I know that everyone doesn't feel this way. One of those people is Anthony McCarron from the Daily News. He wrote this on Friday:
Playing center field for the Yankees is one of the most hallowed jobs in sports, sort of like being the tailback at USC or linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Multiple Hall of Famers, including two of the biggest names in baseball history in Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle, have roamed center in pinstripes, and All-Stars such as Bernie Williams, Bobby Murcer and Mickey Rivers once owned the position, too.
But in 2009 - if team executives are to be believed - the Yankees will take a different approach. Rather than filling center with a star, Brett Gardner, an unproven rookie, and Melky Cabrera, last season’s flop, will compete for the job when spring training opens next month. Either player could forever be known as the first Yankee to play center at the new ballpark.
I understand the argument, especially when looking back on the history of that position. But the fact of the matter is there aren't any great center fielders available. Would a Mike Cameron or David Dejesus really make the Yankees that much better? I really don't think so."They’re both missing something that would make that position more secure," said a veteran major league scout, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "Right now, Brett Gardner has that outstanding speed but doesn’t hit enough. And Cabrera’s just OK as a hitter and fielder. This could be a gamble."
And, historically, high-level talent in center has been an integral part of Yankee success.
The last time the Yankees won the World Series without a big-name player as their primary center fielder was 1943 - DiMaggio was in the Army Air Forces that year because of World War II and Roy Weatherly (68 games), Johnny Lindell (55 games) and Tuck Stainback (43 games) split the position. Twenty-four of the Yankees’ 26 championships have come with DiMaggio (nine titles), Mantle (six), Williams (four), Hall of Famer Earle Combs (three) and Rivers (two) in center. Whitey Witt hit .314 as the center fielder on the first Yankee champion in 1923.
At some point over the winter, center field was a Yankee concern because the Bombers held trade talks with the Brewers about Mike Cameron. They could still make a move in the weeks leading up to camp or during spring training or shift Damon back to his old post. After all, the Yankees have anointed players at the position before and then gotten a big name - remember Bubba Crosby, who supposedly was going to be the starter until the Yankees signed Damon before the 2006 season?
For now, though, it appears Cabrera and Gardner will get their chance.
The only player mentioned this off-season who I do believe would be a big improvement would be the Dodgers Matt Kemp. He's 24, has all five tools, and has already shown that he can be successful at the major league level. But the Dodgers don't seem too interested in trading him, and the cost would probably be too high anyway.
I also don't buy into the theory that you need an all-star at every position. As long as your center fielder is solid defensively I think a team can win if the rest of their offense is solid. Both Gardner and Melky are very good defensively, and the Yankees should have enough offense with that lineup (keyword there is should).
So what do you guys think? Either comment below and/or vote in the new poll posted on the left sidebar.
11 Comments:
Of course they can, but if CF is such a hallowed position, why I have taken so much flack on Yankee boards over the years for suggesting that Jeter move to that position?
If the Yankees score 900 runs, and CC, AJ, Wang, and Joba remain healthy and effective, and Mariano and the pen pitch well, no one will notice who is playing CF...as long as that person has range and sure hands.
As an aside, when Jeter does make the inevitable move away from SS (inevitable if reality matters), I think he is now too old to play CF, and will probably have to play LF.
Melky.
Just because the Yankees have historically had many great players in CF in no way means they are required to have one to win.
Brett Gardner, once he adjusted to the ML level, was performing on a very reasonable level (last month of the season or so). IF the Yankees decide not to play one of Damon, Nady, Swisher in CF, then I'd have no problem with Gardner playing CF. He's going to be good defensively, he's going to steal a lot of bases out of the 9 slot, and I think he can bat around 270+ with a 340+ OBP, which is more than good enough.
I also don't see what Jeter has to do with the discussion in any way. He's clearly not moving any time soon, and as such, isn't relevant to the discussion at hand, nor is the flak you've taken on some message board at all releveant to what moves the Yankees should or shouldn't make.
I brought up Jeter because he was the Yankees best CF option since Bernie started to decline, and because as the writer correctly points out, CF is a hallowed position history, so it would have been no affront to Jeter to move to CF.
More importantly, any discussion about the configuration of the Yankees' OF should include Jeter because what the Yankees decide to do with him could impact their decision to re-sign Damon.
In any event, I am going to express my opinion no matter what you think.
The Centerfield position will be hitting 9th in the lineup the yanks dont need an allstar at every position to win. All Brett Gardner needs to do is be a good role player on the team and play good defense, his range in the CF will save some runs.
Hey, Rich, if you want to bring up totally irrelevant points that have no bearing on the conversation since it's not going to happen in the near future, or how people on "forums" gave you flak, feel free to waste your time.
While we're at it, let's waste our time discussing the possiblity of Pujols being our DH this year or getting Lincecum to be our 5th starter.
I think it's a great idea for the Yanks to move forward with some of their young injected in their lineup. Cabrera and Gardner are both big league players with a bad rap. Whoever wins the job can be a productive player, they just need patience.
Going out on a limb, with really no consequences, I might add. Melky will probably win that job, and should respond to the challenge; afterall it was only last year that Damon, was being shelved and even he thought that Melky was the apparent future in center. Let's not forget that Bernie Williams was a late bloomer and took several years before he became the clutch player that he is now regarded as. Mickey Mantle himself had some really bad "hic-ups" before being the regular and then some. We are getting to caught up in this instant gratification thing. Robby Canoe (?) and Melky have to be allowed to mature. Let's build around them!
pinstripes,
You are what Freud called an anal personality, but hey, thanks for worrying about how I manage my leisure time on the net.
How come people don't fight like kids on my blog. I thought my andy pettite bashing and my case for kei Igawa would stir somebody up
I don't care what Freud would say about me. Maybe the flak you get on "forums" comes for a reason with the dry, glib, know-it-all way you present your comments.
Yankees Guy - ha! I'll stop by and argue a bit for you.
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