Thursday, October 2, 2014

The Next Yankee Captain: Brett Gardner?


Derek Jeter has officially retired from Major League Baseball and for the first time in over a decade the New York Yankees are without a captain. If the Yankees are thinking of honoring another player with the captain role as soon as 2015 wouldn't that player have to be Brett Gardner?

Gardner came through the Yankees system after being drafted in the 3rd round of the 2005 draft out of College of Charleston. Gardner made his MLB debut with New York on June 30, 2008 and has basically been with the Yankees big league club ever since. Gardner has beat the odds at every stop in his baseball career and has become an every day player and star player for the Yankees. His determination, love for the game, and his fire are on display almost every single game, something a Yankees captain personifies. 

Gardner is not without his faults as he doesn't harness his God given speed enough to steal enough bases and strikes out far too much but I didn't hear anyone calling Derek Jeter perfect until this season either. The Yankees broke one of their unwritten rules this winter as they negotiated a deal with Gardner before his current deal was up and signed him to a four year extension with a fifth year option worth $52 million.

If the Yankees can break one rule for Gardner they must think pretty highly of him and may break a mold in passing the torch from Jeter to Brett this winter with a big letter "C" on his chest. 

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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)