REFSNYDER IN & DREW COULD BE OUT

Rob Refsnyder is impressing the Yankees.  But why did it take so long? Guys like BYB writer Steve Skinner have been suggesting exactly what the Yankees decided to finally do in the Chicago White Sox series... "pencil him in." 

Great article by Ryan Hatch of NJ.com about how the whole thing came to be. I'll take a portion:

"...Joe Girardi decided to pencil in Refsnyder's name, giving him his first big league start since those afternoons in July. 

It was a relatively low-risk move.

First of all the Yankees, though not one person on the Steinbrenner payroll would admit it, pretty much had (and still do) the Wild Card wrapped up. They aren't going to catch the Toronto Blue Jays for the division, but the consolation Wild Card wasn't (and still isn't) much in danger. In other words, Thursday against a non-divisional opponent wasn't the biggest deal in the world. 

So running Refsnyder out there was in the lowest-pressure situation possible for a late September game. If he failed? Well, just a game, and he could always be replaced midway through if it was a total disaster. If he did OK? Then great, maybe it will give him some confidence heading into the off-season.

But a third option, perhaps the one most unexpected, happened: Refsnyder went 4-for-8 with a double and played flawless defense over three games, even starting a double play on Saturday. 

It's possible, Girardi said, that Refsnyder factors into the plans as the Yankees prepare for the playoffs." 

So what does it all mean? Well, it means that we're right at BYB. Sometimes the hunger of a young kid that's trying to prove something needs to be tested. Refsnyder passed the test and now most likely Joe Girardi will trust him out there in a pinch, or even in the starting lineup. 

It also means that Refnsyder's recent numbers are a small sample and it could all change, you just don't know... it's baseball.  What happens next is up to Ref and whether or not the Yankees decide to play him more consistently.  For me personally, I believe he has provided a ton of heart that the Yankees can't deny.

Let's see what happens next...

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