CROWDED HOUSE
TAMPA – Bernie Williams was jobless even before deciding upon unemployment. The token the Yankees had offered – and Williams rejected – was a chance to be the fifth outfielder, a role that exists kind of like Big Foot, more in vivid imagination than reality.
Fifth outfielders? The Yanks are going to have difficulty finding at-bats for fourth outfielder Melky Cabrera even as Joe Torre calls doing so “a priority.”
For now, Torre has the bonhomie of the four veterans whose playing time would have to be curtailed to start Cabrera. But it is February, when spirits are good and this is all only theory. Let’s see how Bobby Abreu, Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui and Jason Giambi react come April when lineup cards are posted without their names.
“That [who sits and when] is the tough part,” Giambi said. “That’s what makes Joe good.”
Joe would be better served as a magician than manager as he tries to make five players go comfortably into four spots. In years past, Torre would just have made the youngster disappear; abracadabra, there is Cabrera either growing stale on the bench or being shipped to Triple-A. However, hitting coach Don Mattingly flatly asserted, “we stunt his growth if we put him in the minors.”
Also, these days, the Yanks more willingly inject youth onto the roster and detract obesity from their payroll. The always-observant Damon noted Abreu “has a [$16 million] option next year that may or may not get picked up depending on Melky’s development.”
There also is this little thing: The Yanks think Cabrera can be an asset now. Mattingly said, “He’s 22, but I don’t care about his age, he can hit.” And Alex Rodriguez called Cabrera “a better than good player.” Teammates loved the energy he brought last year when he hit .280 with a .360 on-base percentage surprisingly helping the Yanks survive long-term injuries to Matsui and Gary Sheffield. He was patient from both sides of the plate, hit good pitching, stole 12 bases and, right now, he is the Yanks’ best defensive outfielder, notably due to his accurate arm.
The Yanks do not believe this a fluke. They envision Cabrera getting stronger, and developing 20-homer power. He hit four homers with a .319 average in 17 games playing for Aguilas in the Dominican winter league. General manager Brian Cashman authorized the winter ball anticipating that Cabrera’s playing time might be more limited this season.
“We have to get him 120-130 games,” Damon said.
But how? Though Abreu, Damon and Matsui will all be 33 during the season, they are incredibly durable.
Since 1998, only Atlanta’s Andruw Jones (1,423) has played more games among outfielders than Abreu (1,411) and Damon (1,366). Before missing four months with a left wrist fracture, Matsui had played 1,768 straight games dating to his time in Japan.
Torre had always been deferential of that streak, but he indicated that each veteran outfielder will be impacted by Cabrera’s need to play.
“My attitude will be to be prepared for every game, which is what I have always done and will continue to do,” Matsui said. “Who plays is up to the manager. If he tells me to rest, I rest. If he tells me to play, I play.”
There, of course, will be injuries. Damon arrived with a paunch and continuing problems with his left shoulder.
Matsui and Giambi both had recent wrist ailments, and Giambi is particularly brittle. But when all of the veterans are healthy, the Yanks likely will break their vow of keeping Giambi as a full-time DH. As Mattingly said, “I told Joe and Cash that Jason has to play some first base.”
If Giambi plays first three days a week (with Doug Mientkiewicz inserted for defense late), each starting outfielder could DH once a week with Cabrera being inserted in their place (he played center in the Dominican to renew familiarity there). In addition, the four veterans can rotate one day out of the starting lineup a month. That would allow Cabrera to start four times a week.
That is roughly 400 major league plate appearances, which beats being stuck on the bench, at Triple-A or unemployed.
