Brett Gardner is a useful player. But he is useful in that good third-down back kind of way, more Darren Sproles than Chris Johnson.
His speed can change the pace of a game in spots, but he becomes less effective the heavier the load you ask him to carry.
In theory, the Yankees will not ask him to carry much of a load. He is expected to bat ninth in a powerhouse lineup. However, if anything were to happen to the front eight, such as an injury to an older player (Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada or Alex Rodriguez), a fall-off for Nick Swisher or an acclimation problem for Curtis Granderson, the Yankees do not have much offensive depth.
CASHMAN, GIRARDI DON’T EXPECT DAMON BACK
Catcher Jesus Montero is an elite offensive prospect, but is just 20 years old with 181 plate appearances above Single-A. The Yankees think more of first baseman Juan Miranda’s bat potential than most in the sport. The Yankees have mainly stockpiled good defense/limited offense players in reserve, adding to that collection by obtaining speedy Triple-A-bound outfielder Greg Golson from Texas yesterday.
Signing Xavier Nady as a righty-hitting complement to Gardner would have provided offensive depth, especially because Nady’s power to right-center so fits Yankee Stadium. But Yankees officials say they remained unsure about Nady’s health after he had a second Tommy John surgery and, besides, the lowest proposal they received from Nady and agent Scott Boras was $5 million before Nady signed yesterday with the Cubs for $3.3 million.
The Yankees are saying they only have $2 million to spend on left field, but they would have put the $3.3 million in front of Hal Steinbrenner for consideration had it been offered by the Nady camp. To date, Steinbrenner has been adamant that the Yanks, by how they calculate payroll, will not exceed $200 million. So ownership has rejected multiple requests to revisit signing Johnny Damon.
But Steinbrenner should reconsider. Could the Yankees be champs with Brett Gardner starting? Sure. They won last year with Melky Cabrera as a starter, and internally the Yanks project the tough-minded Gardner as Jacoby Ellsbury with better defense and less power. They had a dynasty with underwhelming left fielders such as Chad Curtis, Ricky Ledee and Shane Spencer.
Gardner may not even be the left fielder. The Yankees are at least toying with putting Granderson (fourth most homers, 30, by an AL outfielder last season) in left and employing the superior defense of Gardner in center.
Plus, the Yanks still are looking at $2 million-or-under righty-hitting outfielders such as Reed Johnson or Rocco Baldelli, as long as the oft-injured Baldelli is willing to sign a minor-league deal.
However, my thought is Steinbrenner should make a one-time, one-year bid in the range of $6 million on Damon. Because if Gardner is not a version of Ellsbury offensively, or the Yanks get an injury to a regular or two — and quite frankly I am shocked Nick Johnson isn’t already on the DL — then they are going to be looking in June or July for a player just like Damon. That will cost dollars that likely take the payroll over $200 million, and prospects, too. Besides, these are the Yankees, they are going over $200 million at some point in 2010 anyway, why does the date matter?
The Yankees will not get Damon for $2 million, and Damon still might not be in the $6 million frame of mind, especially with the suddenly money-to-burn A’s interested. But before Javier Vazquez ate up budget, the Yanks offered two years at $14 million for Damon. So we are talking half the commitment at less than half the money to potentially retain a player who helps create a top-of-the-lineup engine with Derek Jeter.
The Yankees may want to remember Damon can handle New York and October and that his swing is ideal for the Stadium. Damon may want to remember he was happy as a Yankee. There are reasons both sides — are you listening Hal Steinbrenner, Scott Boras and Johnny Damon? — should give a last, best effort at saving this marriage, and turning Gardner back into baseball’s version of a third-down specialist.