NFT: Should Yankees trade Brett Gardener

Field your best team and worry about Frazier later. They need BG if they are going to make a series push to get back to the ALCS this year, in my opinion.

Gardner should retire a Yankee. Until his game falls off, which he has shown zero signs of, he is a starter and captain of this team. Love Brett, its hard for me to think of another player that plays with 100% effort every day like he does.

sometimes the whole is better than the sum of the parts.

this team is long on talent but short on veteran leadership...a role Gardner has really grown into well on the backside of his career

And he's still one of the better defensive LFs in the game, in a home ballpark where LF can be a challenge

He's in the last year of his deal, so he's not disrupting anything. Long term, I think Judge and Stanton will settle into a RF/DH platoon, which means Clint can slot into left field in 2019 (if he's not traded for pitching).

& a table-setter at the top of the lineup. People forget how tough a LF Yankees Stadium is,which is why Stanton and/or Judge will play the majority of their games in LF in away stadiums. Frazier is a very good hitter &,after watching him play the field,an average fielder(he was hyped as a CF,which he's not & as a LF gets by).Gardner is an important cog to the Yankees in 2018 both on offense & defense!

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From Jon Heyman:

Three years ago the Yankees thought about making this trade:

Yankees Get: Jayson Heyward, Andrelton Simmons, Melvin Upton, David Carpenter, Chris Johnson

Braves Get: AARON JUDGE, GARY SANCHEZ, LUIS SEVERINO, Manny Banuelos, and Ian Clarkin

In comment 13785113 Greg from LI said:

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This. Gardner is a good player but if we get a piece or two for the future it would be worth it. Plus it helps elevate our over crowded outfield.

although there is a team option for next year. Either way, baseball has changed and no one is trading anything of value for an over 30 outfielder with one or two years remaining.

He's worth more to the Yankees this year. They're a legit World Series contender.

And can’t move enough of Ells.

In Baseball except the ones they wear on their heads. The dollar figure you/they are referring to is a luxury tax threshold which is $197 million. If they sign Darvish which I’m against they almost have to trade both Gardner and Robertson if they plan on staying under that threshold.

he's shown no signs of declining and has a good deal. He should be the starting LF and the Yankees can then move Frazier to replace him the year after.

On another note, guy has had a nice career. 11 HR, 54 RBI, and 32 SB per 162 games in his career. GG defense and a .347 career OBP as well.

the Yankees could get enough value back in a trade. The only way would be if there were a contender (in the NL) who was desperate for a CF, as some of Gardner's value is limited playing LF and sharing the OF with Hicks (or Ellsbury).

By having an excellent defensive outfield, it puts less strain on our starting pitching which then puts less strain on our bullpen. Gardner also sees a lot of pitches and forces pitchers to throw strikes and not make mistakes, which wears down on the pitcher, especially as he has to worry about Judge/Sanchez/Stanton/Bird/Didi coming down the pike.

Gardner may have lost a step, with a consistent decline in his BABIP (and therefore batting average), and his overly selective approach at the plate may be detrimental but he still helps this Yankee team out a lot.

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I love Gardener

Based on how many times you've butchered his name, I don't think you do.

How deep is your love?

In comment 13785095 mfsd said:

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this team is long on talent but short on veteran leadership...a role Gardner has really grown into well on the backside of his career And he's still one of the better defensive LFs in the game, in a home ballpark where LF can be a challenge

I agree with all of this. Good points!

Mets already signed Jay Bruce.

Everybody else is playing for second place.

He is on the back 9 of his career, he still has some trade value, the Yanks have a glut of OF's, he is not in the long term future of the team, and better to trade him a year too soon than a year too late

Love gardy and what he brings as a heart & soul guy, at his salary for next year and presumably what he would sign after that; will be more reasonable to swallow as his productions inevitably dips rather then the atrocity Elsburys contract has become.

But this of course, makes it much easier to trade him then elsbury. from a economics/logic stand point, it seems very likely that one of those guys will not be on the team to close next season, good riddance jacoby.

I know Judge gets a lot of walks so that is good. But in order to win you need a balanced line up of guys who get on base in front of the sluggers. Gardy can be that type of hitter. I wish that he would cut down on his home run swing and focus more on getting on base.

$5.1MM. One can only imagine how loaded up Randy Levine was with ammo for this year's hearing.
link - ( New Window )

to improve the LF position helping the team. A year or two from now he easily could be playing for another team via free agency. So a Yankee for life is poetic but business is business
Call Jeter and grab their CF.We got the pieces to satisfy that penny pincher

In comment 13785135 B in ALB said:

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From Jon Heyman: Three years ago the Yankees thought about making this trade: Yankees Get: Jayson Heyward, Andrelton Simmons, Melvin Upton, David Carpenter, Chris Johnson Braves Get: AARON JUDGE, GARY SANCHEZ, LUIS SEVERINO, Manny Banuelos, and Ian Clarkin

That is incorrect Judge was not apart of that deal. The rest were and it was very close to happening apparently.

Judge was apart of that deal. Wow

Takes a ton of pitches, plays great defense, is the backup CF, has good speed and is our only true leadoff hitter unless Ellsbury stays and beats out Hicks.

necessary and I mean necessary. He is the de facto captain. He is the work ethic guy on the team. Best defensive outfielder, IMHO, still.

Unfortunately the two most tradeable guys to free up money are Gardy and DRob.

But it would need to be somebody of equal or better value. Brett’s been a good Yankee. He deserves to go out a Yankee.

I must have missed all the years Hicks played anywhere near a full season healthy. Gardy is a team leader and does a ton of things that help. I get the feeling he's worth more to us than we'd get back in a trade.

In comment 13785169 FatMan in Charlotte said:

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Quote: I love Gardener Based on how many times you've butchered his name, I don't think you do. How deep is your love?

+1e

In comment 13785251 Jay on the Island said:

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Judge was apart of that deal. Wow

I know I tend to be annoying about this sort of thing, but "a part" and "apart" have basically opposite meanings. And you keep landing on the wrong one.

Why is he still here??

Pay him to go away and be done with it

Eat as much money as you have to

Recently

Gardner (thank you Fatman) may have to be moved for either opening up more money or in a deal trading for a starter.

two reasons Ellsbury is still a Yankee. No one wants him even at half his salary and more importantly he has a full no trade contract. He can void any trade the Yankees try and make.

This is his last year with the Yankees unless they can dump Ellsbury.

In comment 13785491 arniefez said:

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two reasons Ellsbury is still a Yankee. No one wants him even at half his salary and more importantly he has a full no trade contract. He can void any trade the Yankees try and make.

I'm a little surprised he's so ademnant about staying to fight for a bench job

It's a shame we can't just pay 80+% of his salary and send him
To California where he likes

At the same time, if Gardy's hitting becomes a lot less effective, then that will be a big drag on the Yanks' effectiveness. I'm not so sure Gardy can keep it up this year and,if that happens, Branch Rickey's words will be heard over and over again this coming season.

at least have the first shot at hitting 1st. Gardner had a .350 OBP last year Ellsbury had a .348. Gardner had 660 PA's Ellsbury 380.

Gardner is a much better glove and can be counted on to play a lot more games but in August and September last year Ellsbury was actually a much more productive hitter.

Any Yankee fan and the Yankees themselves would much rather have Gardner than Ellsbury for the defense and the energy he brings but it won't surprise me if when all Ellbury alternatives are exhausted that Gardenr is traded if Cashman can get Darvish at his price.

That way he keeps Frazier for LF in 2019 or can use him for other trades. Gardner is not going to be the Yankees LF in 2019.

But he is one of the core players on this team, and a real team guy. It would not make me happy to see him gone and Ellsbury here, that is for sure.

if Gardner were traded...and that they'd consider trading Gardner if they can't unload half of Ellsbury's contract in a trade.

Ellsbury could be a good bench part if they can't move him. It's just ridiculous that they would pay him over 20 million for that role.

you do not trade him IMHO

In comment 13785825 arniefez said:

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Ellsbury could be a good bench part if they can't move him. It's just ridiculous that they would pay him over 20 million for that role.

In a part-time role, he may be a very useful 4th OFer and insurance against either Hicks crashing down to earth or Gardner slowing down. I'm not interested in giving him away unless they need to create $$$ to land Darvish or someone else that fits the long term plan.

If he gets off to a slow start we have ELLsbury and then Frazier, even if we have to call up Frazier from the minors. But if we take a different approach and include Gardy in a trade to get a starting pitcher, we then can give Frazier, who has a very quick bat, an opportunity to start in LF and if Frazier gets hot then there is no stopping the Yanks.

He doesn't have a big contract and he provides something that no one else on this team does. He's also a good veteran presence on a very, very young team. I'm glad he's staying.

He has earned the right to pursue a World Series Championship and the Yankees should return to him the loyalty he has always had for this team. He has only been with the Yankee organization and epitomizes what we want to see in a player who wears the pinstripes. He means a lot to the heart and soul of this club. Keep him!

a willing trade partner, and get enough value back, then yes, trade him. Not sure what you can get back for him at his age.

To relieve the glut of outfielders, it would be ideal to move Ellsbury one way or another. Similar problem though, there is little interest in him.

In comment 13786839 idinkido said:

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He has earned the right to pursue a World Series Championship and the Yankees should return to him the loyalty he has always had for this team. He has only been with the Yankee organization and epitomizes what we want to see in a player who wears the pinstripes. He means a lot to the heart and soul of this club. Keep him!

Gary? Sanchez?

Or did the case of the extra E just become the case of the missing D?

what's the difference...?

In comment 13785363 capone said:

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Remember that Capone is "plugged in"- especially to the M's. Don't discount what he offers, even if all the Yanks are doing is asking on returns.

Personally, I think that IF the Yanks were to make a deal with Darvish (hopefully only 4-5 years and under $20M per)- though on a personal level, I do not think the deal is even necessary or wise- Gardner would be the easiest to move and probably the best move remaining.

If the Yanks trade Gardner, they probably get back a decent prospect or two. However, it also probably simplifies their OF issues in interesting ways.

First- I do not think that Frazier gets the first crack at the LF job. I think Ellsbury would. Remember that the Yanks will very likely open 2018 with rookies at 2B and 3B already- either on opening day or by late April. Hard to have 3 rookies breaking in at the same time on a competitive club.

Two- Ellsbury causes the least roster disruption. If you trade Gardner, Ellsbury likely is the next best option at leadoff. Effectively, you take out a leadoff hitter and replace him with another leadoff hitter- no moving other guys out of their roles.

Three- Ellsbury is almost impossible to trade- and making him the 4th OF with 3 years left on his deal would only make it worse. If he is starting, and plays well in 2018, it becomes easier to deal him either at the trade deadline or after the 2018 season. After 2018, with only 2 years left on the deal, so long as the Yanks take a bad contract back or eat some of the deal, the contract is palatable at that point.

Four- remember that Frazier missed a LOT of time in 2017 with the dreaded oblique injury. He is still in his development stage- and he would likely be helped more by getting 400-500 ABs in AAA than being in an unsure situation in NY. Let him finish his development and give him a chance to grab the job in 2019.

bc he’s outplayed expectations his whole career, while Ellsbury has predictably underperformed his contract that the majority called a mistake from the day it was signed.

The performance difference between Gardy and Ells (contracts aside) is pretty thin. Gardy is a better fielder. Ellsbury is good for at least one injury a season...sometimes he plays through it, at the cost of performance. The team leadership factor favors Gardy - Ellsbury isn’t a bad guy or anything, but he’s never had the personality other players look up to.

Point being, I can see why trading Gardy if the goal is to shed salary for a Darvish deal is an option they’re considering. As a fan, I don’t like it, but I get it.