2008 Yankee News & Notes Thread - Page 10 - Talksox

jacksonianmarch · 06-28-2008, 11:14 PM

This would mean more time for Betemit at 1st, more time for Giambi at DH and more time for Damon in the OF. If Damon ends up needing the DH slot, we could call up Gardner. All he's doing is leading the IL in walks, OBP, triples and is 3rd in runs.

a700hitter · 06-28-2008, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacksonianmarch

This would mean more time for Betemit at 1st, more time for Giambi at DH and more time for Damon in the OF. If Damon ends up needing the DH slot, we could call up Gardner. All he's doing is leading the IL in walks, OBP, triples and is 3rd in runs.

Gardner sounds like a pretty good minor leaguer.

jacksonianmarch · 06-28-2008, 11:33 PM

He has dominated this yr. He's in the Ellsbury mold. Better eye, worse contact, same speed, better arm.

a700hitter · 06-28-2008, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacksonianmarch

He has dominated this yr. He's in the Ellsbury mold. Better eye, worse contact, same speed, better arm.

Like I said, he sounds like a good minor leaguer.

CrespoBlows · 06-29-2008, 01:04 AM

No power.

jacksonianmarch · 06-29-2008, 01:26 AM

Jacoby doesnt have power either. But, that being said, Gardner has almost as many EBH this yr than he had all of last yr, so the power is coming. He wont ever be a HR threat, but he's become more of a gap hitter.

a700hitter · 06-29-2008, 01:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacksonianmarch

Jacoby doesnt have power either. But, that being said, Gardner has almost as many EBH this yr than he had all of last yr, so the power is coming. He wont ever be a HR threat, but he's become more of a gap hitter.

...and he'll have a chance of cracking the Yankee OF after two of the following leave the Yankees: Damon, Matsui and Abreu. Melky is young, so he'll be around for a while.

jacksonianmarch · 06-29-2008, 01:43 AM

Well, Matsui is down for at least 2 weeks. Damon has been in and out of the lineup with a foot injury. And Melky is hitting like he's blind these days. If we lose Damon, I'd expect Gardner to get a shot. Christian was called up because he was on the 40 man and we were facing some lefties. I dont see him lasting long as a 28 yr old rookie. Gardner will be up this yr and we'll see how he does.

a700hitter · 06-29-2008, 01:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacksonianmarch

Well, Matsui is down for at least 2 weeks. Damon has been in and out of the lineup with a foot injury. And Melky is hitting like he's blind these days. If we lose Damon, I'd expect Gardner to get a shot. Christian was called up because he was on the 40 man and we were facing some lefties. I dont see him lasting long as a 28 yr old rookie. Gardner will be up this yr and we'll see how he does.

I hope he gets called up and starts next weekend

26 to 6 · 06-29-2008, 02:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacksonianmarch

Well, Matsui is down for at least 2 weeks. Damon has been in and out of the lineup with a foot injury. And Melky is hitting like he's blind these days. If we lose Damon, I'd expect Gardner to get a shot. Christian was called up because he was on the 40 man and we were facing some lefties. I dont see him lasting long as a 28 yr old rookie. Gardner will be up this yr and we'll see how he does.

Christian was not on the 40 man they purchased his contract, and to make room they outrighted Steven White. Like you said they were facing Pittsburgh's lefties and they didnt want to reduce Gardner's playing time. I haven't been a big Gardner fan, and thought of him really as good trade bait, but he's had a good season and I wouldn't be opposed to him getting a shot in the near future.

SchillingIsTheNatural · 06-29-2008, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacksonianmarch

He has dominated this yr. He's in the Ellsbury mold. Better eye, worse contact, same speed, better arm.

Yeah....and Melky Cabrera was supposed to be at the same level if not better than Jacoby Ellsbury.

Ellsbury leads the AL in stolen bases and is a top candidate for rookie of the year. Meanwhile Melky Cabrera is probably the worst starting CF in the AL East.....but I'm sure Brett Gardner is great

YAZMAN · 06-29-2008, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SchillingIsTheNatural

but I'm sure Brett Gardner is great

Flavor of the Week.

Jayhawk Bill · 06-29-2008, 10:33 AM

Let's consider a couple of things regarding Brett Gardner:

1) How well has he done this year; and
2) How good is he?

First, this year...let's not cut down how well he's done. His AAA MLE is .285/.403/.438, and I'd sure take a player with a .400+ OBP who can play an MLB-caliber CF on my team.

That's how well he's done. How good he is may well differ. Certainly he wasn't too highly regarded coming into 2008. His 2007 AAA batting line was .260/.343/.331, which translates to an MLE of .239/.317/.315, far too low for consideration of readiness. What changed?

1) Gardner has a career history of a greater-than-normal split vs. RHP and LHP. Entering 2008, his projected split was -.035/-.048/-.072. His actual split in AAA this year is +.043/-.011/+.130. All of his home runs have come in 83 PA vs. LHP, none in 195 PA vs. RHP. I suspect a small sample size aberration in his PA vs. LHP.

2) Gardner has a BABIP of .380. Yeah, he's fast, but he's not that fast, at least with MLB fielding, not AAA fielding.

I plugged Gardner's total MiLB stats from all levels--a respectable .289/.388/.386 batting line--into the MLE calculator at minorleaguesplits.com as a SWB to NYY conversion. It came out as a .246/.332/.322 batting line. BP PECOTA projected Gardner as a .236/.313/.327 hitter in MLB entering the season. When I look at the unusual stats vs. LHP in 2008, the ultra-high BABIP, and the tendency of many high-OBP/low-SLG batters to decline severely in IsoD upon promotion to MLB, I think that expecting too much from Gardner may be overoptimistic. He can steal bases, he can play CF, and he can hit for a reasonable OBP vs. RHP at the MLB level. Expecting him to meet that .285/.403/.438 MLE in MLB, though, looks out of the question.

SchillingIsTheNatural · 06-29-2008, 12:03 PM

From Baseball America chat:

Quote:

Q: Anton from the Bronx asks:
Is Brett Gardner finally closing in on those comparisons to Jacoby Ellsbury? I know the power is still a question, but doesn't that OBP mark make Gardner just as valuable?

A: Matt Eddy: Gardner could be a poor man's version of Ellsbury, as they say, but his top two tools — speed, defense — still fall short of the Boston center fielder's. And Ellsbury has more power and better bat control. That's not a knock, because Gardner could be quality leadoff batter, capable of working deep counts and intelligently stealing bases.

Ellsbury has more speed, stronger defense, better bat control, and more power.

26 to 6 · 06-30-2008, 01:22 PM

Brett Gardner has gotten the call and will be in uniform tonight against the Rangers.

No link just yet, sorry.