Look at me..gotta be…Centerfield

Where have you gone Bernie Williams, our empire turns its lonely eyes to you…

Remember when Centerfield was a given. When manager like Buck Showalter or Joe Torre could pencil in Bernie Williams’ name everyday.

Was he the quickest Center fielder? No.

Was he the best defensive Center fielder? Well, he did score 4 gold gloves, but I think you could make the case that there were better defensive center fielders.

Could he throw? Umm-I’ll let that one go.

Could he hit? Absolutely.

As the Yankees prepare for 2009 and move into their new digs, they have a gaping hole to fill, one the Yankees have rarely had to worry about in their storied history.

I think you could ask any one of the above questions regarding the Yankees current options in Center, and get positive answers. I mean, Brett Gardner can run and can cover a lot of ground in center. Melky Cabrera has great range and a solid arm. Johnny Damon can get on-base with the best of them, and could probably pop 20 home runs. So combined, the Yankees have a great centerfielder. But we all know that’s not going to work.

Of the options the Yankees currently have for Centerfield, Brett Gardner seems like the best one. Melky Cabrera has regressed each of the last 3 seasons. Johnny Damon was pulled from centerfield for a reason 2 seasons ago. He can’t track em’ down anymore.

Let’s be honest, if Gardner can hit .250, I think the Yankees would sign up for that. His ability to turn a single into a double, and take the extra base is uncanny. The Yanks have been lacking speed in their lineup for years, and it just got a whole-lot worse (speed-wise) with the addition of Mark Teixeira. The lineup turns over nice with Gardner leading into Damon and Jeter.

New York will love this guy if he can hold down the job.