TAMPA — Brian Bruney walked through the Yankees’ clubhouse yesterday toward a rear door when he spotted Brett Gardner holding court with reporters.
“Did you just get cut?” Bruney asked Gardner, who has been in a camp-long competition with Melky Cabrera for the starting center field job.
Gardner smiled and said something about having a back-and-forth with Bruney about his inability to retire Philadelphia’s Matt Stairs, who has spanked the reliever this spring.
If Gardner, 25, is cut it would be a colossal upset, since many believe he will be named the starter tomorrow when Joe Girardi would like to announce his Opening Day roster.
When the Yankees didn’t bring in an established veteran such as Mike Cameron, the left-handed hitting Gardner knew he had a chance to stand where Yankees greats Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and Bernie Williams have stood. That separated this camp from a year ago, when the 5-foot-10, 183-pound Gardner was simply introducing his speed game to the major league brass.
“It’s been a little bit different because I know I have been fighting for a job and have a shot at making the team,” said Gardner, whose speed and aggressiveness on the bases are his calling cards. “Maybe it pushed me a little harder and caused me to work a little harder.”
Gardner has done very little wrong since camp opened. After going 0-for-2 with a walk in last night’s 4-1 win over the Reds at George M. Steinbrenner Field, Gardner leads the Yankees among players with 30 or more at-bats with a .383 (18-for-47) average and was tied for the team lead in homers (three) with the recently-demoted Austin Jackson.
Cabrera, the regular center fielder last year until being sent to Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes/Barre on Aug. 15, hasn’t gone quietly. In 19 games he is batting .313 (15-for-48).
“They have both played at a high level,” manager Joe Girardi said.
But only one can start. Since Cabrera, who is a year younger but has 1,438 major league at-bats compared to Gardner’s 127, is out of options, the Yankees run the risk of losing him to free agency if he isn’t on the Opening Day roster.
However, since the Yankees plan on carrying 12 pitchers and one utility infielder, they can bring Gardner and Cabrera.
Gardner announced he was in camp to win a job immediately by homering in his first exhibition league at-bat against the Blue Jays in Dunedin on Feb. 25, when he slugged the second pitch from lefty Brett Cecil over the right-center field fence.
Though Cabrera, a .268 career hitter who batted .249 a year ago, has a lot more experience, the Yankees are putting a lot of stock in what Gardner did last September and this March. Gardner batted .153 (9-for-59) in 17 games after being promoted June 30.
Yankees 4 Reds 1