Do The Yankees Need The Headache Of Finding Carter At-Bats?

The Yankees begin the 2017 season with a series of headaches in trying to find at-bats for many players. But, one player,  in particular, stands out.

When the Yankees initially signed Chris Carter, fans were divided. Some thought the move made little sense. Carter was a slugger who hit for a low average and struck out 200 times a season. Oh, and he’s a terrible defender.

Other fans felt it was a smart move, regarding depth at first base. Nobody knew how Greg Bird would play after a missing a full season. He looked a bit rusty in the Arizona Fall League. Plus, any time a player has a major shoulder operation, there is a reason for concern regarding whether or not he’ll regain his form.

The acquisition of Carter seemed more important when Tyler Austin, also in the mix at first, went down with a broken foot. Now instead of a crisis, the Yankees had insurance. With 41 home runs on his resume from last season, Carter is a good policy to have.

Having an abundance of talent can be a manageable problem for a ball club. In this instance, that’s not the case.

Or maybe he “was” a good insurance policy. Greg Bird has looked great so far this spring. With a healthy shoulder and the rust shaken off this past fall, he looks every bit the player he was in 2015. Perhaps even better. While it’s hard to judge based on spring training numbers, Bird seems back to his old self.

To start the season, the Yankees may give Bird a day off here and there. Playing in cold weather cities in April could tighten the shoulder. It would be smart to do that early in the season. Presumably, then, Carter would be penciled in to start those games.

Same for Matt Holliday. Due to injuries the past two seasons, Holliday may get some extra rest early as well. Again, Carter who plays first like a designated hitter would be the probable DH. Holliday could also be used in left field to give Brett Gardner or Jacoby Ellsbury a day, once again clearing a spot for Carter.

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Is this how the Yankees want to do this? Sluggers like Carter are streaky. So yes, they do need regular at bats. They go on hot streaks sometimes. But their slumps can be long and drawn out.  To get Carter enough at-bats, it’ll take an awful lot of maneuvering. Do they need this headache?

The answer is no. There are plenty of better ways the team can give players a rest here and there. With two prominent hitters coming back from injuries, you don’t want to get them hurt overworking them early. You don’t need a slugger with a reputation for striking out often to replace them.

However, that’s what the Yankees will most likely do to start the season at least. By May, though, if Bird is healthy and playing well and Holliday is in the same boat, there may be fewer at-bats available for Carter. Sluggers with high strikeout percentages don’t usually make the best pinch hitters. Essentially, the team would be wasting his talents.

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Having an abundance of talent can be a manageable problem for a ball club. In this instance, that’s not the case. For about six weeks, Carter could make sense in some 1B/DH/OF rotation. After that, though, finding him regular playing time is going to be a major headache.