Post Season Roster Not Set in Stone

The usual suspects will be on the Yankees post-season roster, but there are still a number of question marks for the bench, rotation, and bullpen. Lets take a quick look at each area and see how it shakes out.

Okay, the given - Jeter, A-Rod, Cano, Giambi, Posada, Matsui, Damon, Cabrera, Molina, Mientkiewicz, Betemit, Abreu, Pettitte, Clemens, Wang, Rivera, Chamberlain, Mussina, Vizcaino.

That's 19 players, leaving 6 spots to fill on the bench and the bullpen. And that's assuming Clemens will be able to give it a go.

Of those 6, Shelley Duncan is probably a lock to give the Yankees a right-handed bat off of the bench. That leaves 5 spots, all going to pitchers. The Yankees have already stated that its not likely that Ian Kennedy will be on a 1st round roster. With Mussina seemingly locking down a spot, Phil Hughes may not be needed either. He's certainly not used to pitching out of the pen.

A new rule change may also dictate how the roster is assembled. For the first time, a player may be replaced in mid-series because of an injury. A pitcher would have to replace a pitcher, and a position player would take the place of one of his colleagues. The injured player would not be allowed to participate in the next round.

With the new rule, the Yankees could opt to leave Hughes off the roster initially, and add him later if Clemens can't go or Mussina reverts back to total ineffectiveness. Also the division series is likely to have more off days than usual, so the Yankees may only use 3 starting pitchers.

That leaves Joe Torre, Brian Cashman, etc., to choose from Russ Ohlendorf (could definitely be the dark horse here), Jose Veras, Kyle Farnsworth (most likely will be added), Brian Bruney, Edwar Ramirez, Chris Britton, and Ron Villone (could be added simply beacuse he's left-handed).

So lets say Ohlendorf, Farnsworth, and Villone are added. That leaves 2 openings - the Yankees could take another position player (either Bronson Sardinha or Alberto Gonzalez) and leave the final spot for a coin flip between Veras, Ramirez, Britton, and Bruney. For now we'll say they go to Veras, whom they seem to have fallen in love with lately.

So the 25 would look something like this:

Catchers (2)
Posada
Molina

Infielders (6)
Giambi
Mientkiewicz
Betemit
Cano
Jeter
A-Rod

Outfielders (6)
Damon
Cabrera
Matsui
Abreu
Duncan
Sardinha

Pitchers (11)
Pettitte
Wang
Clemens
Mussina
Veras
Rivera
Farnsworth
Villone
Ohlendorf
Chamberlain
Vizcaino