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New York Yankees Editorial: The Bronx is Boiling — Bye Bye Heathcott

By Wayne Cavadi

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Along with writing for Yanks Go Yard, I also edit the FanSided Minor League Baseball site Grading on the Curve. I watch a LOT of minor leaguers. Heck, this past Thursday I watched the Tortugas take on the Marauders in Bradenton, Florida. Most of you just said, “huh?”

My point is, I have watched Slade Heathcott for a long time. I wrote last week how this was his last chance when after an embattled career with the New York Yankees farm system and he  finally got his big league debut. And now, he’s back on the DL. The Bronx is boiling and I need to blow some steam.

HEATHCOTT GOT TO GO

Heathcott made his Yankees debut and it lasted six games. He looked great, I won’t deny that. But at the end of the day, the oft-injured outfielder is injured yet again.

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Heathcott looked like he adjusted to the big leagues well. He had six hits in 17 at bats — good for a .353 batting average — including a double and a home run. Was it a little worrisome that he struck out three times and didn’t draw a single walk? Sure, but I’ll chalk that up to the learning curve.

I also know what you’re going to say. “The kid got hurt. You can’t ties with him because he got hurt especially after he looked good while he was up.” First of all, it was 18 at bats, let’s not crown him the next Mike Trout. Second of all, Heathcott is ALWAYS hurt.

He was hurt in 2010 and needed surgery. He came back for half a season in 2011… which ended early because he needed surgery. He had surgery after the 2013 season, and then his 2014 season ended early… because he needed surgery.

This isn’t a fluke, people, it is a pattern. Heathcott is a walking injury. Some people, like Chipper Jones, are able to get by in the Major Leagues like that. But Chipper is a borderline Hall of Famer (first ballot if you ask me, but I know some disagree. Quick, name me five better switch hitters in the history of baseball. You can’t. It goes The Mick, Eddie Murray, Chipper… but I digress). Heathcott is not.

Give the kid a chance some people tell me. Why? Did I get a chance? Did you get a chance? Major League baseball is not a place for everyone to get a chance. If that were the case, more than eight percent of the kids you see playing in the College World Series would make a big league roster, but that’s it. 8.6 percent make it to draft day. The Minor Leagues wouldn’t be full of 37-year olds if everyone got their chance. This is professional baseball. If you include the 40-man roster, it is for the best 1200 players in the WORLD. Does Slade Heathcott fit that description? 

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Yes, I am harsh, but think about why Heathcott was called up. He was asked to replace the injured Jacoby Ellsbury, and in turn was injured himself. You may remember how I was against the quick re-signing of Chris Young this offseason. It wasn’t because I don’t like Young, it was because if you are coming to play the fourth outfielder role for the New York Yankees, you are going to be asked to play pretty much every other day.

Carlos Beltran is old and broken and Ellsbury needs his days off. Brett Gardner is sometimes overly aggressive and will need the occasional night off as well to recover from running full speed and making a diving catch or something of that sorts. There is no way with how Heathcott’s career has gone that he can be relied upon for that kind of production. And in his first 6 game Major League stint… he unfortunately proved that.

Am I saying that Heathcott doesn’t have a Major League career ahead of him? Not at all, I just don’t think it should be with the Yankees. I don’t think they do either, which was why they released him this offseason and brought him back on a cheap Minor League deal when no one jumped at him. It’s time to let Heathcott explore the open waters of free agency and try his talents elsewhere. The Yankees have Aaron Judge ready for the outfield in a year or two anyway, why block him with someone else?

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