TAMPA — The legion of self-loathing Yankees fans no longer have Alex Rodriguez and, to a lesser degree, Mark Teixeira to shower with hate.
The Baby Bombers haven’t failed in the clutch enough to draw the wrath, Brett Gardner is a fan favorite, and Chase Headley and Starlin Castro are complementary players.
That leaves Jacoby Ellsbury without cover in center field as the Yankee most likely to be smothered by criticism if the upcoming season turns sour.
First, Ellsbury has hit .264 in three seasons with the Yankees, which is 22 points below his career average. Next is that seven-year contract for $153 million that has, counting this coming season, four years and $84 million left. The length and dollars make it hard to envision a team being interested in making a deal for Ellsbury, who has a full no-trade clause.
Ellsbury arrived in camp on Tuesday after his wife, Kelsey, gave birth to the couple’s second daughter, Crew. Prior to that, GM Brian Cashman and Joe Girardi said they believed Ellsbury had more to contribute to a team that needs a lot of things to go right in order to contend for a postseason ticket.
Ellsbury hadn’t heard the remarks, but didn’t agree or disagree when they were relayed to him Wednesday at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
“I am always trying to get better every season. Continue to do the little things in the offseason and continue into spring training,’’ Ellsbury said. “I worked hard this offseason and hope it pays off.’’
Considering the amount of youth the Yankees are counting on, they must have solid years from Matt Holliday, Ellsbury, Headley, Castro and Gardner.
When they signed Ellsbury, they believed pairing him with Gardner atop the lineup would give them the type of speed that Chuck Knoblauch and Derek Jeter provided from 1998 to 2001, when the Yankees copped three World Series titles and came within an out of a fourth. Ellsbury was coming off a 2013 season in which he batted .298, scored 92 runs, led the AL with 52 steals in 56 attempts and posted a .355 on-base percentage for the World Series-winning Red Sox
Since 2013, Ellsbury has swiped 39 bases in 2014, 21 in 2015 and 20 a year ago. Now, at 33 it’s fair to wonder if Ellsbury’s days as an elite base-stealer are finished.
“It’s all about opportunities, and with a young team we might have more opportunities than we did last year,’’ Ellsbury said. “I still have speed and still have explosiveness. I try not to look at age.’’
As for attempting to live up to the contract, Ellsbury simply said he is trying to be the best player he can be.
Then there is where Ellsbury will hit in the lineup. Girardi said he won’t use Ellsbury and Gardner back-to-back in the ninth and first spots, but left it open for them to hit first and second or other places.
“I haven’t talked to Joe yet, and I haven’t really thought about it yet,’’ said Ellsbury, who led off 81 games and hit second in 57 last year. Gardner hit first in 80 games and was second in 58. “In the offseason you work on your skills. I am sure Joe and I will have a conversation about that.’’
Already discussed by hitting coach Alan Cockrell is getting Ellsbury out in front of the ball by moving his contact point up 3 to 4 inches.
Ellsbury reached first base a dozen times via catcher’s interference last year to set the MLB season record. Since 2007, he has led the majors with 26 such plays.
“Inches or whatever, we don’t talk about that too much. Just be ready to hit and do the simple things,’’ Ellsbury said. “When I am going well I can go well for a long time. I feel like I never got a real hot streak last year.’’