Francisco Cervelli pouted and complained when he failed to make the Yankees’ roster out of spring training last year. He’s thankful for the demotion now.
“I think that God has a perfect time for each person,” he said before the Yankees’ 4-2 victory over the Red Sox last night. “Maybe I didn’t understand last season what happened, but now I know there was a reason.”
Cervelli crushed a seventh-inning homer to left-center and walked, but his biggest play came in the first inning, tagging out Shane Victorino to the end the top of the first, when the speedy outfielder tried to score from second base on a wild pitch and Andy Pettitte forgot to cover the plate.
“If it’s a foot different and he’s safe instead of out [it’s], ‘Oh man, not again, now we’re down,’ ” Brett Gardner said.
Gardner was referring to the series’ first two games, both Red Sox wins. Instead, Cervelli beat Victorino to the plate and an inning later the Yankees had their first lead of the season on Lyle Overbay’s two-run single.
“It’s very important,” Cervelli said. “That’s what we need, a little push and we start doing great things.”
Cervelli, 27, said he grew up toiling in the minor leagues last summer, though he hit just .246 in 99 games with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Cervelli thinks he is in better control of his emotions now, is stronger and better equipped to handle himself in the big leagues. The biggest difference, however, is his mindset.
“What happened last year, I appreciate things a little more now,” said Cervelli, who has driven in three runs this year — tied for the team lead. “To play every day, I say thank God for the opportunity because I’m healthy and I’m here. This is my dream.”
Cervelli has appeared in all three Yankees games thus far, a far cry from last season when he played in just three games altogether for the big club and received just a single at-bat. He came to spring training determined to perform his best and not worry about his future, despite an opening behind the plate with Russell Martin’s departure.
“I saw the opportunity, but I never put it in my mind,” Cervelli said. “I came into spring training with more passion because I always say nobody wants it more than I do.”
Cervelli isn’t trying to do anything he’s incapable of doing. Batting out of the ninth spot in the order, he’s looking to move runners over, work the count and hit the ball the other way — despite last night’s blast — and get back to where he was defensively when he was first called up five years ago. Cervelli clearly has the chance to prove to everyone he’s a starting caliber catcher.
“I just got to be ready every day,” he said. “You have to be ready to attack all the time.”