High and Tight.

Saturday, May 08, 2010

Girardi Has Lost His Mind

Saw this quote by Girardi about Brett Gardner:

After the Yankees didn't re-sign Johnny Damon to play left, sent Cabrera to the Braves and traded for Tigers center fielder Curtis Granderson, Gardner emerged out of spring training as the primary left fielder, although Marcus Thames then got some of the time against lefties.

Yet Gardner is off to a .370 start as a lefty vs. the lefties, going 10 for 27.

"I've always thought of him as an everyday player because he hits left-handers," Girardi said.

Now he is an everyday player, moving from left to center while Granderson recovers for perhaps a month from the groin strain he suffered last Saturday.

Remember last year when the beat writers jumped all over Girardi for "lying" about injuries? Why isn't anyone calling him on this?

Gardner is now playing against lefties because Granderson is hurt. Before that, Girardi moved the better centerfielder to left because he didn't want to have to make Granderson change positions due to the platoon he'd set up between Gardner and Thames. Gardner was not starting against lefties at all, as anyone who regularly reads this space has seen mentioned many times before.

Now, Girardi claims he "always thought of" Gardner was an everyday player because he "hits left-handers"? Girardi chose to instead play Granderson - who has repeatedly proven an inability to hit lefties - instead of Gardner.

Joe, just admit Gardner proved something to you and not that you "knew it all along."

It comes off as disingenuous and revisionist to anyone who has been paying attention.

Labels: brett gardner, girardi is an idiot, joe girardi

posted by Mr. Faded Glory @ 10:02 AM 1 comments

Friday, April 09, 2010

Well, at Least Now We Know Why C-Grand is in Center

While Gardner clearly was the superior centerfielder based on all available metrics including the naked eye, Girardi chose to put Granderson in center on an everyday basis and shift Gardner to left.

It's become apparant that Girardi didn't want to move Granderson to center from left when he plays Thames against lefthanders, because for some reason, Girardi has decided to platoon Gardner and Thames in left.

Maybe Girardi isn't aware that Gardner isn't the one who needs to sit vs. lefties.

Gardner vs. righties .330/.358/.688
Gardner vs. lefties .311/.317/.628
Granderson vs. righties .367/.530/.897
Granderson vs. lefties .271/.343/.615

It's fairly obvious who the one with the problem via lefties is out of the pair. Yes, Thames destroys lefthanders, and if you're going to play him at all it would be vs. a tough lefthanded starter. However if you're going to bench someone, make it Granderson and not Gardner, unless the players prove otherwise.

This seems more like a salary-driven "proven vet" Torre-type move. Let's hope it doesn't continue.

Labels: brett gardner, c-grand, girardi is an idiot, lineups, marcus thames

posted by Mr. Faded Glory @ 10:53 PM 0 comments

Friday, August 15, 2008

Well, it's About Time.

Melky has been demoted to AAA.

I don't see Gardner as the next Bernie Williams, but could he really be any worse than .242/.296/.337? Melky has never once in his career been a league average hitter and has gotten worse every season.

If only they'd traded him a year or more ago, like I said they shoudl have.

Labels: brett gardner, melky cabrera, roster moves

posted by Mr. Faded Glory @ 2:43 PM 0 comments