The Infield is Deeper and More Athletic
All the uncertainty of Spring Training has resulted in a stable start to the season. Starting first baseman was never in doubt, but manager Aaron Boone is making Neil Walker the back-up means the team will have a quality bat in the line-up no matter what happens to Bird.
That wasn’t the case last season.
Chris Carter was the primary back-up then. He played a third of the season, 62 games, and posted a .201/.284/.370 with eight home runs. Ouch. They tried Tyler Austin, but he was hurt all the time, and first base ended up a black hole.
Walker will make sure that does not happen. The definition of a solid but unspectacular player, his .265/.362/.439 looks invaluable compared to what the Yanks got last year from the position.
But Neil’s primary job is second base, a bag he will share with the speedy Tyler Wade. It is doubtful that the two will combine to outhit newly-departed Starlin Castro (.300/.338/.454), but the defense will surely improve.
That’s not really the point with the second base bag, though. Gleyber Torres might have shown his rust and impatience, but he is coming to Yankee Stadium this year just as surely as the Red Sox are. And he will bring a dynamic bat that will change the nature of this line-up.
Yankees fans can see him coming; the only question is when.
Shortstop still has one of the best players at the position on both sides of the ball, Sir Didi. But third got younger and better, and will probably continue to do so.