Has started the past 5 or 6 games and is now batting lead off for the Yankees. Given his speed, if he could hit for a decent average, this guy could be a nice three category contributer. Any chance he can work his way into being a starter? Or is he just spelling Swisher and Cabrera while they are struggling?
I am pretty sure Gardner has been steadily starting against righties. He will hit 9th all season though I believe, but it is like hitting leadoff with one fewer AB and the guys behind him are pretty darn good. I like him to start vs bad righties and platoon him with Bourn right now.
Gritner could be a useful platoon player if you need steals and some runs without taking a hit to your average. But even without Nady, the Yanks have 4 good outfielders for 3 slots (Gardner, Melky, Swisher and Damon), plus Matsui, who might see some OF time down the road. So don't expect him to be an everyday player.
She said always remember never to trust me She said that the first night that she met me She said "there's gonna be a time when I'm gonna have to go with whoever's gonna get me the highest."
WakaJawaka wrote:After last nights line, he needs another look.
Promptly followed by 0-5. Still, I think Gardner ought to get an extended run given that he is 26 and might be a Yank for a decade, unlike Swisher and Matsui.
gardner has only been hitting in the leadoff spot bcuz jeter is battling an illness that has bounced around the club house. jeter and damon are the top 2 guys when their both healthy. gotta agree with the above opinions as well, there are 4 good OF for only 3 available spots, because posada/matsui usually clog the DH spot with swisher getting time there occassionally. but after the trade deadline that should change. Austin Jackson, the yankees top prospect, is the future star in the OF, not gardner. Jackson is MLB ready now and if he were playing for any other club he would already be in the bigs but the Yanks OF is too jammed for him to be called up bcuz he won't be called up to be a platoon player. I fully expect the Yankees to make a move to acquire a setup man, maybe 2, at the deadline and that will come at the expense of one of these OF for sure. Most likely swisher or melky will be the ones dealt but i wouldn't be surprised if they decide to put joba in the bullpen if they trade jackson away for a great starting pitcher.
Montana168 wrote:gardner has only been hitting in the leadoff spot bcuz jeter is battling an illness that has bounced around the club house. jeter and damon are the top 2 guys when their both healthy. gotta agree with the above opinions as well, there are 4 good OF for only 3 available spots, because posada/matsui usually clog the DH spot with swisher getting time there occassionally. but after the trade deadline that should change. Austin Jackson, the yankees top prospect, is the future star in the OF, not gardner. Jackson is MLB ready now and if he were playing for any other club he would already be in the bigs but the Yanks OF is too jammed for him to be called up bcuz he won't be called up to be a platoon player. I fully expect the Yankees to make a move to acquire a setup man, maybe 2, at the deadline and that will come at the expense of one of these OF for sure. Most likely swisher or melky will be the ones dealt but i wouldn't be surprised if they decide to put joba in the bullpen if they trade jackson away for a great starting pitcher.
I am sorry but as a Yankee fan I literally disagree with this post entirely, and will go as far to say it is completely false.
A-Jax MLB ready now? Um, do you follow Austin? Austin Jackson has played 1 game in his entire MiLB career above double A BEFORE this year. He posted a .774 OPS in Double AA last year. I am sorry but he would not be a starting OF on ANY other team in the Majors He came into this AT LEAST a full year away from the Majors, and he will be a Sept callup, when the minor league season is over. So no, Gardner and Melky are not going anywhere, because between them that is your starting CF/4th OF. Austin Jackson was a late 1st round picked and wasn't drafted because of elite baseball skills. The Yankees took him because he was a extremely athletic kid, with the tools they hope could translate into a baseball player. He still is a work in progress. He will not sniff a starting job in the majors this year, and will have to battle next spring training for one.
If they are going to trade, it will be their abundance of raw pitching arms in the minors.
Recent interview with Brian Cashman on WFAN 660 AM with Mike Francessca
Mike: "Has there every been any consideration of putting Joba in the bullpen" Brian: "No, it has never come up."
Joba can never go to the bullpen again. Since his shoulder injury last year in Texas Brian Cashman has went on record saying Joba has trouble getting his velocity up early in the game. Which would explain why his 1st inning stats have been so awful this year. Before each start of his now, he is throwing a simulated inning before the game to get his velocity up. With this sort of problem the bullpen is out of the question for now. As he reaches his IP limit towards the end of the year. I would expect a bullpen experiment.
Swisher being dealt? I mean I see you are a Yankee fan but do you follow the Yankees? Swisher has a .373 OBP and rocking a 873 OPS, I am pretty confident in saying Swisher is pretty much untouchable. If I am not mistaken Swisher is top three in OBP on the team. With his 873 OPS, he is in the top 5 in AL RF's this year.
Swisher isn't going anywhere
So, in short, where did you come up with all that info?
B-Chad wrote:Pedroia's LD rate of 20% is reason to believe he'll maintain a higher BA then Cano. It should also be noted he hits more FB's then Cano, which means that even if he posts a lower HR/FB then Cano, he should come in reasonably close to Cano in HR's
Austin Jackson has played 1 game in his entire MiLB career above double A
You do realize jackson has been playing at Scranton/Wilkes Barre all year, the Yanks AAA team, right? Here's his stat line so far: 41 runs 3 Hr 29 rbi 13-for-13 SB .320/.386/.444/.829. he's having a solid year and coming into 2 weeks ago was hitting .350 for the season but a .175 BA over the past 10 games has brought that down, but he seems to be coming out of this funk already by hitting 2 bombs back-to-back nights. jackson is the yankees their number 1 prospect, maybe number 2 (jesus montero might be considered their number 1 overall). he is supposed to develop decent power but he is mainly a steals guy. not saying he is the next crawford or anything but he should be decent. and yes he was caught stealing at a high rate last year but he has clearly turned that around this year by not being caught in 13 attempts.
Joba can never go to the bullpen again
As he reaches his IP limit towards the end of the year. I would expect a bullpen experiment
You just contradicted yourself big time. "Joba can never go to the bullpen again, but i would expect a bullpen experiment." That makes no sense at all. I am with you though that i HOPE joba remains a starter in the league because i think if someone can teach him how to maintain a steady velocity throughout the game, he can be an elite starter in the league one day, HOWEVER, if he cannot figure this problem out, he is destined for the bullpen (at least for the playoffs) and COULD be CONSIDERED the heir apparent to rivera if he stuggles as a starter. remember guys like rivera and papelbon were starters at the beginning of their careers but were moved to the pen, and well, look how that worked out. but let me say again, i hope that joba figures it out as a starter because he could create a lethal pitching duel with CC for the next 8 or so years.
Yes i am with you that swisher has been a big part of the yankees offense this year, but he is far from being in their long-term goals. If the right offer is made for that helps the Yanks' bullpen, they will take it. Yes, he has a high OBP/OPS, but he is an EXTREMELY streaky player. he does not display one ounce of consistency, and that is what the yanks need. he goes on rampant streaks, tearing the cover off the ball...then the next thing you know, he's in a 1-25 slump. look at his month-to-month splits over the past couples years, including this year. too many months to post it all, but i'll show u this years. april: .430 OBP/1.144 OBP may: .311/.586 june: .385/.905 and he's already starting his july slump month by going 6 for his past 28 AB's . maybe the yankees won't trade him because he stepped up in a big way when arod was out in april, but he is far from being an elite player in the league which you are making him out to be.
So, you two Yankee fans......thanks for the informative posts. Back to the original question - Is Gardner going to start 4 or 5 times a week or not? If he platoons, could we expect 17-18 ABs?
I'm in a very deep league (16 teams, 20 man rosters, 3 DL spots) but usually don't like to carry extra batters. However, I could really use the steals.
Cafe Home
Fantasy Football
Fantasy Basketball
Fantasy Hockey
by spark0901 » Sat Jun 27, 2009 3:19 pm 
He came into this AT LEAST a full year away from the Majors, and he will be a Sept callup, when the minor league season is over. So no, Gardner and Melky are not going anywhere, because between them that is your starting CF/4th OF. Austin Jackson was a late 1st round picked and wasn't drafted because of elite baseball skills. The Yankees took him because he was a extremely athletic kid, with the tools they hope could translate into a baseball player. He still is a work in progress. He will not sniff a starting job in the majors this year, and will have to battle next spring training for one. 
