G’morning Shyster.  Here’s what Gardner isn’t: a power hitter.  Here’s what the Yanks don’t need: A power hitter.  What DO the Yanks need: A CF with speed and a hitter who can get on and help manufacture a run.  That’s what Gardner IS.  So much is made about what he isn’t but what he IS is a player who fits what the Yanks don’t otherwise have and something they desperately need.

If Gardner can hit ~10 home runs this year, wonderful.  If he hits 5 but steals 40, fantastic.  It’s an element of the game that the Yanks have been missing for years.  Damon was sorta that guy but not a pure burner like Gardner.  Damon can still go 20/20 and Gardner won’t have that sorta power.  He’s got decent patience at the plate and batting out of the 9 hole, he’s got the speed to keep getting doubled up by Jeter (now batting first).

Tell me I am crazy, but if Gardner’s on first, they are going to hit and run like mad as Jeter is so adept at slapping the ball towards rightfield.  As the 2B goes to cover the base (Jeter being righty and all), that creates a massive hole for Jeter to try to shoot the ball thru.  Gardy’s going first to third alot this year.

Melky ain’t.

I don’t think the Yankees are going to expect much of anything from Gardner. I’d think a .330-.340 OBP and 25-30 steals with good defense is what they can expect and will probably get. He’s definitely not as good as he’s been in spring training but he’s not as bad as he was for the majority of his cup of coffee last year. Almost as important as the potential offensive change of pace is the defense he can provide. For the first time since…well, a long time, the Yankees will have a good defender in center.

Rickey was primarily a LF during his 73-year career, but played mostly center when he was with the Yanks.

It’s not like the Yankees (or any team) EXPECTS Gardner or Cabrera (or anybody) to match their spring numbers. No teams are that dumb, are they?

I wish I had that kind of confidence that the Yankees would be hurt by this at all. Gardner seems to play excellent defense and has much, much better on-base skills than Melky. I think he’ll be fine, and if he’s not, it won’t be 50 games in before they have a Mike Cameron or Aaron Rowand or something.

Shyster,

So who wins the Atlanta CF job? It appears to be Schafer, but I can’t help but feel they’ll go with Anderson.

IF Gardner is a CF who can get on base, then he’s useful. 

He may be a CF who struggles to hit .220, in which case I don’t much care how fast he is down the line.

Jason, don’t know that I agree with you. I don’t think the *type* of hitter that Gardner is will have any meaningful impact on his value to the Yanks. Just because he is a slap hitter doesn’t mean he *fits* better. Either he is a good player or he isn’t.

Now, I don’t think Gardner is going to be sub-raplcement level. He can play some quality D, and he can take a walk. There is some value in that. Nevertheless, there is no way they should be sending him out there when Swisher can play a reasonable centerfield- he might be 2 or 3 wins better than Gardner.