These Yankees Can't Get Injured

As the Yankees get closer to clinching a playoff spot, one of their biggest concerns is making sure that everyone stays healthy. Besides Alex Rodriguez's early season injury, the Yankees have been relatively injury free to their key players. Here's a list of 10 players the Yankees cannot afford to lose for the playoffs, in the order of their importance to the team:

1. Derek Jeter - Listen, Ramiro Pena is great defensively, but he also had a .664 OPS and 6 XBH in 100 PAs filling in for A-Rod earlier this season. Derek Jeter is having a career renaissance and is one of the most dangerous--and most valuable--players in the league this season. I don't see the Yankees going anyplace without him setting the table. I think he may be the MVP of this team, if not the whole league.
   
2. Mariano Rivera - This bullpen is what it is because he's at the back end. He's having one of his best seasons ever and makes the game 8 innings long. Losing the greatest postseason pitcher ever for any amount of time in the playoffs would be pretty close to doom for the Yankees. Jayson Stark talked about how many contending teams fear their closers, so it's refreshing to have a guy who's batted in as many runs (one) as he's given up since mid-June. He has more K/9 this season than in any season since he became a closer. Wow.
   
3. CC Sabathia - A.J. Burnett has looked great at times, but I don't trust him. Joba Chamberlain has been dominant, but inconsistent as well. Andy Pettitte has had a great second half, but he struggled down the stretch last season and earlier this year. I think the Yankees playoff success comes down to their BIG free agent signing and ace, CC. And he was his best when they needed him going 5-0 with a 2.64 ERA in August. He's thrown a lot of innings the past few years, however, so his arm toll will be something to lessen for the Yankees down the stretch.
   
4. Jorge Posada - The Yankees sure missed Posada in the second half last year. When everyone else was cold in April and May, he carried the team, helping them stay afloat with a .320/.402/.630 line 8 HR and 26 RBI (through June 3rd). Jose Molina and Francisco Cervelli are good defensive catchers but neither of them swings the bat that Jorge does. Steven Goldman talks a bit about the Yankees need for Posada in that lineup (especially considering 2008). Let's just hope Posada's finger is not the thing that holds back the Yankees' season.
   
5. Mark Teixeira - He was hitting below the Mendoza line in the beginning of May. When he turned around, so did this team. He has improved the entire infield with his glove, saving errors by A-Rod, Jeter and Cano (and making them all look better defensively). He's a great baserunner. And he's a menace with the bat, fitting in perfectly in the 3rd slot in the order. He's the difference between the Yankees and the Sox right now. Without him, Swisher slots in at 1B, but they miss a HUGE bat in the lineup. He looks gassed right now so the Yankees need to get him rested and keep him healthy for a long playoff run.
   
6. Alex Rodriguez - In games A-Rod starts, the Yankees are 65-32. He has 19 go-ahead hits. I think that Mark Teixeira may have snapped out of his April funk without A-Rod, but the results are stunning with him in the lineup. Whether he can actually perform in the playoffs is another question. But I rather him up there than Cody Ransom. As Peter Abraham reported today: Of Alex Rodriguez’s 71 RBI, 35 have either tied the score or given the Yankees the lead.
7. Hideki Matsui - Robinson Cano and Jorge Posada couldn't cut it protecting A-Rod so they moved Matsui there. Despite not being able to play the field or run, Matsui has provided a huge spark for this team. Since the beginning of July, his splits are .287/.369/.573 with 13 HR and 44 RBIs. He's helped to solidify that order by performing so well behind A-Rod and is on pace to have his best season since 2004 when he destroyed in the playoffs.
8. Phil Hughes - Who pitches the 8th if he's not there? Brian Bruney? Phil Coke? Damaso Marte? He gives this team an air of confidence I don't think anyone else can match (or anyone has been able to match since Joba). His last 9 outings, HUUUUUUUUUGHES has pitched 8.2 innings giving up only 5 hits, 0 runs, 3 BB and has 11 strikeouts. Not bad at all. He also was the last Yankee pitcher to win a playoff game with his relief performance against Cleveland. FanGraphs points out he's been a shutdown reliever and Sports Illustrated listed him as the 2nd best set-up man in baseball. River Ave Blues laments the Yankees don't use him enough.
   
9. A.J. Burnett - When he's on, he's unstoppable, but he's been extremely streaky this season. If he can be on for the playoffs, he'll carry the team. If he get injured, something he's--knock on wood--been able to avoid so far this season, who do the Yankees turn to? Does CC have to pitch on short rest? Does Sergio Mitre have to start a playoff game? And if he's bad in a short series can the Yankees win the series? He leads the league in walks and wild pitches and looks rattled at times on the mound. From June 14th - July 27th, he started 8 games and the Yankees only lost one because he held the opposition to a .193 BAA and had a 1.68 ERA. That's the guy they need.
10. Johnny Damon - Robby Cano (don't ya know!) could have gone here, but I give the nod to the Simply Demonic one because of his performance in the clutch and with RISP. He's second in the team in HRs and does a lot of damage at home (1.000 OPS), where the Yankees will hopefully be a majority of the time in the playoffs. He's awful in the field, but if he gets hurt, is Eric Hinske or Jerry Hairston, Jr any better? And you certainly don't gt the same bat. He's a big place setter for this team, hitting in the #2 hole this year and in Late and Close situations, he has a 1.126 OPS.

Agree? Disagree? Thoughts?