WHY CHRIS DICKERSON WILL BE MISSED

It is still hard for me to accept, but regardless…. it is what it is and Chris Dickerson’s time as a Yankee is up. The Yankees designated him for assignment last week, but another team didn't pick him up so now he has been released, read HERE. I liked what Dickerson brought to the table, and he gave the Yankees a lot of options. However, he did have one “flaw” if you want to call it that, which is ultimately what sent him packing.

Dickerson is a lefty bat; that is the one "black mark" on an otherwise impressive list of traits that he has to offer. I get it, the Yankees have all the left handed bats they need, especially with players in the outfield since Brett Gardner, Ichiro Suzuki and Curtis Granderson are lefties. 

The Yankees need a right handed bat, it makes sense. I guess I just wanted it to be someone else, because when you look at what Dickerson has to offer, he is going to make a big contribution for another team. I'm just tired of seeing our guys make a difference for someone else.

I don't think that Dickerson got much of a chance to show what he was made of during his time here. We have always really liked him here at Bleeding Yankee Blue, in fact we really wanted to see him get a chance to play right field, we wrote about it in GIVE CHRIS DICKERSON A SHOT! When you look at his stats, they are pretty impressive. He is a .266/.352/.407 career hitter in 599 plate appearances in the majors. He makes contact and he can make things happen. The Yankees really could have used that, especially with all of their "runners in scoring position" woes. He may not be a big bat superstar hitter but we don't need a lineup full of those.

Even if Dickerson didn't make the team as a starter, he could have been an impressive bench piece. He would've given the Yankees another lead-off type hitter. He has a big walk rate at 12% and when he does get on base, he is successful stealing bases 81.8% of the time. I really imagined adding Dickerson's speed along with Ichiro Suzuki and Brett Gardner and that would have given the Yankees a lot of opportunities to manufacture some runs late in the game. He has good defense and can hit right handers so it really sounded like an ideal situation to me.

(In Photo: Russ Canzler)
I understand what the Yankees are trying to do, they added two right handed bats for a bargain when they acquired Russ Canzler and Matt Diaz so someone had to go. Maybe I am wrong here, but I don't think cutting Dickerson was a smart move. Sure, we are heavy with left handed hitters, but it isn't going to stay that way forever. For all we know, the team could look a lot different by the time the All-Star break comes around. Dickerson has a lot of tools that the Yankees could have used, tolls that we really need in more of out players. He plays small ball, and he does it darn well.

The Yankees had hoped to trade Dickerson when they designated him for assignment. However, since then no other team has picked him up and now he can choose to become a free agent. So now, we don't even get a prospect in return for Dickerson, which I think is a waste. I really hope moths from now, this doesn't come back to bite us.

I am confident that Dickerson will be an important piece for another team. I suppose it is possible that the Yankees sign him again to a minor league deal, but I just don't see it happening. What I do see happening is Dickerson going to another team and getting a chance on a major league club in a platoon role where he will get a few hundred at bats and contribute. Either way, I wish Dickerson a lot of luck. You will be missed and in the mean time, I will sit here and continue to believe that the Yankees know what they are doing, even if sometimes I think they are crazy....like right now.

--Jeana Bellezza, BYB Writer and Editor

Twitter: @NyPrincessJ



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