Yankees fan favorite heating up gave him a silent case to be added over Anthony Volpe

The last time we checked on Oswaldo Cabrera down on the farm, the numbers told a sad tale. The once-upon-a-time Yankees spark was rhythm-free. We were looking at him as a potential Ryan McMahon replacement during the third baseman's worst stretch, and he was making soft contact and carrying a .167 average.

These days, though, Cabrera is swinging a much more potent stick. And if the Yankees wanted to unite their fans rather than divide them, they probably should've considered bringing him to Baltimore instead of rushing Anthony Volpe out there, Doug Mirabelli-style.

In the month of May, Cabrera's hitting .308 with an .834 OPS in nine Triple-A games. It's the smallest of sample sizes, but ... a nine-game sample is all the Yankees need right now.

The last time we saw Cabrera, he was essentially reduced to mascot status, recovering from a horrific accident and ankle injury that still scars anyone who viewed it live. Somehow, he persevered better than most fans did. That's just the kind of guy he is.

Jose Caballero's blustery quote makes Oswaldo Cabrera promotion feel even safer for Yankees

Now, you could say Cabrera would've been redundant with Max Schuemann as a similar utility man/potential shortstop/better fit elsewhere. But the counter to that argument would be ... stuff happens! Sometimes, stuff is less than ideal.

On the way out of the locker room on Tuesday, Caballero seemed somewhere between annoyed and defiant, telling the gathered media that he only had nine more days to go before the universe pointed back towards his inevitable activation.

If Caballero really will be back in 10 days, as he strongly claims he will be, then all the Yankees needed was another stopgap. Promoting Volpe brings unnecessary scorn. The Yankees' former starter is under the microscope no matter what he does. It's sad, but it's too late. No version of his performance will be treated normally.

Cabrera? He could've done 10 games in a snap. He could've uplifted the dugout rather than casting a pall across the fanbase. So-called Yankee fans are actively rooting against Volpe's success. Nobody on earth is rooting against Cabrera.

The affable infielder/outfielder might've been the spark the Yankees were seeking after a four-game losing streak. Hell, Volpe might be, too. Nobody knows. But the one thing that's certain is that, if Caballero is going right back into the starting role when he returns after the minimum stay, as his manager says he will, then the Yankees probably should've called on a cheerful familiar face rather than unnecessarily yo-yo'ing someone they don't really trust.

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