Playoff Roster Preview Part I

I have decided to do my first projection of the Yankees playoff roster today. This roster will have some tough decisions in there. Will the Yankees keep 11 pitchers? 12? Will they carry Eric Hinske? Freddy Guzman? Here is who I think the Yankees SHOULD have on their playoff roster:

DEFINITES:

C-Jorge Posada, Jose Molina
1B-Mark Teixeira
2B-Robinson Cano
3B-Alex Rodriguez
SS-Derek Jeter, Jerry Hairston Jr.
LF-Johnny Damon
CF-Brett Gardner, Melky Cabrera
RF-Nick Swisher
DH-Hideki Matsui
SP-CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Andy Pettite
RP-Phil Hughes, Phil Coke, Alfredo Aceves, Mariano Rivera, David Robertson

VERY PROBABLE:

SP-Joba Chamberlain
RP-Chad Gaudin

That's 22 players. That leaves three empty spots for the Yankees to pick and choose who they would like on the roster.

The Yankees will most likely carry 12 pitchers, so I will add Damaso Marte and Mark Melancon (although I am nearly positive they will choose Bruney over Melancon)

Now we have one extra player spot.

I would like the spot to go to Ramiro Pena or Freddy Guzman. Both have the speed factor that I just love to see in the playoffs. I'm going to choose Guzman because he is faster.

So here is how MY roster would play out:

1. Jeter SS
2. Damon LF
3. Teixeira 1B
4. Rodriguez 3B
5. Matsui DH
6. Posada C
7. Cano 2B
8. Swisher RF
9. Cabrera/Gardner CF

Bench- Cabera/Gardner- OF
Bench- Hairston- IF/OF
Bench- Guzman- OF

SP- Sabathia
SP- Pettite
SP- Burnett
SP- Chamberlain

RP- Aceves
RP- Coke
RP- Gaudin
RP- Hughes
RP- Marte
RP- Melancon
RP- Robertson

CP- Rivera