Yankees to look elsewhere for power with Granderson out

The New York Yankees were already preparing to play a different style of baseball this season after losing more than 80 home runs from their lineup with the departures of Nick Swisher, Russell Martin, Eric Chavez, Raul Ibanez and Andruw Jones.

Now, as they face life without Curtis Granderson for the first five weeks of the regular season, Joe Girardi's club finds itself without one of the few true power threats left in the lineup.

"It's not what you want," Girardi said. "We'll have to sit down and figure out what we're going to do. Grandy's not a bat that you easily replace but we're going to have to find a way."

Granderson suffered a fractured right forearm on Feb. 24, taking a J.A. Happ fastball off his arm on the fifth pitch of his first at-bat this spring. The initial timeframe for his return is 10 weeks, meaning he'll spend the rest of spring training healing, then embark on a month or so of rehab before returning in early May.

"The situation is what it is right now; to be down, to pout, all those things, aren't going to change anything," Granderson said. "Obviously it's a big bump in the road, but I'll move, keep my body ready to go and mentally stay focused and prepared. My mind was looking forward to the season, so that's not going to change. It just might be a little different start date, that's all."

The Yankees will take a good look at the outfielders currently in camp before searching outside the organization. Veterans Matt Diaz and Juan Rivera are the frontrunners to see time in left field, though youngsters Zoilo Almonte, Melky Mesa and Ronnier Mustellier will also have an opportunity to compete.