[新聞] A-Rod the one star Yanks could least afford to lose from lineup
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Around the Horn: Corner infielders
A-Rod the one star Yanks could least afford to lose from lineup
NEW YORK -- It was a darker period of the Yankees' offseason, with general
manager Brian Cashman addressing the early November state of his club, eyeing
a future that the likely American League MVP, Alex Rodriguez, appeared to
have opted out of.
Asked to size up New York's third-base options, the GM grinned, resorting to
a measure of gallows humor.
"Hello, Wilson Betemit," Cashman said, adding, "Internally, he's our guy
until something else comes along."
Not to disparage the 26-year-old Betemit, a midseason pickup who hit four
home runs in 37 games down the stretch, but no one would argue that the
Yankees project to be far more lethal with A-Rod manning a corner position.
That became official in December, as Rodriguez finalized the terms of a
landmark $275 million contract that will keep him in New York through the
2018 season. The package could wind up being worth $300 million if Rodriguez
clubs his next 244 home runs in pinstripes, surpassing Barry Bonds' Major
League record of 762.
"I feel so fortunate to be playing for the greatest franchise in the world,
" Rodriguez said. "That's what I've wanted all along. That's where I wanted
to finish the career. My whole life has been a huge blessing and a dream."
Rodriguez, 32, was the Yankees' clear offensive leader throughout most of the
2007 campaign, his powerful right-handed swing whipping baseballs into the
seats at a frenzied pace and leading his club out of its early-season deficit.
So there was little surprise when Rodriguez claimed his third AL MVP Award --
his second as a Yankee, having also secured the award in 2005.
Committed to a new physical fitness regimen and hot right out of the gate,
Rodriguez batted .314 with 54 home runs and 156 RBIs in 158 games for the
Yankees in 2007, leading the Major Leagues in homers, RBIs and runs scored
(143). The season ended on a sour note in the playoffs, but Rodriguez said
its impact was still important.
"For me, it's been the most magical and most special year of my career so far,
for many reasons," Rodriguez said. "Again, not winning the World Series is
very disappointing -- that's why you strap it on every Spring Training and
that's why you work so hard in the wintertime.
"But from a personal level, it was very satisfying to be able to come back
from '06 and show the world what kind of player I am, on the greatest stage
in the world, which is the Yankees."
Since RBIs became an official statistic in 1920, only three other players
(none in the past 50 years) have compiled a season with the Major League lead
in those three categories -- Babe Ruth, Ted Williams and Mickey Mantle.
Rodriguez's .645 slugging percentage was tops in the big leagues, as was his
eye-opening ratio of one RBI per 3.7 at-bats.
That made retaining Rodriguez one of the Yankees' chief priorities -- at
least, until the All-Star and his agent, Scott Boras, opted out during Game 4
of the 2007 World Series. But time and a personal telephone call to senior
vice president Hank Steinbrenner seemed to heal all wounds in a dramatic turn
of events.
"It seemed like the whole thing was a roller coaster," Rodriguez said. "It
was very emotional. It was very stressful. All along the line, I knew that I
wanted to be a Yankee, and somewhere along the line, I took a couple wrong
turns."
Across the diamond at first base, the Yankees have decidedly less star power,
though they are still counting on showcasing some thump. Having bid farewell
to regulars Doug Mientkiewicz and Andy Phillips via free agency, the Yankees
plan to enter 2008 with Jason Giambi, Betemit and Shelley Duncan as their
primary first-base personalities.
One year after Giambi was sidelined for two months with a painful left foot
injury, there was some question concerning how the former AL MVP would hold
up to the rigors of full-time duty at first base. Now 37 and entering the
final year of his seven-year, $120 million contract, Giambi seems best suited
for life as a designated hitter, with a sprinkling of first-base work mixed
in.
A .236 hitter in an abbreviated 83-game campaign that featured 14 home runs
and 39 RBIs, Giambi played just 18 games in the field in 2007, despite
insisting during Spring Training that his mind-set would be to play triple
digits defensively, bellowing, "The Big G is loose!" on the rare occasions
former manager Joe Torre saw fit to patrol Giambi around first base.
Manager Joe Girardi seemed to hint last month that Giambi's time carrying a
glove could be similarly limited in 2008.
"I always value defense," Girardi said. "I think defense is very important,
because you can save a lot of runs, as well as drive in a lot of runs. So we
will look at those things as the season goes on, but it's very important to
me."
Duncan, 28, became something of a Paul Bunyan-esque folk hero when he burst
onto the scene in July, becoming the first player to homer five times in his
first 22 big league at-bats since Graig Nettles did so in 1967 and '68.
Addressed in organizational reports as a professional, line-to-line hitter,
Duncan showcased better-than-advertised defense at first base and a strong
arm from the outfield, batting .257 with seven home runs and 17 RBIs in 34
games for New York.
Though his season was slowed by a hernia that required surgery and his
offseason interrupted by a blood-clot scare that required hospitalization,
Duncan said that he is expecting to be free and clear in time for Spring
Training.
"Everything's going all right," Duncan said last month. "The doctors have
told me that I don't have anything to worry about. I'm just looking forward
to getting down there and getting it started again."
Betemit is another contender to see playing time at first base, despite
picking up the position only after joining the Yankees. Primarily a third
baseman, Betemit's opportunities to back up A-Rod -- injuries aside -- should
be limited (Rodriguez has averaged more than 157 games in his four years with
New York).
First base could present an opportunity to log at-bats for Betemit, who hit
.229 with 14 homers and 50 RBIs in a combined 121 games between the Dodgers
and Yankees last season. With New York, he hit .226 with four homers and 24
RBIs.
Girardi said he isn't concerned about the potential for having a revolving
door of candidates at first base. Sooner or later, he insists the stability
will come.
"I was on clubs here in the late '90s -- there were more people than
positions to fill, and we made it work and we won championships," Girardi
said last month. "And we will try to do the same now. I mean, you never know.
I don't think you can ever have too many people."
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