By William Coppola
Gold Glove winner Bret Gardner, CF, NY Yankees
New York Yankees Bret Gardner just won a Gold Glove for the first time. Having watched him day in and day out, I can honestly say, he deserved one. Understanding why the Yankees spent all that money on Jacoby Ellsbury has always bothered me.
Gardner has always been the better center fielder. Don’t get me wrong here, Ellsbury is a very good fielder, albeit with an arm like a 14 -year old kid playing Pony ball. Yankees brass could have better spent the ‘Ellsbury’ money on a starting pitcher back then.
The signings that year that included Brian McCann and Carlos Beltran, who were not worth the price. Those guys — horses in their day — soon became glue. So, what do the Yankees do now?
For starters, trade Gardner and one of those new prospects for a starting pitcher. Perhaps, for a lefty? You can never have enough lefty pitchers in Yankee Stadium. How about going after the White Sox’s Chris Sales? Add either free agents Aroldis Chapman or Kenley Jansen and they will have a playoff contending team, as they develop their prospects, starting this year.
Simple you say? Well, in baseball the more complicated you make it, the harder it is to get things done. Of course, the price for a number 1 pitcher in the starting rotation, will be steeper than Gardner and a top prospect. The realistic scenario for the White Sox to deal Sales, would come when teams are looking to get him, mid season or later, when they are headed to the playoffs.
The Yankees, just need to add one of these top of the line free agent closers this year, and see what these top prospects have with a full year under their belt. And then go after Manny Machado, Bryce Harper, Clayton Kershaw or any number of big time, 2018 free agents.
That would be money well-spent. But will Yankees fans be happy having to wait one more year before they’re real contenders?
If you believe that then you’ll believe that Donald Trump will one day be President and the Chicago Cubs will win a World Series — all within the same week.
Editor’s Note: William Coppola just completed his 40th year in the game of baseball. He has been a coach, instructor and scout on the professional level.
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