Results tagged ‘ Brett Gardner ’
In a Weekend Filled with Heroic Yankees, Alfredo Aceves Goes Unnoticed
Amidst a sea of heroes and inspiration in the Bronx over the weekend, one quiet and unsung hero was left unnoticed.
Yankees pitcher Alfredo Aceves helped to stabilize a bullpen recently diagnosed as bi-polar, ensuring that a tie score would carry over into the bottom half of the inning.
Without Aceves, New York likely would have stepped to the plate with its tail between its legs, having just allowed a horde of base runners to score.
Aceves pitched a scoreless and uneventful inning in consecutive games, lowering his ERA to 2.16. He has collected 9 K while surrendering just 2 BB, and currently displays a 0.84 WHIP in 8 1/3 IP.
While Brett Gardner, Mark Teixeira, Melky Cabrera, Alex Rodriguez, and Johnny Damon allocated the role of hero over the weekend, Aceves quietly earned back-to-back victories on Sat. and Sun.
A.J. Burnett covered the faces of Cabrera, A-Rod, and Damon with a celebratory whipped cream pie, but it was Aceves who prevented New York from being left with the proverbial “pie in the face.”
Aceves has been the model of consistency is his time with the Yankees, holding hitters to a .214 BAA in 38 1/3 innings pitched. His 1.09 WHIP and 2.35 ERA help too further uncover the secret of his covert successes.
Though he is a rather unassuming man, do not be fooled by his lack of unbridled emotion.
Aceves uses his calm focus as a weapon, and is capable of handling pressure situations with poise. This is of course the most important section of the Yankees prospective player application.
Most importantly, he has the ability to–you might want to sit down for this–immediately throw strikes out of the bullpen. This is a skill the rest of his mound mates seem to purposely avoid.
Manager Joe Girardi seems to have finally granted Aceves the respect and trust that he deserved all along, and will look to place him into additional important situations down the road.
It is anyone’s guess why pitchers like Jonathan Albaladejo, Anthony Claggett, David Robertson, and Steven Jackson received shots on the 25-man roster before Aceves, but it is safe to say that he is here to stay.
New York has been waiting for six weeks to find a reliever not named Mariano Rivera willing to step up in clutch pitching scenarios.
Aceves has finally thrown his hat into the ring, and could provide a much needed emotional respite for a fan base steadily reaching for Xanax in the latter innings.
Continue to underestimate and disregard the inconspicuous Aceves, as it will further feed into his drive to succeed.
Don’t let his name confuse or mislead you…Alfredo is out to prove that he is anything but “chicken.”
Also Seen At: Heartbeat of the Bronx
Brett Gardner’s Otherworldly Homer Proves More Powerful than Coincidence
The only running Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner was anticipating on Friday would occur during pregame warm-up activities.
Perhaps he would get the opportunity to pinch run for Alex Rodriguez or Hideki Matsui; the pair of damaged goods in New York’s struggling lineup.
Gardner had recently visited with Nico Viglitti before the game, a brave patient at a nearby children’s hospital.
According to multiple reports, Viglitti gave Gardner a lucky bracelet, which she said would give him the power to hit a home run.
Gardner specified that it would allow him “to hit a home run in every at bat,” which he admitted was slightly unrealistic.
The bracelet had the courage and strength of a sick little girl flowing throughout its threads, but unless divine intervention allowed him the chance to use it, this story would not have a Hollywood ending.
Shortly after the game’s first pitch, the stars all began to align; ensuring that something magical would manifest itself in the team’s new home.
After a first inning strikeout boiled his blood, Johnny Damon took protesting to a whole new level after a second consecutive backwards ‘K.’
Damon initiated a legendary tirade, one that would have made Billy Martin and Lou Piniella swell with pride. He was banished to the showers so quickly that manager Joe Girardi had not yet emerged from the top step of the dugout.
As a result, Gardner “coincidentally” received his chance to make a young girl smile back in her hospital bed at New York Presbyterian Children’s Hospital in Manhattan.
The supernatural aura surrounding the stadium knew to conserve its magic until the time was right, though the bracelet did produce a quick fifth inning single for Gardner in his first at bat of the night.
Once again, however, it appeared that the mystic spirits of “The House that Ruth Built” had taken the night off.
New York trailed 4-1 in the seventh inning, and were eagerly awaited a spark.
They welcomed a spark from anything in the stadium, anyone on the bench, any…entity watching from above?
Gardner stepped to the plate with just one home run in his Major League career, much more apt to “run home” than to launch a “home run.”
There was more than simple grit and determination involved here, and nothing else mattered aside from destiny and God-given speed.
Gardner could not hit a conventional home run in order to turn tears and fears into a night to remember for Viglitti.
Not on this night…not in this moment. Not while wearing a bracelet constructed with admiration, love, and hope.
A pitch from Twins reliever Jesse Crain was looped down the left field line, conceivably nothing more than a single at best.
Once the ball touched the stadium’s “un-hallowed ground,” all rationality and baseball physics were replaced with a scene from Angels in the Outfield.
It kicked violently to the left, as if something had given it a little extra push. A bloop single had suddenly become a double…a triple…a home run?
As third base coach Robbie Thompson vigorously waved Gardner toward home plate, chills inevitably began to flow down the backs of each fan watching with baited breath from their seats.
Fans watching from home leaned forward in their chairs, their eyes growing wider and more awestruck as each fraction of a second ticked past.
The lightning quick outfielder dove into home safely to cut the score to 4-2, energizing an apprehensive fan base and tentative roster of teammates.
Gardner left his feet a Yankee utility outfielder, but crossed home plate an undeniable hero.
For the first time all season, the score did not matter. Gardner had done much more than put a run on the scoreboard or potential ‘w’ in the win column–he had renewed the faith of a child that needed it most.
The magical aura of the night began to spread throughout the Yankees dugout, as even the anemically insufficient Mark Teixeira contributed a clutch base hit.
Melky Cabrera delivered the walk-off miracle minutes later off world-class closer Joe Nathan, and the credits rolled on a tale almost too inspiring to be true.
You may not believe in divine intervention, karma, fate, higher beings, or the afterlife. You may not even personally invest in the phrase, “everything happens for a reason.”
Regardless of what is perceived as true, real, or rational…there are at least two people on Saturday morning that are giving a wink and a smile to something up above.
It was an inspirational moment for a fearless little girl, and I hope she was watching.
Let’s hope Gardner hangs onto that bracelet.
More importantly, let’s pray Viglitti hangs onto her rediscovered hope and faith.
Also seen at: Heartbeat of the Bronx
Yankees Bench to Give Opponents Splinters All Season Long
Recent Yankee lineups have been packed with big names as tightly as a sardine can.
Whether intimidating or intimidated, it appeared that the name on the front of their baseball card was the driving force of the Bronx’s game plan.
During late-game situations, Joe Torre and Joe Girardi were unable to remove struggling stars from the lineup in favor of Miguel Cairo and Wilson Betemit.
The restrictions that the lineup provided caused the Yankees to lose many, if not most, of the chess matches between managers at the end of games.
Teams of the dynasty years were balanced offensively, and possessed consistency on the pitching staff that simply cannot be overvalued.
The lineup’s flexibility, however, was an integral part of the Yankees October successes.
Yankee benches of the past featured former superstars such as Darryl Strawberry and Cecil Fielder. It also included clutch role players like Luis Sojo, Chad Curtis, and Shane Spencer.
In 1996, even Hall of Fame 3B Wade Boggs came off the bench during a miraculous playoff run. The season of course ended with Boggs riding (a horse) off into the sunset with his first World Series ring.
The ability to mix and match a lineup to counteract an opposing manager’s pitching changes is vital in determining the outcome of a must-win game.
If Homer Bush and Red Sox OF Dave Roberts have taught us anything, it is that a pinch runner can help crown a victor as easily as a man wielding a bat.
During the 2004 ALCS, Roberts stole second base when everyone in the stadium knew he would try.
A line drive up the middle off of Mariano Rivera shifted the momentum of a lost series, and essentially sealed the fate of New York’s historic postseason collapse.
After years of bench players ending games with clean uniforms, it appears the Yankees have finally received the memo.
By adding skilled and versatile athletes into the equation, New York has given Girardi the tools necessary to utilize his National League pedigree.
Though part of a convincing loss at the hands of the Baltimore Orioles on Opening Day, Nick Swisher pinch-hit for Cody Ransom with a one-run eighth inning deficit.
Within seconds, he was standing of second base with a ground rule double.
His relentless energy can provide an emotional lift down the road, and his power can help to throw a wrench in an opposing manager’s strategy.
Girardi can pinch-hit for Ransom at any point during the game as a result of another member of the bench’s contingent.
Backup infielder Ramiro Pena is without a doubt the most talented defensive player on the roster. While Ransom is an athletic and skilled 3B, Pena will ensure that defensive liability is of no concern after a lineup change is performed.
The same flexibility holds true in the event that Brett Gardner is removed in favor of a power option. On any given day, Hideki Matsui, Jorge Posada, Xavier Nady, or Swisher could be available off of the bench.
If Gardner is replaced, the Yankees still have CF Melky Cabrera waiting in their back pocket for defensive purposes. His superior arm will force 3B coaches to be more conservative on shallow fly balls.
On the other side of the coin, Gardner can pinch-run in the event that he is given a day off against a left-handed pitcher.
His electric speed can change the game in ways the Bronx has not seen since Rickey Henderson was patrolling the outfield.
In no way am I comparing Gardner’s offensive skill set to that of Henderson’s, but his pure foot speed can wreak havoc on the basepaths.
Much talk has been made about New York’s wealthy starting rotation and star-studded lineup. Their astronomical paychecks make them worthy obsessions.
However, the Yankees bench and newly discovered lineup flexibility should provide a useful dynamic in returning the team to the top of the American League.
Do not sleep on the Yankee role players…because they just might haunt your dreams.
“The House that Steinbrenner Built”: The Yankees First Workout Digitally Captured
As one of the lucky 15,000-20,000 fans that walked through the turnstiles and into baseball Heaven yesterday, I was not sure what to expect.
My mind was overcome with a violent mixture of sadness, bitterness, excitement, awe, admiration, and amazement.
The adjectives stop there, because shortly thereafter I was rendered speechless.
There exists countless areas of the first base side of the stadium which provide an eerie glimpse inside “The House that Ruth Built”.
Joy quickly turns to depression as if I am struggling with bipolar disorder, but it was virtually impossible to remain in that condition.
Sadness brought a knife to a gun fight, and everyone in attendance was left scooping their jaws up off of the newly finished stadium floors.
Here is a glimpse into the team’s first steps, swings, and throws in their new home:
“The Great Hall”
The New Facade
Team Stretch
CC Sabathia Warms Up
Melky Showing Off His Cannon
Stadium View: Right-CF Bleachers
“The Captain” Turning a Double Play
Mariano Enters the Bullpen
Cue Metallica’s Enter Sandman
Damon Hits Stadium’s First Home Run
Teixeira’s First Cut
Swisher Acknowledging “The Bleacher Creatures”
Bleacher’s “Obstruct-O Vision”
Stadium View: Looking Out (CF Video Board Turned On)
Matsui Long-Tossing
Melky & Garnder Playing Nice in Center
Me Amids
t the Fans
…and we end the sneak preview with….
Babe Ruth Plaza: The Man We Can Thank for it ALL
I tried to use as many field/player shots as possible, as I know you are not interested in me posing all over the stadium.
Unfortunately, the bleacher seats do not have a great view of the monumentally large video board in center field, and the Yankee Museum was closed for construction.
I hope I provided a glimpse into what to expect upon your first entrance into the “Eighth Wonder of the World.”
The players were having a blast out there, and I had one of the best days of my Yankees fanhood.
Brett Gardner: Your 2009 New York Yankees Starting Center Fielder
According to Alden Gonzalez of Yankees.com, FOX Sports is reporting that Melky Cabrera is once again being dangled as trade bait across the league.
Widely considered a step behind Brett Gardner in the race for the center field job for 2009, Cabrera is apparently no longer considered worthy of a roster spot.
This guarantees Gardner the permanent role for the upcoming season, as the team seems very reluctant to turn to Nick Swisher for the position.
Performing admirably thus far in the spring, Cabrera hit .295 with an impressive .392 on-base percentage in 17 games.
Though his confidence appears restored, he has been dwarfed by Gardner’s torrid performance.
Hitting .409 with a staggering .469 OBP, Gardner has also shown consistent gap power. He has collected seven extra base hits, while leading the team with a .750 slugging percentage.
Gardner’s speed has already changed the entire dynamic of the Yankee lineup, and has added a dimension not available since Rickey Henderson manned New York’s outfield.
I am by no means carving Gardner’s bust for Cooperstown, or comparing his skill set to that of Henderson’s.
In terms of pure speed, however, Gardner has a similar ability to completely disrupt a battery’s rhythm and comfort level.
If the reports are accurate, it can only be assumed that the Yankees have become enamored with the play of “center fielder of the future” Austin Jackson this spring.
Jackson was sent back to the minors hours after hitting a monstrous grand slam against the Red Sox on Tuesday, but a quote from Yankees manager Joe Girardi after the game was telling.
Girardi essentially stated that he would not at all be surprised if Jackson was back with the ‘big club’ in 2009. Jackson’s 3 HR and 10 RBI spring was enough to turn heads fast enough to create whiplash.
If his accelerated progression has given the Yankees confidence in his post all-star break status, Cabrera is even more expendable.
The question now is…will anyone bite on Cabrera? His spring renaissance should result in a few nibbles, but what should the Yankees honestly expect in return?
Girardi seems committed to Cody Ransom at third base while Alex Rodriguez rehabilitates his surgically ‘repaired’ hip.
However, if a package of Cabrera and an ‘Alan Horne type’ could net the Yankees a proven setup reliever, it would be difficult not to accept.
It will be interesting to see how this all plays out, and what Girardi and GM Brian Cashman’s reactions to the report will be.
Bronx Bombers Earn Nickname Before Splitting Up for the WBC
In the final game that the Yankees powerful lineup will play in as teammates for quite some time, the score became more reminiscent of Giants-Bengals than Yankees-Reds.
Before separating to compete for their countries in the World Baseball Classic in Puerto Rico, Yankee starters made sure that they left on the highest of notes.
Derek Jeter (USA), Alex Rodriguez (DR), and Robinson Cano (DR) combined for an impressive 7 hits and 6 RBI.
Cano was 3-3 with 4 RBIs on his own, including a home run off of former Yankee reliever David Weathers. His dedicated winter work ethic appears to be paying large dividends.
The first five Yankee hitters went a combined 12-15 in a preview of the excitement that this potent lineup could bring to the Bronx.
Included in this success yet again was CF hopeful Brett Gardner. The gritty leadoff man collected two more extra-base hits, including his second homer of the spring.
Gardner has continued to push the gas pedal to the floor every chance he gets. Thus far, Melky Cabrera has been left at the starting line and surrounded by a cloud of dust.
The Yankees were able to rough up Aaron Harang, the Ace of a talented young Reds pitching staff. Harang surrendered six hits in just three innings of work.
This was an important showing for a Yankee team about to see seventy-five percent of its infield depart the continental United States.
However, the World Baseball Classic could prove to be a blessing in disguise for New York as they prepare for the upcoming season.
While their captain and leader by example is leaving camp, so is the team’s lightning rod of negativity.
The Yankees will be able to focus on their development and consistency without the distracting questions about A-Rod’s steroid use.
Although a good barometer for CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett, and Mark Teixeira on the media scrutiny New York can provide, all players will be glad for camp to return to ‘normalcy’.
The center of attention moving into next week will once again be fastballs and sliders as opposed to syringes and secrets.
Sabathia and Burnett will make their first starts in pinstripes, and will hope to wow the Florida crowds.
I’d like to wish the best of luck to Derek Jeter and Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.
Yankees CF Battle: Grass is Always Greener With a ‘Gardner’
Most Yankee fans have been raised on the expectation that greatness will patrol the vast center field in Yankee Stadium.
New York experienced decades of being spoiled by the likes of Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Bobby Murcer, Mickey Rivers, Rickey Henderson, Bernie Williams, and Johnny Damon.
This is a very long lineage of success which spans over 70 years. Included in this list are all-stars, sparkplugs, gold-glovers, Yankee immortals, and Hall of Famers.
Things began to change following injury problems to Johnny Damon and the diminished skills and subsequent release of Bernie Williams.
It has now been 10 seasons since a Yankee center fielder has played 150 games at that position. This trend is certain to continue in 2009, as two unproven youngsters are battling for a starting spot.
The first candidate is Brett Gardner, a one-dimensional ‘Roadrunner’ whose primary asset is his speed.
His range in the outfield makes up for his high school arm, and his base-stealing ability helps to limit the disadvantage limited extra base hits.
The second option continues to be Melky Cabrera, a promising and energetic fan favorite who has fallen out of favor within the organization.
Cabrera’s experience, decent power, and plus arm are all reasons to sing his praises. The problem is his anemic on-base percentage and limited base-stealing ability. He has also shown the tendency to embarrassingly misplay balls in the outfield.
While there is still a lot to be determined throughout spring training, Brett Gardner has clearly taken the lead in the CF race.
Already a favorite of Joe Girardi for his throwback aggressiveness and max-effort attitude, Gardner has displayed his potential early in spring training. He homered in his first spring at bat on Wednesday to send an immediate message to the coaching staff.
In today’s game against the Minnesota Twins, Gardner reached base in all three of his at bats. His day included a walk, single, double, run scored, and two stolen bases.
Establishing himself as a catalyst for the offense, Gardner was surprisingly the most impressive player on the field for either team.
On the other side of the position battle, Cabrera continued to struggle. He went 0-3 with three men left on base to maintain an OBP and batting average of .000 thus far.
He seems lost at the plate at times, and most of his child-like enthusiasm has begun to disappear. The pressures and ups and downs of playing in New York have taken a toll on Cabrera.
It is clear that neither of these CF options will produce eye-popping numbers or reach an all-star team. However, as the nine hitter in a potentially great Yankee lineup, they do not need to.
If Gardner is able to steal 35-40 bases while producing a .330-.340 OBP, the Yankees will be ecstatic.
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