Tampa Bay, FL (WFAN) -- All precincts haven’t reported in yet, and the polls don’t close for a few more weeks…but WFAN is projecting that Brett Gardner will be the new centerfielder for the New York Yankees. Yes, it’s change you can believe in.
Gardner is hitting over .400 after the first two weeks of games. And while Cabrera wasn’t off to an embarrassing start (.238), if this is an even competition then there is no doubt that Gardner is the man to beat. He has yet to prove himself at the big league level, no doubt. But Gardner brings an element of speed that the Yankees haven’t really had for a while, and frankly Cabrera has never showed the ability to be that same type of guy.
Last year in 136 games between Triple-A and the big leagues Gardner stole 50 bases. In over 400 major league games Cabrera has only attempted 46 steals. It’s been six years since the Yankees had a player steal as many as 35 bases (Alfonso Soriano stole 35 in 2003), and it’s been more than twenty years since they had anybody steal more than 45 (Rickey Henderson stole 93 in 1988).
Gardner isn’t going to hit .400 the rest of the spring probably and might not hit even .300 during the season. But Cabrera has been the man of the shrinking OBP the last three years (from .360 to .327 to .301). Melky is out of options, so it would figure the Yanks would still keep him on the roster and use him as a spare outfielder. And in that role he will be useful. It’s just hard at this point, no matter how well he hits the rest of the way, to see Cabrera being able to do the same things that Gardner is capable of doing on the base paths.
**I know many of you still believe in the Murti Jinx, but if there’s ever been a year for me it has to be this one. Slumdog Millionaire, Bobby Jindal, those two kids with the Pirates…I mean, c’mon my number’s due to come up at some point, right?
**Speaking of jinxes, I have to believe that even though he never got to play a game for them, A-Rod’s alliance with the Dominican WBC team had at least a little something to do with the fact that they got bounced in the first round.
**Cody Ransom had a chance to speak to Joe and Evan before Wednesday’s game in Lakeland. Very humble, says all the right things. Take a listen right here.
**Anybody mind if I take a few weeks off before the All-Star Break? I’m thinking of taking a trek through Europe to see U2 open their tour. Okay, maybe I’ll just wait for them to come to me.
**Sunny and hot all week in Florida. Just the way I like it. Now all we need is to get to the games that count.
Thanks for reading. Send comments and questions to Yankees@wfan.com.
I think the Yankees are making the right choice in picking Brett Gardner.
03/12/2009 1:19PM
Sweeny
Don't forget Anoop Desai!
03/12/2009 3:33PM
Jinxes
Boy we are in trouble this season if Sweeney is already talking about his Jinx. Sweeney, just be quiet, your not supposed to talk about Jinxes!! Gardner is going to great for the Yanks this year. We haven't have someone like him since the Ricky days,and the attack style will be refreshing!! Go Yanks Baby!!
03/12/2009 11:10PM
Jinx
End the jinx. Bring back Susan Waldman!!!!!
03/13/2009 2:30AM
What about Nick Swisher!
Start Swisher in CF!!!
03/13/2009 8:46AM
NO SWISHER!
No way. Now how. No Swisher in Center. Go Gardner!!!!!
03/13/2009 12:53PM
sweeny
nobody-but nobody reports yankee baseball like sweeny..WFAN should put him on w/Boomer
03/13/2009 1:20PM
Gargdner
He will prove himself this year and that will make letting Damon go as a free agent that much easier in 2010. Gardner will be the everyday leadoff hitter next year....Mark my Words!!!!
03/13/2009 1:21PM
Gardner
Correction for above comment
03/13/2009 1:42PM
MANNY
The Yankees should have signed Many to be our DH and had both Gardner and Melky start in the outfield which would make our outfield defense young and athletic. We could def. afford to have Gardner and Cabrera play together if Manny was DH'ing.....MANNY> than both Nady
03/13/2009 1:43PM
MANNY ^
and Matsui.
03/13/2009 7:24PM
Michael
I think that Gardner had the edge going into camp. Joe seems to prefer his game and he never seemed to take to Cabrera much. Not really that much to take to I guess. Sweeny, it's fine being proud of your heritage, but Bobby Jindal? Not a lot to be optimistic about here.
Go back to 1997, the year after the Yankees won their first World Series under Joe Torre, and two of the most talked about players were a couple of kids who were less than two years removed from their big league debuts in Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera.
Welcome to February. It may not feel like it outside, but spring is right around the corner. Pitchers and catchers are just two weeks away, and if that’s enough to warm you up right about now then try another pair of socks and some hot tea.
I can’t imagine I’ll ever have the privilege of covering a player like Hideki Matsui again. The word “unique” is thrown around too much, but this was indeed a unique experience, right from Day One.
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