve as their set up man. Soriano pitched in 64 games (0 starts) for the Rays last year and he was 3-2 with 45 saves, a 1.73 ERA and a 0.80 WHIP. He only gave up 36 hits and 14 walks in 62 1/3 innings last year as he was actually a better pitcher than Mariano Rivera last season. Soriano has now pitched in 342 games (8 starts) in his first 9 years in the majors and he is 11-20 with 88 saves, a 2.73 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. If you’re going to beat the Yankees, you only have 7 innings to do it in.

34-year old lefty Pedro Feliciano will likely be the top lefty out of the pen for the Yankees in 2011. Feliciano pitched in 92 games (0 starts) for the Mets last year and he was 3-6 with a 3.30 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP. He has now pitched in 459 games (0 starts) in his first 8 years in the majors and he is 22-19 with 4 saves, a 3.31 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. Feliciano has led the majors in appearances three seasons in a row as he has worked in an amazing 266 games over that timespan.

25-year old righty Joba Chamberlain will now be a middle reliever for the Yankees. He pitched in 73 games (0 starts) for the Yankees last year and he was 3-4 with 3 saves, a 4.40 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. Chamberlain has now pitched in 166 games (43 starts) in his first 4 years with the Yankees and he is 18-13 with 4 saves, a 3.77 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. He has whiffed 362 batters in his first 353 1/3 innings, so he still has great stuff. The Yankees need to straighten out Chamberlain because he still has a very impressive arsenal.

25-year old righty David Robertson is also a very solid reliever. He pitched in 64 games (0 starts) for the Yankees last year and he was 4-5 with 1 save, a 3.82 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. Robertson has now pitched in 134 games (0 starts) in his first three years with the Yankees and he is 10-6 with 2 saves, a 3.99 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. He should have better stats than he does as Robertson has whiffed 170 batters in his first 135 1/3 innings. This could be the year that he breaks out for the Yanks.

26-year old lefty Boone Logan will likely be the lefty specialist for the Yanks in 2011. Logan pitched in 51 games (0 starts) for the Yankees last year and he was 2-0 with a 2.93 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. He has now pitched in 215 games (0 starts) in his first five years in the majors and he is 7-5 with 1 save, a 5.10 ERA and a 1.61 WHIP. The Yankees are hoping that Boone Logan has finally found himself and pitches like he did last year in 2011.

36-year old lefty Damaso Marte is likely going to miss a lot of time this year due to a shoulder issue. He pitched in 30 games (0 starts) for the Yankees last year and he was 0-0 with a 4.08 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. Marte has now pitched in 76 games (0 starts) in his first three years with the Yankees and he is 2-6 with a 6.02 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE YANKEES BULLPEN IN 2011: A+

25-year old righty starter/reliever George Kontos has been returned to the New York Yankees from the San Diego Padres who selected him in the Rule 5 Draft over the winter. Kontos pitched in 24 games (2 starts) in A+AA+AAA-ball last season and he was 0-4 with a 3.60 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. He has now pitched in 97 games (73 starts) in his five years in the minors and he is 21-29 with a 3.47 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. Kontos was listed as the Padres’ #27 prospect heading into this season according to Baseball America, so the Yankees are glad to have him back.

The Yankees look good in the #1 and #2 slots in the starting rotation but questions abound with the rest of it. 30-year old lefty C.C. Sabathia will be the #1 starter for the Yankees once again in 2011. Sabathia started 34 games for the Yankees last season and he was 21-7 with a 3.18 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. He has now started 68 games in his first two years in the majors and he is 40-15 with a 3.27 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP. Sabathia will be a horse at the top of the starting rotation as the Yankees need him to work a lot of innings in 2011.

24-year old righty Phil Hughes will be the Yankees’ #2 starter in 2011. Hughes pitched in 31 games (29 starts) for the Yankees last season and he was 18-8 with a 4.19 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. He kind of faded down the stretch but the Yankees think he’ll be strong all year in 2011. Hughes has pitched in 103 games (57 starts) in his first four years with the Yankees and he is 31-18 with 3 saves, a 4.20 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. I have a feeling that Hughes will win at least 15 games for the Yankees in 2011.

34-year old righty A.J. Burnett will be the Yankees’ #3 starter. Burnett started 33 games for the Yankees last season and he was 10-15 with a 5.26 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP. He has now started 66 games in his first two years with the Yankees and he is 23-24 with a 4.62 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. Burnett might have the best stuff of the Yankees’ starting pitchers in 2011, all he need to do now is learn how to pitch.

24-year old rookie righty Ivan Nova looks like he’s in line to be the Yankees’ #4 starter in 2011. Nova comes into this season as the Yankees’ #13 prospect heading into this year. He pitched in 10 games (7 starts) for the Yankees last season and he was 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. He also started in 23 games in AAA-ball last year and he was 12-3 with a 2.86 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. Nova has a nice upside but he still enters the 2011 as a question mark for the Yankees.

35-year old righty Freddy Garcia appears to have the lead for the #5 spot in the Yankees’ rotation. Garcia started 28 games for the White Sox last season and he was 12-6 with a 4.64 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. He has now pitched in 303 games (302 starts) in his first 12 years in the majors and he is 133-87 with a 4.13 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. In his first 12 years in the majors, Garcia has won more than 10 games 8 times.

37-year old righty Bartolo Colon is in camp trying to win a starting job. He didn’t pitch last season at all. He last pitched in the majors in 2009 with the White Sox. Colon has pitched in 328 games (325 starts) in his first 13 years in the majors and he is 153-103 with a 4.10 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. Colon has won double digit games in 8 of his 13 years in the majors so he could help out if he can stay healthy in 2011.

30-year old righty Sergio Mitre is also in the battle for the #5 slot in the starting rotation. Mitre pitched in 27 games (3 starts) for the Yankees last season and he is 0-3 with 1 save, a 3.33 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. He has now pitched in 39 games (12 starts) in his first two years with the Yankees and he is 3-6 with 1 save, a 5.03 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. If Mitre doesn’t win a job in the starting rotation, he will serve as the Yankees’ long man in the pen.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE YANKEES STARTING ROTATION IN 2011: C