Left Fielder: Brett Gardner – New York Yankees
Nobody should ever have the audacity to question Yankees left fielder Brett Gardner’s work ethic. Gardner is a warrior, who brings everything he has every day. The qualities previously mentioned are rarely those you find associated with the names on an overrated list. However, in the case of Gardner, the spotlight of playing your career in New York City to go along with a second half fall-off after earning his first All-Star appearance last year, have contributed in his spot being reserved on the “All-Overrated” team.
His well-documented postseason struggles have a tendency to plague him as well when talking about Gardner as an overall player. Ideally, the playoffs are when teams expect their valued assets, to step up and perform. Gardner on the other hand for his career has slashed .203/.243/.217 in nine playoff series. Downright miserable numbers for a guy who has a skill set that could be utilized at the top of most orders.
As Gardner continues to age, it’s no surprise correlation that he has seen his stolen base total go down in each of the last three seasons. The left fielder is a nuisance if allowed on the base paths, but the problem sometimes has been getting there. What has hindered Gardner from being used consistently atop the lineup is his propensity for striking out. Like many other players on this list, Gardner is a formidable baseball player that many teams would be lucky to have on their roster. But also like many players on this list, the reputation that precedes him often does not end up reflecting the same way on the diamond.
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