Yankees fans are obligated to take a deep breath when George Lombard Jr. inevitably slumps

George Lombard Jr. has been the most exciting element of watching New York Yankees baseball in months. And while Lombard's debut was picture-perfect, let's not get too carried away thinking that Lombard, as a player, is perfect. He's obviously not (who is?), and he's also still 21 years old.

So, when Lombard goes through inevitable slumps, or when he has a mental hiccup — like his baserunning mistake on Friday — everyone needs to relax. Take a deep breath. Zoom out and realize that, overall, Lombard's arrival on the MLB stage has been nothing but positive. He looks like the future shortstop of the Yankees, even after just a nine-game sample size in the Show.

Do we know more specifics about his ceiling other than that we like where this is headed? No, and nor should we. Just try to sit back and enjoy Lombard's ongoing development.

It's worth noting that the difference in quality between Lombard and Anthony Volpe — especially defensively — has been jarring, even to casual Yankees observers.

And speaking of Volpe, his unfortunate relationship with many Yankees fans is something that the fan base can and should keep in mind as it watches Lombard's career unfold. Volpe became the easiest target/punching bag for Yankees fans over the past year or two. Much of this was due to Volpe's underwhelming production, of course, but there's no doubt that Volpe's experience of being mismanaged by the Yankees organization and having massive expectations heaped on his shoulders messed with his career.

All of that also made him more unlikable in the eyes of fans. It's become a vicious cycle.

Yankees fans can learn from Anthony Volpe experience as they watch George Lombard Jr

Lombard and Volpe aren't comparable baseball players, nor is their experience within the Yankees' organization similar. Lombard was not handed the starting shortstop job in the way that Volpe was, and his baseball tools profile way differently. The glove is far superior, for one thing. He's also a much better athlete than Volpe, which should make him a more serious base-stealing threat, and certainly gives him far more range defensively.

Volpe's career arc has become a case study of sorts for what happens when New York coronates a player before he's earned his stripes, and then tears him down so readily when he fails to live up to the billing. The key to experiencing Lombard will be keeping things calm — never getting too high or too low on the kid. He's the one taking over for a massive mistake the organization made, and one they should hope to never make again.

Just let him play. Let him make mistakes. And when he does thrive, don't think that a downturn isn't right around the corner. MLB pitchers are surely beginning to scout and adjust to Lombard already. He'll have to respond. And Yankees fans should trust that he will, in his own way.

And if Volpe returns to the roster to play some second base? Let's give him a chance, too. Might as well at this point, right?

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