The dilemma arrives: We need to talk about Gardy

The time has come, the Walrus said...

Yep, it's here. For weeks, I've been kicking this rock along the sidewalk. We've been frying bigger fish: LeMahiue, Gary Sanchez, pitching, pitching, pitching... Thus, the fate of Brett Gardner could wait. Besides, it's an impossible question: 

Whaddabout Gardy?  

For starters, we give respect. He's a legitimate "great Yankee," even if he was never a legitimate star. He won't make Cooperstown; he's borderline Monument Park. He's a Lou Piniella Yankee, a key role player who always made us proud. Homegrown, too. How often does that word apply to any player, much less a Yankee? How do you cut ties to a de facto team captain for the last 13 seasons, your last connection to a ring?

Well, maybe you don't. Maybe you simply ditch the algorithms, get out the wallet, and keep him. After all, he won't embarrass you. He'll grind out each at-bat. At worst, he's a late-inning defensive replacement, though... for whom? And that's the problem. 

I keep looking for Brett Gardner's role on the 2021 team, and the only one I see is "grand old Yankee."  

So, whaddabout Gardy? 

Last year, at age 36, he hit 5 HRs and batted .223 in 49 games, about one-third a normal season. He came on strong after a horrible start. He stole three bases and was thrice caught stealing. His WAR: 0.5. He earned $10 million on a one-year deal. 

So, should we give him another year? Or do we loose Gardner onto a market where - sit down for this - the Mets might snap him up. Think about that: Gardy... a Met. Sign of the apocalypse, right?  

But but BUT... if we keep Gardy, what then? This needs to be the year Clint Frazier finally plays 130 games in LF. We can't ignore him forever. If we need a LH backup, there is the far cheaper Mike Tauchman, who turns 30 tomorrow. Last year, he started hot and plummeted to Absolute Zero - (which was also his HR total) - finishing at .242. Tauchman stole six bases and was never caught. From a purely analytical standpoint, he is a younger version of Gardy with more speed and less power. 

(When discussing LF, there is also Miguel Andujar, who I suspect will be traded. We'd all love to see Miggy get 500 at-bats. That will require injuries - which brings us to the Iron Rule of the Yankees: Whenever projecting the future, expect every starter to miss half the season. So there's that.) 

So... whaddabout Gardy?

Huh? You're looking at me? Don't. I have no answer. But I do hate the idea of Gardy on the Mets. Maybe he'd refuse their offer. But who could blame him for staying in NYC, the only town he's known as a major leaguer. 

I guess I lean towards keeping him. Ain't my money. Still... whaddabout Gardy? We need to talk.