BOONE'S "FLUID SITUATION" AT FIRST

Photo: AP / Frank Franklin II

Don't call it a platoon, because Aaron Boone won't say it is. He's just as stoic about the complicated situation at first as he is with the complicated situation with.....the entire team. Even if the Yankees won't put a label on it they need to make a decision about the guys rotating in his lineup, especially one of them.

Hard to believe, but the season is winding down. Saturday marks the start of September. The time clock for the regular season is starting to dwindle, and so are Greg Bird's opportunities to solidify himself as the Yankees everyday first baseman.

Photo: Getty Images

Bird isn't doing himself any favors when he has nights like Tuesday when he goes 0-4 and makes an error on a routine play at first base. Bird says he couldn't close his glove on a routine throw to first because he was using a new glove. He called it a "stupid play that shouldn't have happened," read more HERE and then laughed it off....but if he keeps this up soon he won't be laughing.

Once Aaron Judge comes back (whenever that is) the Yankees will have more flexibility with their lineup. With that flexibility comes some hard decisions.

Photo: Getty Images

Luke Voit has been more productive than Bird, which I know isn't saying much but it's true. As the Yankees head down the final stretch they will need the reliable consistent bats in the lineup and at least Voit can hit and not drop routine balls at first.

Photo: Getty Images

But what about Neil Walker? He was just supposed to be that part-time utility guy who was awful at the beginning of the year. He didn't really start hitting until he was forced into an everyday role due to all of the team injuries. Walker has hit .275 in his last 37 games and he's filling in at any position with no questions asked. He's been a major contributing factor for the Yankees lately, unlike Bird.

So you have to wonder how much longer Boone and Yankee brass can remain patient with Bird. Boone's in a tough spot. He says he is trying to keep all of his guys relevant and put them in positions where they can succeed and "it’s a fluid situation and not necessarily a straight platoon."  It sounds more like trying to force puzzle pieces together, but either way Bird isn't making this easy on himself and I hope he figures it out. "You’ve just got to keep going. Keep looking for it, keep finding it. Sometimes, I think we get too wrapped up in trying to find it instead of letting it kind of happen." All of us have been waiting a long time for Bird to "find it" and now is that time to turn it on as we head towards the postseason. We can't just sit back and wait for it anymore.

Photo: Getty Images

Time is running out. Boone is going to have to figure out his "fluid situation" and Bird needs to figure out how to restore faith in his abilities as an everyday player. These aren't good problems to have this late in the season.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj