Swisher in CF?
January 9, 2009, 1:33 pmThe Yankees don’t seem willing to try him there, but he’d probably be a better option then Johnny Damon from a defensive standpoint.
Based on Damon’s CF play in 2008 (34 games), his UZR/150 (runs below or above average, per 150 games) was -27.3. That’s pretty miserable. On the other hand, based on Swisher’s CF play in 2008 (70 games), his UZR/150 was -10.5. I say “was” because these numbers seem to apply only to a specific season, as they are contingent upon what was done there, that year. However, you can use them to predict how good someone may be in CF in 2009 and given Damon’s terrible numbers, maybe Swisher could be a better option there (if the Yankees choose to use Swisher, Damon and Nady in the OF, together).
With the addition of Tex, the Yankees can afford, and should, run Brett Gardner out in center every day to see what they have in him. His defense is miles better than can Damon, Swisher or Melky offer. Rotate Swisher, Nady, Damon and Matsui as the LF/RF/DH and keep ‘em fresh. Bat Gardner 9th and take what he gives you and let him roam center until his bat proves he can’t stick.
And don’t trade any of them. Depth is very good.
If Boston can come within one game of the World Series suffering through Varitek’s awful at-bats, certainly the Yankees can succeed with Gardner’s.
I could live with Gardner in CF, most definitely. Ellsbury was also terrible last year and yet, somehow, the Red Sox made it with him, Mark Kotsay and Coco Crisp rotating in at center.
just sayin, but i think melky should be in center
A few people on replacementlevelyankees have brought up the point that going with Swisher/Damon/Nady (or flipping around Swisher and Damon) would really only cost them about 1 game defensively (based on the metrics) while they would be more than one game better offensively when compared to a lineup with Gardner or Melky substituted for one of those three.
Remember offensive is 50% of the game, while defense is NOT 50% of the game because pitching factors in heavily. Really offensive is 50% of the game and defense + pitching are the other 50%. In other words, its VERY tough to make up for horrible offense with defensive abilities. (Obviously, this doesn’t apply to short series situations where one bad defensive play can cost a team a game and eventually a series. It applies to the large sample size of a 162 game season)
Personally, I think they should just go into the season as is (unless someone blows them away with an offer for one of the OFers) and they can give Melky or Gardner a chance in CF and if they are horrible offensively, they always have the option to go with the Swisher/Damon/Nady alignment.
I’d take an OF of Nady (RF), Swish (CF/LF) and Damon (CF/LF) any day. I hope the Yankees do go into camp with that combination and make it work throughout the season.