2017 Yankees: Year in Review - Infielders and Catchers

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Matt Linder

After taking a look back at the 2017 Yankees starting rotation, let’s recap how the infielders and catchers performed this season.  There were injuries, trades, position changes and devastatingly long slumps all combined with a career year and signs of promise.  To open up the season, the infield was not at full strength.  Both Didi Gregorius and Greg Bird began the season on the DL and Gary Sanchez got hurt in early April.

Although Gregorius was not the Yankees opening day shortstop, by season’s end he was the team’s best infielder, both offensively and defensively.  Gregorius missed the first month of the season because of a shoulder injury he suffered in the World Baseball Classic.  However, once he returned to the lineup, he made an immediate impact.  Didi finished the season with career highs in home runs (25), RBIs (87) and OPS (.796).  Those 25 big flies ranked second for MLB shortstops and his 3.0 WAR was 7th best at the position.  Pretty remarkable season for the guy people thought, at one point, would have to platoon with Brendan Ryan.  Defensively, both advanced metrics and the “eye test” finally aligned on Gregorius fielding prowess.  In previous seasons, sabermetrics never rated Didi’s defense as highly as it seemed to warrant.  In addition to being a tremendous shortstop on both sides of the ball, he is also an extremely fun and energetic player who came through with countless clutch hits, most notably in the postseason.  His three-run homer in the first inning of the Wildcard Game after Luis Severino gave up three runs in the top half of the inning put the team right back in the game and gave them a wave of confidence.  That dinger may have saved the season and his home run heroics did not end there.  In Game 5 of the ALDS, he hit two homers off of Indian’s ace and 2017 Cy Young Award winner, Corey Kluber, which propelled the team to victory.  Gregorius, at only 27 years old, will be the Yankees shortstop for the foreseeable future, even with top infield prospects knocking on the door.  Didi is one of the best shortstops in baseball and with only two more years before free agency, we will see if Brian Cashman decides to offer him a long term extension.
Grade: A- 

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Gregorius’ double play partner, Starlin Castro, had an up and down 2017 season.  His strong play in the first half culminated in a trip to Miami for the All-Star game.  He posted a .313 batting average and a .834 OPS before the break.  However, he was unable to carry his first half success into the final months of the season.  Post All-Star Break, Castro spent two separate stints on the DL with hamstring problems.  These injuries robbed Starlin of consistent playing time and as a result, he never found his rhythm in the second half.  Unfortunately, when he is not producing offensively, Castro’s value is greatly diminished.  You do not need to know his -.3 Defensive WAR to realize that he struggles in the field.  Even when healthy, Starlin’s range is below average and his ability to turn double plays is limited by his poor footwork around the base.  Hopefully, Starlin can stay healthy in 2018 and produce like he did in the first half.  Even considering Castro’s flaws as a hitter (lack of plate discipline), fielder and baserunner, if he can hit close to .300 with 23 home runs, he is a more than serviceable stop gap at second base until Gleyber Torres is ready for pinstripes.
Grade: B-

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In addition to Starlin Castro, Chase Headley was the only other projected infield starter to stay healthy through the first month.  The first word that comes to mind when thinking about Headley’s 2017 season is “bizarre.”  In addition to an embarrassing slump in what was otherwise productive a year, he also switched positions mid-season.  Chase had an excellent April in which he hit .301 and reached base 40% of the time.  As the weather began to heat up, Headley’s bat did the opposite.  In May, Chase hit .165 with absolutely no power or plate discipline.  Once the month ended though, he hit close to .300 the rest of the season.  The inexplicable one month slump is only part one of Headley’s strange season.  Part two of the rollercoaster year began after the Yankees traded for Todd Frazier, David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle from White Sox.  It seemed obvious that Frazier would play first base since there was a clear opening and he had a bit more experience at the position than Headley.  Surprisingly, the Yankees decided to move Headley across the diamond and have the newly acquired Frazier play third base.  With Chase only having one more year left on his current contract and top prospect, Miguel Andujar, on the cusp of the majors, 2018 looks to be his last year in the Bronx.  Headley’s 2017 season will certainly be a memorable one due to its sheer bizarreness.
Grade: B

Although Todd Frazier’s time with the Yankees may have been short-lived, his tenure was unforgettable.  When writing the history of the 2017 Yankees, “the thumbs down” symbol should be mentioned in the first sentence.  The team’s lovable gesture was inspired by a Mets fan, who was not happy after Frazier hit a homerun at Citi Field against the Rays.  Todd did exactly what he was brought in to do.  He was fun, hit some homers and played pretty good defense.  He did not get many hits, but when he did, he seemed to make them count.  His physics-defying three run homer in Game 3 of the ALCS is the moment that will be permanently engrained in my mind when I think of Todd Frazier.  The “Toddfather” was a rental from the White Sox, so I doubt he will be back in pinstripes next year.  With his probable departure, so is the likely retirement of the symbol of the 2017 season.  His “kid in the candy store” post game interviews during the ALDS will be sorely missed.  It was a fun ride, Todd.
Grade: B-

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The player who Todd Frazier essentially replaced was Chris Carter.  He was signed as insurance in case Greg Bird didn’t fully recover from his injury in 2016.  Sure enough, Bird cracked his ankle with a foul tip during spring training and Carter was thrust into the everyday first baseman role.  He was never a great player, but after leading the NL in home runs in 2016, the Yankees thought they had a serviceable back up.  Unfortunately, Carter tallied up the strikeouts without the positive benefit of homers.  After about 60 games and virtually no production, the Yankees finally released him.  He was replaced by Ji-Man Choi until the Yankees acquired Todd Frazier at the trade deadline and moved Headley over to first base.  Carter’s time in the Bronx can be summarized by the echoing sound of “boos,” but he did launch a pinch hit three run homer in the eighth inning against the Pirates on April 22 to turn a 5-5 tie into an 8-5 Yankees lead.  Carter should cherish that hit because that was just about the only big one he had in pinstripes.  The fans’ boos can never take that moment away from you, Chris.
Grade: D

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Greg Bird is the man responsible for forcing Yankees fans to watch 60 games worth of Chris Carter.  Bird missed all of 2016 with shoulder surgery after an extremely promising September in 2015 and everyone was looking forward to seeing him play a full season in 2017.  Unfortunately, the injury he sustained in spring training lingered for almost all of the season.  Thankfully, he was able to come back just in time for the playoffs.  Bird, while shaking off two years of rust and facing high caliber pitching, showed what he is capable of when healthy.  He hit three home runs and reached base at a .421 clip.  If Greg can stay on the field for even close to a full season, he can be an impact bat in the middle of the Yankees order for years to come. 
Grade: C

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From one “Baby Bomber” to another, Gary Sanchez followed up his historic two months of 2016 with an impressive full season behind the plate in 2017.  Gary missed about a month of the year with a shoulder injury, but he was still the best offensive catcher in all of baseball.  He led all MLB catchers in home runs (33), slugging percentage (.531) and was third in WAR (3.6).  Of course people will make a big deal about Sanchez’s passed balls, but catching the Yankees pitching staff is not easy.  Everybody on the staff either throws 98mph and/or has a nasty slider or splitter that is always ending up in the dirt.  He will improve; he is also only 24 years old and has a rocket for an arm.  Moving him to DH, like some people have proposed, would be moronic, especially with Austin Romine as the back up, and Brian Cashman agrees.  Sanchez certainly struggled in the playoffs, but he did hit a few home runs in the ALDS.  I look for Gary to have a big postseason in 2018, when he is able to control his nerves better and lay off the sliders low and away.
Grade: A-

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Now let’s talk about the full time backup players, starting with Sanchez’s backup, Austin Romine.  He was mostly unimpressive, like the majority of second string catchers, but in the 19 games he was needed most, filling in for an injured Sanchez, he actually did a really nice job.  During that stretch, he hit .316 with an OPS of .805.  Good work, Austin!  He is currently a free agent, so it is uncertain if he will be back with the Yankees in the backup role.
Grade: B

mlb.com

The other full time backup was Ronald Torreyes.  He is the perfect utility man.  Fun clubhouse guy, good contact skills and can play anywhere in the infield.  Ronald got plenty of at bats over the course of the year due to the injuries to Didi Gregorius and Starlin Castro.  Torreyes has no power and goes up to the plate looking to swing, but as a backup, that is OK.  On the year, he hit .292 and in a season with Aaron Judge hitting 52 runs and Gary Sanchez hitting 33 dingers, it was Torreyes who hit the first homer of the season.  That is a good trivia question!
Grade: B+

That wraps up the infield installment of the 2017 Yankees – Year in Review.  Check back in a few days for a look back at the Yankees outfielders last season. 

If you have any questions, comments or criticisms feel free to reach out to me at mattlinder2@gmail.com