Yankees Must Get Francisco Cervelli Into The Lineup

The Yankees have had 13 pitchers for way too long. They finally went back down to 12 today when Chase Whitley was optioned to AAA. I was hoping for John Ryan Murphy or Austin Romine, but no it was Zelous Wheeler. The Yankees should be carrying three catchers in order to get Francisco Cervelli into the lineup.

Cervelli gets hurt all the time. We know this. However, when he plays, he seems to produce. The stretch when Mark Teixeira was out and Brian McCann played first, Cervelli was one of the team’s most productive players. Cervelli in 107 plate appearances is hitting .296/.355/.469 with two homers and eight RBI. Considering this is a lineup that’s run out Stephen Drew and Ichiro Suzuki a lot, he’s doing better than they are.

Cervelli also has something that a lot of members of this team don’t play with. Fire. Enthusiasm. He fist pumps behind the plate after a big strikeout to end the inning and is always talking with the pitchers. His age also begins with a two and not a three or a four, unlike the other regulars in the lineup.

Cervelli isn’t the best player ever, but the team doesn’t hit. He’s one of the few players who actually does when his number has been called upon. Get creative. Find a way to get him some at bats. Have him DH and play catcher. The lineup needs a little bit of life. Cervelli can’t do it all, but he could help with some regular playing time.