MVN - Most Valuable Network

Time To Start Swimming (Bring Up Brett)

When I previewed the Yankees schedule upon its release in early January, I noted that the Yankees needed to tread water for the first month and a half of their season, as the slate of games called for tough opponents and long road trips. The Yankees have failed to do that, falling to 20-24 while shockingly taking up residence in the cellar of the AL East. However, they have reached the point in the schedule where treading water will no longer be enough. The games from this point out until August should get considerably easier, and it is time for the Yankees to start swimming.

To be more specific, the schedule prior to August includes 6 games with Boston and three with the Mets as their only contests against serious contenders. The other games include series with Baltimore, Seattle, Minnesota, Toronto, KC, Oakland, Houston, San Diego, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Texas, and Tampa Bay, with the Yankees facing some of those teams on two separate occasions. Of course, the Yankees do not seem like a contender at this point, so it would be easy for one to argue that the team has no advantage over these opponents. However, most unbiased baseball fans would concede that the Yankees roster has more talent than every one of those teams, and should be able to get on a roll against them. On that note, I think there is one move that the club should make at this point to get the team jump started.

I believe that Brett Gardner should have made the club out of spring training, as Morgan Ensberg and Shelley Duncan are identical players who do not both require a space on the roster. I think that the club should send down Alberto Gonzalez when A-Rod comes up, and then replace Shelley Duncan with Gardner. When Wilson Betemit returns, he can replace the entirely ineffective Ensberg on the bench. Furthermore, I think the Yankees have to revisit the idea of trying Johnny Damon at first on occasion, which would give Gardner a position at which to garner an occasional start at Giambi’s expense. He can also be used to spell the other outfielders on their alloted days off. I am not advocating calling up Gardner to infuse energy, as I do not think that a lack of energy is what ails this team. I believe Gardner would give the Yankees an element of speed that they lack both in the lineup and in the outfield. Damon and Jeter barely run anymore, causing the Yankees offense to be very static and station-to station. The Brett Gardner that we saw in spring training hit the ball consistently and with authority, and had the speed necessary to occasionally reach base even when he failed to hit the ball well. If Gardner does not reach base enough to justify keeping him for his speed and defense, they can just send him back down and recall Duncan, so I really do not see a downside to this move. The Yankees need to get rolling, and the return of A-Rod coupled with a shrewd personnel move or two can get them right back on track.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 20th, 2008 at 11:38 am and is filed under Off the Facade. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.