I love getting into baseball debates about the Yankees’ lineup, particularly the DH spot. For years, as the Yanks continued to purchase older and older players, it became a focal point because, well, a lot of these guys New York was bringing in couldn’t play defense particularly well (Ex: noodle-armed Johnny Damon). Then, the good players the Yankees already had started getting older and weaker in the field, too — due to major/minor injuries or whatever (Ex: Hideki Matsui). Young, quick guys, like Brett Gardner, started popping up to the majors, and suddenly, opponents realized they couldn’t always score from second on a base hit because it wasn’t a Damon throw coming in.

Luckily for the Yankees, the American League is the perfect place for the combination of these semi-washed-up, definitely-getting-old hitters as well as the young, sparkplug defenders. Of course, you still need guys who can hit and play the field well, but come on, the DH rule makes it quite easy for teams like the Yankees — and quite difficult for AL pitchers. (Don’t even get me started on how unfair it is to have one league with a DH and the other without. UGH.)

New York has had some great DHs over the year, and I don’t need to go further back than last year’s World Series to find a valuable one. You might even say he’s the most valuable … Matsui. He started just three of the six World Series games last fall, and in that span, Matsui batted .615 with three home runs and eight RBI. He was named World Series MVP. Should it have been MVH (most valuable hitter)? I mean, if you look up Matsui’s stats in the 2009 World Series, fielding statistics don’t exist.

Maybe it’s just me, but since I kind of hate the idea of a designated hitter in general, I have a problem with an MVP award given to one. David Ortiz stepping up to the plate three or four times a game cannot possible be more valuable to his team than a player who steps up to the plate three or four times a game AND makes key defensive plays in the field. I just don’t get it.

But … back to the point. The Yankees’ DH position this year can be filled by a lot of guys. There are plenty of options. (Oh, by the way, sayonara, Matsui!)

Nick Johnson came back to the Yankees in the offseason, and he’s a solid DH (when he’s not on the DL). He also gives New York some versatility, because he can be subbed in at first base and Mark Teixeira can have a night off or a night at DH as well. Johnson’s not a bad option here.

Lately, manager Joe Girardi has been giving random players half the night off by inserting utility infielder Ramiro Pena, and giving guys like Alex Rodriguez or Derek Jeter the DH spot. I’m fine with that, too — as long as it’s not an everyday thing. I don’t like the whole Marcus Thames DH thing, because there are other guys to give at-bats to besides him. Even put Thames in the field, and let Nick Swisher take a break. Plenty of adjustments are possible.

That brings me to my favorite DH option: Jorge Posada. He’s the perfect candidate for it — he’s old and a better hitter than he is a catcher. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the Yankee pitching staff tends to put up better numbers with Fransisco Cervelli behind the plate than when it’s Posada back there. I think the pitchers (particularly the young ones) are more comfortable with the way Cervelli calls the game. Plus, you don’t have any prima donna pitchers refusing to pitch to him, either. And with the way Cervelli has been hitting this spring, it’s important to keep his bat in the Yankee lineup, too. So what do you do with one of the “Core Four” and one of your most loved Yankees (cough, Posada)?? DH. Good swing, good average over his career, and I can watch the games breathing a little easier because he’s not the one calling the pitches. Win-win.

Particularly after the peephole incident and trial, it just felt, well, inappropriate to see so much of Andrews so soon. It was shocking even when considering the short dresses and skirts she’s worn while working as a sideline reporter for ESPN over the years (clothing choices I wouldn’t have made myself, but I’ll get into that later). The following image isn’t from the first night, but it is pretty representative of the kinds of dresses Andrews has been wearing on the show.

In sum: A lot of leg, and a lot of back exposed. Sometimes, even stomach. This prompted critics, like The View’s Elisabeth Hasselbeck to attack Andrews’ clothing — and more.

“For the past three weeks, Erin Andrews has been wearing next to nothing,” Hasselbeck said on air on Tuesday. “I just think that if the guy who was peeping on her while she was naked just could’ve waited a couple weeks, he could’ve seen some without the prison time.”

After Hasselbeck’s comments, Andrews was forced to respond to her clothing critics. She said she didn’t need an apology.

“I think that people can have their opinions about the costumes and the show. Everybody’s entitled to an opinion, but my biggest complaint of the situation is she’s a woman and she’s a mother and [was there] giggling,” Erin told Access Hollywood’s Shaun Robinson. “It was made to be a mockery of something I’ve lived through this past year, my family has lived through, my friends have lived through. We have a convicted felon now who’s going to jail for doing this. I don’t know who’s laughing about this.”

Hasselbeck told viewers the next day that she called Andrews and apologized. OK, great. Thanks, Elisabeth. I’ll go back to not watching The View now.

To be fair, Hasselbeck isn’t the only one to criticize Andrews’ clothing (or lack of clothing) on DWTS, and she’s also not the only person to question Andrews’ decision to do the show so soon after the peephole incident. (Some argue the decision relates to her expiring contract with ESPN and an attempt to gain a larger, more mainstream following.)

Here’s the thing: I don’t care.

I don’t care if she wears dresses that show her stomach or back. I don’t care if her bare legs take up the entire screen. And I don’t care why she decided to do DWTS.

Wearing rather skimpy dresses is the norm on the show — and besides, has anyone seen how low-cut Chad Ochocinco’s shirts have been? — and other female dancers on DWTS wear similar outfits. Those are the show’s decision and the dress designer’s decision. For an example of another female dancer in a rather short dress, see this photo of Kate Gosselin:

Yes, that’s her butt.

As for where the camera decides to focus, well, that’s also out of Andrews’ control. She can’t help that her legs are long and in dancing, footwork is emphasized. Therefore, leggy shots. Really, the only thing Andrews could control here was the decision to join the show, which she made with her family, friends and ESPN supporting her.

It’s time to stop overanalyzing Andrews’ clothing. I get this sort of critique, though it’s a bit much, bashing Andrews for wearing short dresses while sideline reporting. Or, at least I see where those critics come from. When I cover a sporting event, I’m very conscious of what I’m wearing. I know that how I present myself impacts the way players, coaches and other reporters see me. (Male reporters don’t really have that problem. There’s no way they could “accidentally” wear a too-revealing shirt or a too-short skirt.) I wouldn’t wear most of the outfits Andrews does at sporting events, but, well, that’s her choice. She’s been with ESPN long enough to know her job security doesn’t depend on the amount of leg showing. And on DTWS, it’s certainly reasonable to wear a sequined, short dress. That is in line with the show.

So let her wear what she wants to wear. Yes, even on the sidelines. Let her represent herself the way she wants, and stop making it about the peephole creeper. It’s about Erin.

JAVY: Javy, Javy, Javy! He said when he got traded back to New York he wanted to erase the memories of him blowing the 2004 ALCS game 7 for the Yankees. He’s doing pretty much the worst possible job of that. He’s given up 25 earned runs in 23 innings — that’s a sparkling 9.78 ERA. He doesn’t last long into games, which is brutal for the Yankee bullpen (and is forcing them to call up more relief pitchers). If you can’t get through the fifth inning on a regular basis, you deserve all the boos you get.

Last year, in the ENTIRE SEASON (219 innings), Javy gave up 70 earned runs for Atlanta. He’s given up 25 already this season. I can’t even begin to put that frustration into words. And what’s confusing here is that Phil Hughes is still New York’s No. 5 starter, and Hughes has a 2.0 ERA in 18 innings, and an almost no-hitter. (I know, I know. Almost doesn’t count. But the closest Javy has to a no-hitter is a 1-2-3 inning.)

Clearly, Javy Vazquez is NOT an American League pitcher. He’s killing the Yankees’ momentum once out of every five starts. I wasn’t keen on him coming back to pinstripes, and I’m not happy to see him wearing them. UGH. Fears confirmed — he gives up big hits in big moments. It’s a killer.

MELKY: He’s batting nearly .200, doesn’t have a home run yet but is seemingly keeping pace with his past seasons with the Yankees. I don’t know what else to say. It hurts the Yankees that Melky isn’t around right this moment (with Curtis Granderson’s injury), but for the most part I think losing Melky wasn’t incredibly damaging for New York. Atlanta’s in last place in the NL East, and the Yankees sit in second in the AL East. New York’s offense doesn’t really miss Melky’s bat, honestly.

So what can we take away from this trade? Javy has been a nightmare so far, and he better turn things around quickly — otherwise he’s singlehandedly going to tire out and destroy the Yankee bullpen. I’m very apathetic toward the Melky part of this trade. We’ll have to see how he does in Atlanta down the line.

“He said he didn’t feel a pop, but it just kind of grabbed at him,” Girardi said of Granderson, who went to NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia hospital for a magnetic resonance imaging test that revealed a Grade II strain. (Grade II is considered moderate.)

“When I saw him pull up,” Girardi added, “my initial thought was he’s out for a while. That’s not anything you want to see.”

OK, so Granderson is out for a bit. Through 23 games, his batted .225, had two home runs, seven RBI and 17 strikeouts. Meh. Not great, to say the least, but it’s his first month playing in New York, which is quite different from playing in Detroit where he was everyone’s Tiger. I’m not too concerned. His defense is still very solid, and if we just accept that he might not be a 30-HR guy this year, he’s not going to disappoint. Well, unless he ends up missing the rest of the season or something, which I don’t think will happen. Granderson’s absence weakens the New York outfield, though, because now Brett Gardner will move back to center, and you’ve got Randy Winn and Marcus Thames set to alternate in left field. Again, not great, to say the least.

Let’s switch over to Detroit for a second. Austin Jackson, playing in the big leagues for the first time, is batting .356, with six doubles, two triples, seven RBI and 33 strikeouts. He’s basically doing exactly what I expected — he’s a doubles hitter with a really nice swing. He’s fast, and he’s showing it in Detroit. I’m thrilled for AJ, actually. I always liked him back in Double-A, and it’s great to see him do this in the big leagues and earn some respect. Phil Coke, pitching out of the bullpen, has pitched 14 innings for the Tigers in 13 games, allowing 14 hits and walking eight, while striking out 11 and giving up three earned runs. Not too bad. (It’s kind of funny that if you throw in Johnny Damon, who wasn’t a part of this trade, but who did have a walk-off for Detroit yesterday, these former Yankees are doing quite well for themselves as Tigers … out of the bright lights of New York).

So what do all these numbers mean? Does AJ’s .356 and Granderson’s DL status mean that the trade was a bust? Could the Yankees even have predicted this? Around the Horn’s Tim Cowlishaw tweeted today: “Ex-Yankee No. 1 prospect Austin Jackson hitting .356 for Tigers as Granderson goes on DL. Good thing Yanks do dumb things with $, too.”

Now, let’s not get carried away too quickly. I know people love to hate on the Yankees, and they love to exaggerate when things go badly for them. (Exhibit A: Yanks lose opening day, and Facebook/Twitter erupts in celebration that New York was on pace to lose 162 games. SO FUNNY.)

So here’s my two cents (and as a disclaimer, I haven’t gotten to watch as many Yankee games as I would have liked since I’ve been in Michigan until this week):

• It sucks Granderson will be out for a bit, but I still am excited about his potential in pinstripes. He had some clutch hits in his first month as a Yankee, and he impressed a lot of people. His defense will be missed, and his speed on the bases, too. I’d love to see manager Joe Girardi put him No. 1 or 2 in the lineup when he returns and see what happens. The No. 2 spot in the Yankee lineup is the best spot to hit in all of baseball, I think. He’d get great pitches and have no pressure. I bet his batting average would jump up big-time if he gets some at-bats at No. 2.
• AJ is as good as his numbers say he is. Obviously, he wont bat over .350 on the season, but he can definitely be a .300 hitter and be a really consistent doubles hitter. He won’t put up 30 home runs (at least not this year), but he’s going to be a solid part of the Detroit offense this year. Let’s hope the long MLB season doesn’t wear on him, and that pitchers don’t figure him out too quickly!
• Coke will be fine in Detroit. It kind of sucks for him that he got shipped after being part of a World Series team, and I’m sure he’s still a little upset he’s 600 miles away from that and away from the spotlights of New York. Still, I think he’ll settle into his role in Detroit nicely — as he is already. He needs a haircut and maybe some consideration as a starter again, but other than that, it’ll work out for Coke as a Tiger.

I don’t really know who’s “winning” this trade. (Yankees are 15-8, and Detroit is 15-10, for the record.) I guess you could say Detroit based on my thoughts here, but at the very least, it’s barely a month into the season and we won’t know more until 162 games have been played. I’d say this isn’t a bust for either team, and that’s always good to see, regardless of who’s involved.

Leave a comment here, or email me at nicole@nauerbach.com. I appreciate it!

I’m more concerned about Vasquez being back in pinstripes. That sentence chilled me to write. OK, OK, I know he wasn’t a dreadful pitcher when he pitched for the Yankees in 2004 (he went 14-10 with a 4.91 ERA). Well, actually, those numbers are pretty bad. And the clearest memory I have of Vasquez is his part in losing the 2004 ALCS game 7 — two monster home runs given up to then-Red Sox outfielder Johnny Damon. Vasquez told the Associated Press last week that “hopefully, (he) can erase those memories.” Javier, it’s New York. It’s a what-have-you-done-lately town, and fans hated and heckled Alex Rodriguez for years — even after he won the AL MVP. So, good luck with erasing those memories.

Vasquez gives up big hits. That’s something the Yanks don’t need, and that’s my biggest concern. Sure, he’s coming off his best season in the big leagues (In 32 starts, a 15-10 record with a career-best 2.87 ERA. He struck out 238 hitters in 219 1/3 innings.) Let’s make something clear, though, first. He was pitching in the National League. There’s a huge difference in lineup you face and the quality of hitters you pitch to on a regular basis. According to MLB Fanhouse, Vasquez’s ERA is a half-run lower when he pitches in the NL. Coming back to the AL East? Not gonna be pretty.

I guess I’m in the minority here. A lot of Yankees fans and blogs have been thrilled with the trade, and Atlanta blogs/papers are furious that the Braves gave up their “best pitcher for the Yankees’ eighth- or ninth-best player.”

Still, it’s definitely not a slam-dunk. I think in general, it’s good that New York is trying to solidify its starting rotation. You just have to be concerned about putting a guy on the mound who didn’t handle the bright lights of New York well once before. I’m also reading some rumblings about the rest of the players involved in the trade — the guys out of the spotlight.

This is the official Yankees press release: The New York Yankees today acquired right-handed pitcher Javier Vazquez and left-handed pitcher Boone Logan from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for outfielder Melky Cabrera, left-handed pitcher Michael Dunn, right-handed pitcher Arodys Vizcaino and cash considerations. It sounds like people are concerned that giving up Vizcaino was a big deal. Let’s go to the LoHud Yankees blog for more on Vizcaino.

Couple quick things before I stop rambling. My initial reaction to losing Melky was, eh, oh well. He isn’t irreplaceable, and hopefully, the Yankees can find a more consistent hitter down the line to take his place. If this trade means Johnny Damon stays, too, well, that’s also fine by me.

Basically, I’m being cautious before deciding whether or not I like this trade. It could be great, or it could blow up in our faces. I’m pretty nervous.

What I like: Apparently, Granderson is a great guy. Judging from the Tigers’ fan base’s reaction to the trade (aka devastation), he’s a fan favorite. Here’s a great 2007 Sports Illustrated profile on him that talks about his good-guy persona. He used to go to Detroit-area schools, and he’s involved in other types of community service. Hmm. Doesn’t sound like your average good guy — he’s reaching Derek Jeter-level good guy status with me. This means he’ll be a hit in New York, at least off the field.

On the field, Granderson’s defense will make him popular. He’s quick, acrobatic and very entertaining to watch. I’m less familiar with his offensive abilities. He’s a career .272 hitter, and he struck out 141 times last season. That strikeout number worries me a little (reminds me too much of Soriano in that respect), but I think he’ll press less in the middle of a powerful Yankee lineup.

Overall, Granderson seems like a great pickup.

What I don’t like: Losing Coke and Jackson hurts. A lot. I saw them both play when I covered the Yankees’ Double-A team, the Trenton Thunder, two summers ago, so some of my insight comes from that.

I think Coke’s weak postseason performance made Yankee fans forget how important his role as a reliever was last season. He was nearly lights-out for most of the regular season, and he helped prevent big innings countless times. He’s a hard throwing reliever, though I watched him start in Trenton and he was effective as a starter too. He was really consistent during the regular season last year, but he got beat up when facing the top hitters in the playoffs. He can be an emotional guy (he was initially rumored to be in the Yanks’ Nady/Pittsburgh trade when I covered him in Trenton, and he was clearly not thrilled to leave the Yankees’ organization. I wonder if he’s okay with leaving now?) A few last things. Coke was a great guy to have in the club house. I used to joke around with him a lot, and we even talked Michigan football. I think Detroit will love him, and it’s definitely a big loss for the Yankees — even though fans don’t realize that yet. What made the Yankees good was their pitching, and Coke was key.

On the other hand, you’ve got Jackson, someone untested in the major leagues. I’ll tell you why he’s a big loss for the Yankees even though he hasn’t patrolled the outfield grass of Yankee Stadium yet. He’s a guy I’m surprised hasn’t been up to the big leagues yet. He was by far the best positional player I saw in Trenton two summers ago based on pure athleticism and a smooth swing. Incredible athleticism — I can’t emphasize that enough. He didn’t hit too well when I saw him (.200s) but the manager at the time, Tony Franklin, wasn’t concerned about that. None of the scouts who watched him were concerned, either. If the Yanks hadn’t been so well-stocked in the outfield the past couple of seasons, he would’ve made it up quickly. He’s got great speed and plays the outfield well. Sure, he hasn’t faced the big league pitchers yet. But he showed improvement last season (batting .300 in Triple-A), and I have great confidence that he’ll blossom in Detroit and become an everyday outfielder. It’s a shame the Yankees have the age and extra players in the outfield, actually. Jackson could have played in New York for a long time.

I’ll write about the instant replay stuff in the offseason. For now, let’s discuss Girardi.

I just tried to google the baseball-y definition of “overmanaging.” What came up? A link to someone asking Yahoo! answers “Why does Joe Girardi overmanage?” Great. That doesn’t help. I understand that overmanaging is a very subjective idea, but after watching Girardi waste pitcher after pitcher in the ALCS against the Angels, it’s hard to argue that he didn’t overmanage. Why throw Phil Coke, Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes for a total of 1.1 innings in a tied ballgame instead of saving at least one for later? Why rest all your hopes and dreams on a young David Robertson? (Robertson did meet the challenge, of course, but you can’t expect him to save you in extra innings every single time).

The best part was…after Girardi did this in Game 2 (and lucked out), he did almost the exact same thing in Game 3. This time, he lost, and I was honestly glad. He needed to see that you can’t manage a game like that. You can’t keep putting specific pitchers in for one or two batters max. and expect to win a close ballgame with your excess relievers.

Maybe that’s why Hughes, Coke and Joba seem to be struggling. I have no concrete evidence of this, but when a pitcher is used to consistently throwing a full inning (and generally pitching the same inning each game), it’s incredibly difficult to change that routine. And with Girardi holding such a tight leash, each young pitcher must feel a great deal more pressure than normal on each pitch.

But now, I’m thinking someone may have smacked some sense into Joe after all. (Let’s ignore the poor decision to activate Brian Bruney, though.)

Last night in WS Game 2, Girardi was excellent. A.J. Burnett was pitching probably the best game I’ve ever seen him throw, and Joe let him go. He let him go seven full innings. And then Joe brought in Mariano Rivera. It doesn’t bother me that he didn’t go with a set-up man. There’s a day off before Game 3, and honestly, if the Yanks lost Game 2, the series could have been over by Sunday. In a must-win, it’s go-to-Mo time. Great call, and it worked well. Joe’s managerial decision to stick with A.J./Jose Molina paid dividends, as a Molina pickoff throw in the fourth inning changed the momentum of the game. I’m also fine with Nick Swisher sitting.

So, what should Joe do now? Stay in the WS Game 2 mindset. We hear about players getting hotter and hotter throughout the playoffs, don’t we? How about managers getting smarter?

Let’s just hope Joe doesn’t regress if he’s in a tied game.

Joe called a better game. He blocked the ball better. It was easy to root for him.

But Hip-Hip-Jorge was starting to gain a following. He was younger. A better hitter. Had more upside.

And Posada has done a decent job since those two-catcher days. His bat has really kept him in New York, though. If he called the kind of games he has and batted .200, he’d be long gone.

This brings me to today’s drama with A.J. Burnett pitching to Jose Molina in Game 2 of the ALDS. Statistically, the decision to sit Posada is a no-brainer. Would you rather have opponents batting .270 against you or .221? An ERA of near 5 or 3.28? Girardi, the Yankee skipper and former catcher, knows what those numbers mean. Don’t try to argue those differences aren’t significant.

Sure, these differences might not matter. A.J. has the stuff to pitch a two-hit shutout. Or he could give up 7 runs, but benefit from a crazy offensive showing and the Yanks win 10-7. You never know. (Yet another reason I love baseball)

But why is Posada “miffed”? Why is he whining about not playing? Why isn’t he supporting a fellow catcher? Why isn’t he supporting what’s best for his team? It’s just flat-out wrong.

Give credit to Molina. He’s not apologizing for getting the start. He’s quoted in the New York Post there as saying: “This isn’t something I asked for. This is something the manager decided. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do. Would it be better if I said, ‘No thank you’? I don’t think that would be the right thing to do, do you?”

Nope. A backup catcher starting ONE GAME in the FIRST ROUND of the playoffs instead of a star player is NOT worth this fuss.

And on that note, he’s not even really a true backup. He could start anywhere. He’s fabulous with the Yankees’ pitching staff, something we all witnessed during Posada’s injury time out or when Posada is the designated hitter. Molina calms the young relievers down, and they honestly look more confident on the mound when he’s behind the plate.

Molina calls a great game. A.J.’s stats with Posada don’t necessarily mean there’s a riff between them. But his stats with Molina indicate that something clicks when they form a battery. I’d love to see each Yankee pitcher’s stats with Posada and then compare them with his stats with Molina.

My guess is they’d ALL be better with Molina, someone I view as a better game-caller and a better defensive catcher. If I see Jorge try to tag yet another player out by reaching for his chest, I’ll scream.

So go ahead, Jose. Take the mask. Toss the ball to the mound. I’ll be rooting for you.