CLEVELAND -- Which New York Yankees lineup would be more interesting to watch? This one, which began last night's game against the Cleveland Indians:

Jacoby Ellsbury, CF

Brett Gardner, LF

Carlos Beltran, DH

Brian McCann, C

Mark Teixeira, 1B

Starlin Castro, 2B

Didi Gregorius, SS

Chase Headley, 3B

Rob Refsnyder, RF

Or this one:

Jacoby Ellsbury, CF

Rob Refsnyder, 1B

Aaron Judge, RF

Brian McCann, C

Didi Gregorius, SS

Gary Sanchez, DH

Starlin Castro, 2B

Chase Headley, 3B

Brett Gardner, LF

In that second lineup, the idea would be to see Judge, Sanchez and Refsnyder play regularly at the major league level. When you add the injured Greg Bird at first base next year, you have potentially four new and exciting players.

If you factor in shortstop Gregorius' emergence, you possibly have 20 percent of your roster as young, fun-to-watch players next year. Austin Romine already has proved to be a serviceable backup, while probably the biggest prospect, starter Luis Severino, continues to get right at Triple-A. Potentially a third of the roster could be up-and-comers.

On Thursday, in the Yankees' 5-4 win over the Indians that was managed like a playoff game by Joe Girardi, Gregorius hit another homer and Refsnyder reached base both times he batted (a walk and a single). It was a glimpse of what the Yankees could be showcasing every night.

With this as a second-half strategy -- infusing more youth into the roster -- frustrated Yankee fans could dream of what might be instead of trying to hang on to a flimsy shot at the second wild card.

A youth movement is yet another reason to sell at the trade deadline. Yes, the Yankees will still play veterans. They have some contracts that probably can't be moved, so those players will be around. They will play, too, as the Yankees try to find a better mix.

Didi Gregorius homered for the fourth time in eight games. Jason Miller/Getty Images

It is not only the well-known prospects who should get a shot. There seems to be some potential at Triple-A Scranton: First baseman Tyler Austin, catcher Kyle Higashioka and outfielders Jake Cave, Cesar Puello and Ben Gamel are having good seasons.

A lot of these guys, the majority even, may not be major leaguers. But the Yankees should find out who can be part of the future and who can't.

Meanwhile, by selling you can add even more young talent to the pool to push the players you already have. Then, with all this money off the books, you pick up that big checkbook with the emblazoned interlocking NY on the front and fill in the holes with an eye toward Bryce Harper, etc., in 2018.

"Selling" doesn't mean "uninteresting." Yes, it admits the obvious -- that the Yankees are not a playoff team this year -- but if they keep falling in the standings, the attendance and TV ratings will decline with or without the veterans.

If the Yankees want to have any chance of creating excitement this offseason, when they very likely won't be big spenders, it will be by playing the kids now.

The Yankees are starting to see some excitement as Gregorius begins to grow into a top shortstop. He has 10 homers, already a single-season high for him. Refsnyder has pushed himself into the lineup, even as it appears the decision-makers don't truly believe in him.

Yankee fans seem to want to see more of these players. There may be some tough nights, but they would be better to watch than the current lineup, and it would bring hope for the future. And when you talk about building the next championship team, this is how you lay a really solid foundation.