OK, serious now. And no negatives, OK? NO NEGATIVES.
Reasons why Gardner should be our CF next year.
1. He's always struggled in his first incarnation at a new level, then steadily improved. He'll do the same next year.
2. If he just bats .240, he'll steal 60 bases.
3. He's an excellent fielder. He'll patrol a lot of space in left and right, which might be held by Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui and Xavier Nady.
4. If he does fail -- miserably fail -- there's a chance for Melky to return (Remember, no negatives!) or Austin Jackson to come of age.
5. If we decide to trade for a CF, or wrangle one through free agency, the money or the players we give up will subtract from our more crying needs of pitchers and first base.
6. He's entering the prime of his career, age-wise.
7. We can't just send him back to Scranton, because Austin Jackson will be there.
8. His trade value is relatively low. He's basically just a throw-in.
9. He bunts, he hustles, he dives, his uniform gets dirty.
10. The main knock on him -- no power -- should not apply in this line-up. Look at all the bases-empty home runs this team hit in 2008.
11. Anecdotally, perhaps, the Yanks this year put together their best streak (July) with him in the line-up, and he came through in several big situations.
12. He'll be cheap, theoretically allowing us to spend at other positions. (See 5)
Coming soon: The case for trading Cano.
I think the best thing for the Yankees is to see what the young guys can do and even if it takes a year to adjust it's okay. Gardner looks like he could stick around for a while.
ReplyDelete...and I LOVE the name of your blog!
I could live with Gardner if we get Texiera.
ReplyDeleteIn the good faith bond of " no negatives," I think this is a terrific idea.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I love the idea of cheapness. We can have a CF starter for the major league minimum. That will help the Yankee organization in many ways.
Hank and Hal, for example, can each buy a new BMW.
And maybe it is time to begin a new Yankee tradition for Center field. Maybe we should have a good glove, no power guy.
It may just be time to recognize that the days of Dimaggio and Mantle and Bernie have passed us by.
Just ;like with the good old USA, it is time to go in a new direction..
Our economy has gone from capitalism to socialism, our Government has progressed from "Of the people " to "of the power elite for the power elite," and our Constitution has gone from " Separation of Church and State " to "Faith Based Initiatives and talking Snakes," so why not a similar shift in the traditions of how the Yankees used to win championships?
We don't need to be the" Bronx Bombers" anymore, wouldn't we a;; feel better going up to Boston known as" the Bronx Bunters?" How off-putting and modern.
Thanks for making the case, Duque, I feel better about next season already.
Thank you, Alph, for not going negative.
ReplyDeleteHey, Alphonso, "Bronx Bunters" won't work either. Not even our slap-happy singles hitters can lay down a halfway passable bunt.
ReplyDeleteOh, wait, no negatives.
Sorry.