Yankees manager Aaron Boone won’t call it a first base competition

Fifteen games into Spring Training and Greg Bird and Luke Voit are running neck and neck for the Yankees starting first base job. However, manager Aaron Boone refuses to call it a competition.

A quick search of the Internet on the word competition will result in such findings as the activity or condition of competing; an event or contest in which people compete; or my personal favorite: the person or people with whom one is competing, especially in a commercial or sporting arena; the opposition. However, this is not how Yankees manager Aaron Boone looks at what’s transpiring between Luke Voit and Greg Bird.

Unless Voit, who came into camp slimmer in order to better his defense, were to assume more of a designated hitter role, trying to dissuade us from the fact that a fight for playing time is indeed happening during this very Grapefruit League is a bit silly.

Even still, Boone declined to commit to the word “competition” when speaking to Dan Martin of the New York Post.

"“I don’t even know, in my mind, if I look at it as a competition,’’ Boone said before the game at Steinbrenner Field. “The hard part about it, for me, is inevitably if we go one way or another is I feel so good about both guys. I feel like we’re looking at two impact players. But we’re not there yet. I’m just excited both guys are in such a good place.’More from Yankees NewsDiamondbacks outfielder’s comment on Carlos Rodón’s IG raises eyebrowsAaron Judge Time interview scared Yankees as much as it scared youWhy weren’t Yankees in on Kodai Senga now that we know the price?Baseball Reference proves Yankees’ Aaron Judge lives rent free in BostonYankees’ Clay Holmes trade just became even bigger disaster for Pirates"

Perhaps Boone is merely giving Bird ammunition to continue his solid play, otherwise, why would Boone say he can envision Voit batting anywhere from third to sixth in the lineup during the regular season?

There’s also the intriguing yet potentially harmless bit of news that was reported by Bryan Hoch of MLB.com, that Boone wore a Luke Voit graphic tee around the clubhouse on Wednesday.

I’m all for supporting your players, I just want to know if Boone will wear a Greg Bird beanie on Friday?

On the field, the two players are producing well through 15 games (the Yankees are currently a Grapefruit League-best 9-6).

Greg Bird: .357/.471/.571 with four runs scored, three doubles, one home run, six RBIs and a 6:6 K:BB ratio in 34 plate appearances (12 games).

Luke Voit: .280/.400/.520 with four runs scored, two homers, six RBIs and a 7:5 K:BB ratio in 30 plate appearances (10 games).

With both players still having minor league options and the increasing likelihood that Tyler Wade’s defensive versatility will give him an edge for the 25th and final roster spot, expect one of the first basemen not engaged in a competition to begin the season at Triple-A Scranton. How’s that for irony?