You can’t compare Pena to Ensberg. Pena is younger and a lefty power hitter; much more potent for Yankee Stadium.

..and the others were, take away their speed, average or perhaps good players who would be little remembered.

Sure, a higher OPS is better than a low one. But how good, really, were Robinson, Brock and Henderson if you took speed out of their games? Base running is the most under rated skill in the game. Bunting, second. The juiced-up stats of the last two decades obscured that but it will soon become clear again. I’ll take Gardner over a bunch of lead-legged stiffs with cast-iron gloves and occasional power. Jim Spencer, anyone? Toby Harrah? Mark my words. By May or June, people will be clamoring for Gardner (or maybe even Justin Christian)

Yeah, Robinson without speed wasn’t as good as Bobby Grich. Mays without speed? Sure, McCovey. and the others were, take away their speed

It’s ridiculous. I mean, are you seriously counting on Giambi at age 38 to play an injury free 1b and be in the field every single day?

Are you?

If we let Ensberg go for the Cody Ransom, Woodward, Alberto Gonazles of the world, Ensberg will be snapped up and he will hit close to 30 HR’s and destroy LH pitching for another team.

It will be Carlos Pena all over again.

Ensberg will play against lefties every game. Mark it down. He will either DH or play 1b (probably 1b).

This isn’t Josh Phelps. This is a guy who proved himself at the major league level and had his power sapped due to a shoulder injury he’s finally healing from.

Some of you guys seriously have screws loose.

You care more about having the defensively perfect emergency SS, 2b OF for the one game we might need him before we can DL the injured player and call up the appropriate replacement, than you do about having a team that is as fierce against LH pitching as it is against RH pitching?

You’d rather waste a spot on an slick fielding fast running UTIF than a guy who crushes lefties (isn’t terrible against righties) and can play both corners?

Here’s what happens if Jeter goes down for a long stretch. They try Betemit. If it doesn’t work, Arod plays SS and Ensberg, an accomplished 3b, plays 3rd.

Here’s what happenes if Cano goes down for a long stretch. They try Betemit. If he doesn’t work out, they call up a 2b from the minors to fill in.

Here’s what happens if Arod or Giambi go down. They play Ensberg as a replacement.

Where exactly is this guy hurting our team?

Is he hurting us because your minor league mascot of the month in Gardner and Ransom have to put some more time in the minors?

CANO BATTED .328 VS LHP. He’s not merely a good hitter vs. lefties, He’s anathema to lefties. Expect that to continue. Therefore, you might not want to include him in your group of “too many lefties” vs. LHP.

the real issue is modern baseball and the high number of relievers on a roster; carrying 12 pitchers means you almost have to sacrifice some facet of the bench. in this case it was speed.

Juan Pierre - 84
Dave Roberts - 84

So you have three super stars who you thinks were starts because they had great speed? 2 Above average players, and 2 below. I was a SS in a diferent era, the other average 2 years per team.

And then you have Juan and Dave sukatude, although both are better then Gardner is now.

Really, you folks come up with the most bizarre and cherry picked examples and try to use them to make a point.
People: OPS >>>> Speed

Unfortunately, speed and defense alone are NOT enough to make a great team like the Yankees. Add excellent hitting (Damon in his prime) or hitting and power (Carl Crawford, ARod, AJax) and NOW you have something.

My guess is Gardner is rated SLIGHTY lower then Melky, who is starting only because Matsui stinks on D, and JD and Mats have had injuries. On top of 4 OFers, we also have FrankenShelly. Our OF is 5 deep. Not great on D or speed, but overall, pretty darn good.

Will Melky get better? Will Gardner get better? If Gardner does get better, maybe we don’t resign Bobby and put that $16m into Tex? Is Gardner + Tex > Abreu? Maybe we trade Melky, who has very good value. Maybe AJax and/or Tabata get hurt or turn into duds? Who knows? We need another year or 2 to really know what our 2009/10 OF looks like.

And of couse, while JD and Mats are signed through 2009, either could get injured and just begin to stink. Could 2009 Gardner be better then 2009 JD? Again, who knows.
And there has been talk of trading Mats. He also will have good value (1 yr/$13m)

So what are we ‘developing’ Brett Gardner for? Simply to see IF he can play a role in our future. That is the question. But that question won’t be answered, and it will also stunt Gardner’s potential, to have him ride the pine 90% of the time in 2008.

In 2010, Is an OF of Tabata, AJax, Melky and Brett good enough? I guess we will have to wait and see.

P.S.
Dave Roberts has been ‘moved’ to 5 teams over 9 years.
Juan Pierre has played on 4 teams in 8 years.
How valuable do you think these guys are?