This article is the first part of a Spring Training Preview Article Series, in which I preview the Yankees as they head into Tampa to start their preseason activities. The series will be broken down by each position - released in separate articles. I will make a projection on who you may see in pinstripes come Opening Day, on March 28th, as the Yankees prepare to host the Baltimore Orioles.
Wow... it has been a while since I have written an article. Almost TWO months! To those that actually read these articles - please accept my most sincere apologies. A lot has happened for this blog since then and we couldn't be more excited. You may have noticed we have a new name, Yankee Chatter and that we have added a podcast to our repertoire. If you have had a chance to listen/watch - thank you for your time and your support! Tell your friends. Tell your family. Tell complete strangers... have fun with it.
---
If you have been keeping track, Yankee pitchers and catchers report to George Steinbrenner Field on February 13th - that's less than ten days from the time that this was written. At this moment there are still over 100 unsigned and available Free Agents out there (heck, you might as well throw my name onto that list as well <kidding>). But, let's not focus on those that have not signed. No. Instead, let us focus on the players the Yankees already have on their roster and the potential roles they may fill during the 2019 season. I am going to start with the infield, because if I still played baseball, that's where you would find me.
FIRST BASE
At this very moment in time, the Yankees have TWO first basemen on their roster. These two gentlemen go by the names of Greg Bird and Luke Voit. Yankee fans have a varying degree of opinions on each of these players.
GREG BIRD has been the heir apparent to first base ever since Mark Teixiera retired, but every single season he has had some pretty bad luck with staying healthy, and has yet to play a full, healthy season. He won the job out of Spring Training over Tyler Austin in 2017 with one of the most impressive Spring Performances I have seen in a very long time - only to injure himself on the final day of spring training, requiring multiple surgeries on his ankle. Since then, his performance has been quite sub par (2018 - .199AVG/11HR/38RBI in 82 games). In this time, fans have called for him to be traded, cut, banished, etc. from the Yankees. Alas, he is still a Yankee.
I for one am not among those fans - my issue is with how the organization handled Bird following his surgeries. He was CLEARLY rushed back, and needed much more time down in AAA to iron out his swing mechanics and get more comfortable moving around on his surgically repaired ankle. Bird, only 26, likely worked very hard to overcome his injuries in the first place - it was a miracle for him to even play 82 games last year. I know that is the last excuse any fan wants to hear, especially for a team trying to make a championship run. It has to be discouraging for him though, to finally be healthy - and yet is unable to produce like his is accustomed.
I am a fan of every player on this team - unless they have a known cancerous attitude. I will never root for a Yankee to fail. (I know I have never been sold on Aaron Hicks, but I don't root for him to fail). I want Greg Bird to succeed, and you should too - as long as he is a Yankee. Not every young player is Aaron Judge - Bird has succeeded in reaching the MLB, but he also needs to learn how to handle adversity, make adjustments, and move on.
With that said, I would fully expect (and hope) Bird to come into Spring Training with a chip on his shoulder. He needs to prove to the front office, fans, and himself that he DESERVES to start regularly at first. He also needs to prove he can consistently perform. The best thing for him this spring could be for the Yankees to establish this is a competition for first base. A competition had seemingly worked with him in years past... when healthy.
I strongly believe this will be a different Greg Bird in 2019 - for sake of all Yankee fans named "Greg"...
LUKE VOIT was acquired at the 2018 trade deadline from the Cardinals in exchange for pitchers Chasen Shreve and Giovanny Gallegos. He was acquired to be cheap first base depth for Greg Bird. During Bird's struggles, Aaron Boone gave Voit his chance and caught fire at the most opportune time. Down the stretch, Voit became the regular first baseman - putting up fantastic numbers (.333AVG/14HR/33RBI in just 39 games). He also started in all five of the Yankees post-season games.
The question on everyone's mind has to be, "is this the real Luke Voit? Or did the Yankees catch lightning in a bottle?" His 2018 performance gave Yankee fans visions of Shane Spencer in 1998. Can he continue to produce at this rate? Maybe, but probably not... it just doesn't seem realistic. Not to say that he isn't capable of such production - just that he has no prior history of it in the MLB. In the minors, Voit has always produced - so maybe he won't be a one-hit wonder.
Voit turns 28 on February 13th, and based on his MLB experience I would still consider him young. Both he and Bird have each played less than 200 MLB career games, so I really think keeping the pair in competition could bring out the best in each player.
It does help that they are each a right-handed (Voit) and a left-handed (Bird) bat; in theory, this would give Boone the flexibility of playing them in a platoon situation. Both of these players do not have an overwhelming sample size but they do not play to the typical stereotype. Bird hits better against lefties (.242AVG in 82 AB) than he does against righties (.205AVG in 448 AB) - he's also had over three times as many at-bats against righties. In Voit's MLB career he hits .309 AVG against lefties (81 AB) and .278 AVG against right handed pitchers (176 AB). Based purely on numbers, you would think Voit has the slight advantage to be the starting first baseman on Opening Day.
OTHER OPTIONS currently on the roster to play first base in 2019 are quite limited. Both Voit and Bird are primary first basemen. However, the Yankees did sign D.J. LeMahieu to be a "super" utility player. He is primarily a second baseman, but with his high quality fielding abilities, he is expected to play elsewhere quite frequently. When signed, LeMahieu was instructed to "bring many gloves to Spring Training". I would expect him to be this year's version of Neil Walker. Once Didi Gregorius returns from injury (Didi is expected to play this season) - might be Troy Tulowitzki. If he is able to stay healthy and show shades of his former production, he could stick around and see some action at first. His chances increase even more if Voit and/or Bird can't hack it.
One last option is Miguel Andujar, who struggled defensively in 2018. There has been talk of seeing what he is capable of over at first, especially if they sign a third baseman. You want Andujar's bat in the lineup somewhere, and with the crowded outfield he won't be able to DH full-time. I see this as a desperate move, and likely will not happen.
MY OPENING DAY PROJECTION - As much as I would love a good comeback story in Bird, I would expect LUKE VOIT will start at first base on Opening Day.
Coming up next... SECOND BASE!