Sure, he may end up being the next Shane Spencer. Years from now we may look back and say, “Wow, remember when we thought Greg Bird was going to be good?” I’ve already taken heat from other fans for making the rookie 1st baseman a future Yankee great. I get it. We’ve been burned on promising youngsters before and some are just hell bent supporters of Te…”He who shall not be named”.
Here is my thinking. I see some similarities in Bird and another notable Bronx Bomber. They both aren’t much for talk. They both have sweet left handed swings. They were both homegrown. Yes, for me Greg Bird has a little "Donnie Baseball" in him. My hope is that Bird’s inner Mattingly will blossom into another great player. It can happen.
Look, it’s a small sample size, I understand that, but that dinger in Toronto just screamed, “I’m here to stay, Yankee fans!” Bird’s swing has a twinge of Olerud and Carew to it. It’s graceful and seemingly effortless.
He plays first with a solid and ever improving glove. Greg Bird just looks the part of a New York Yankee. We should get him some eye black and a sharp looking mustache.
Recently BYB posted an article asking where Greg fits in next year. I tweeted back, “STARTER!” Look, he can play and taking ABs away will do nothing for his progress. The Yankees are getting younger and fast. Why stop that trend? Those older, more expensive players need to see the writing on the wall. If the Bombers are going to compete with the young stars of the game (Trout, Harper etc.…) they need to bring up the kids and let them run. Trying to squeeze another decent season out of an injury prone, aging player who’s best is behind him is foolish. I’m not just talking about one player, I’m talking about the overall mindset of handling those players Father Time has touched on the shoulder.
Greg Bird has the tools and demeanor to be a player like Mattingly in my opinion…does that mean it will happen? No. But letting him play as opposed to giving him a “Fast Pass” on the Scranton Shuttle will show us what we have in the Baby Bomber. Some guys just fit. Looks like Bird will be the word for a while in the Bronx.
** A bit on the nose…or beak as it were. G’luck Greg. **
--Mike O'Hara Senior "Features" Writer
Twitter: @mikeyoh21
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