Comments on: Cashman: Granderson is the center fielder

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 04:59:11 +0000

Gardener sucks, so he is fast too bad he has no sense of when to run and when not to. He may be fast in the outfield, he takes crappy routes to the balls. His bat is weak as hell. We put him in two games in the WS top steal bases, and he proceeded to get thrown out three two times. Gardner is lucky to be on the team with his weak bat and poor outfield skills.

People are making Gardner out to be better than he really is. Granderson belongs in center, that is what we got him for. Gardner is nothing more than a platoon guy, and never will be.

By: Hughesus Christo

Hughesus Christo — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 22:56:39 +0000

The one that isn’t two years older.

By: pat

pat — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 20:00:08 +0000

Thanks dude. Good stuff. Didn’t know that the Comerica OF was so difficult.

By: ZK

ZK — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 19:44:45 +0000

I was wondering this too. It Seems like a good idea.

By: Ted Nelson

Ted Nelson — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 19:27:12 +0000

And if one is platooned with Thames or vulnerable to being replaced mid-season, most likely Gardner.

By: Ted Nelson

Ted Nelson — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 19:24:54 +0000

I’m not that big a fan of signing Carl Crawford, first of all. I’d rather spend a bit more money on Mauer and move Montero to the outfield. Or just not sign him period.
I mean, Crawford was maybe the 5th best hitter on the Rays last season. He’ll be overpaid and there will be better value out there.

I see your point, and maybe it will benefit Granderson’s confidence. However, you can also say that when you get paid $5 mill a year to do a job you just suck it up and do it. Whether you’re 10 meters to the left or right shouldn’t matter.

The big argument your post made me think of is that is Gardner is platooned with Thames… well Thames can’t play CF. Not even sure he can play LF. Same time, Granderson might need to be platooned himself. Of course, Yankees are counting on Granderson as an everyday guy so I see keeping him in center and platooning Gardner in left.

By: pete

pete — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 19:16:00 +0000

as we all know, all decisions made right after, during, or prior to spring training are permanent and irreversible. This statement by cashman renders it physically impossible for Brett Gardner to ever become the team’s CF. The notion of flexibility based on performance is ludicrous, so even if it does become apparent that Gardner is not only capable of holding down an everyday spot, which would take a few months of sustained offensive performance at the least, but also a better centerfielder than granderson defensively (which would arguably take even longer to be assured of, unless the difference was extreme), there is absolutely no way that either of their roles change next year.

Also, Crawford is a potential fit here next year, so there is no way that the yankees would consider the option of Granderson-Gardner in left and center, respectively, as a long term solution that wouldn’t cost a not-worth-it $18 million a year, even if there was demonstrable evidence after this year that Granderson could be an above average bordering on elite LF for several more years and Gardner could be an above average centerfielder for several years.

As we all know, there is nothing worse than going back on a decision. Doing so would demonstrate a blatant inability to forecast the future, and would simply make the yankees look bad all-around. So in sum, this is it. From what Cashman said on February 24th, 2010, we can conclusively determine that Gardner has no chance at playing center this year, and that there is no chance that the yankees do not opt for crawford-granderson over granderson-gardner next year.

/tongue in cheek’d

By: Ted Nelson

Ted Nelson — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 19:10:59 +0000

They’re both going to be on the field and in the line-up, so it doesn’t really matter who is in left and who is in center. It only matters because you want to have the best defensive line-up.

By: Sam

Sam — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:41:23 +0000

Have we yet discussed what a field day that John Sterling is going to have with Granderson? It’s gonna be ugly.

“Aw, ain’t he grand?!” or,
“Granderson is Grandiose!!”

By: Johnny

Johnny — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:36:02 +0000

if you could sign either Crawford or Werth for 4yrs / 64mill…. Which is it? (with Werth you’d put him in right with his cannon arm, Swish platoons in left or is traded)