Countdown to Opening Day: #3 New York Yankees

By Andrew Marcus

Sportswriter for Montgomery Media

Follow me on Twitter @amarcus515

To help pass the time between now and the start of the 2011 Major League Baseball season I am going to be examining a different team every day. Starting with the Pirates, working toward the Phillies. I will give you my projected starters, breakout and bust players, biggest spring training question and top prospect

PROJECTED LINEUP

SS Derek Jeter

CF Curtis Granderson

1B Mark Teixeira

3B Alex Rodriguez

2B Robinson Cano

RF Nick Swisher

DH Jorge Posada

C Russell Martin

LF Brett Gardner

PROJECTED ROTATION

CC Sabathia

AJ Burnett

Phil Hughes

Ivan Nova

Bartolo Colon

PROJECTED BULLPEN
Closer - Mariano Rivera
Set-up - Rafael Soriano

Top Prospect - Jesus Montero (C)

Breakout

Jesus Montero - Eventually the Yankees and the rest of the MLB will realize Russell Martin's major league career was quicker than a drive-through car wash. Montero may see just as time as the DH this season than he does behind the plate, but with Martin washed up the Yanks top prospect will get to show off his big bat.

Bust

Jorge Posada - I think Posada has been so accustom to playing defense and calling pitches that he will have a tough transition to the DH role. He will be one that takes his strikeout into the next at-bat because he does not have defense to take his mind off things. I can see him regaining the catcher's role (at least part-time) by the end of the season.

Biggest Spring Training Question

CC and who - It's not all lost when the missed Cliff Lee because they still the quintessential workhorse in Sabathia. They will rely on Phil Hughes to improve, Burnett to regain his past form and either youngsters to emerge or veterans to comeback to relevance.

LAST YEAR'S RECORD: 95-67

PROJECTED FINISH: 2nd in the American League East

Can Sabathia make up for the others inconsistency?

***THANKS FOR READING MY TEAM BY TEAM OUTLOOKS TO HELP PASS THE TIME

Check back tomorrow for the Tampa Bay Rays