Phillips destined for a limited role

Predictable


http://www.nj.com/yankees/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1141192125231260.xml&coll=1



Phillips destined for a limited role
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
BY ED PRICE
Star-Ledger Staff
TAMPA, Fla. -- When the Yankees last month briefly considered signing
Mike Piazza, one of the reasons they eventually passed was a consensus
that they were just as well off with Andy Phillips.

But how much will Phillips play? While the front office seems to want
the right-handed hitter to be in the mix at first base and designated
hitter, manager Joe Torre is publicly committed to Jason Giambi at
first as much as possible and Bernie Williams as the primary DH.

Asked this spring about Phillips -- who was 1-for-5 with an RBI single
in yesterday's intrasquad game at Legends Field -- Torre has called him
a "journeyman," drawn a comparison with Clay Bellinger and said
Phillips is expected to make the team simply because he is out of
minor-league options.

"We can get him at-bats this spring," Torre said. "The issue is how
many at-bats can we get him during the season."

If Torre is skeptical, he has reason. In 32 big-league games (27 of
them last year), Phillips has a .167 average and 14 strikeouts in 48
at-bats.

But in 190 games over the past two years at Triple-A Columbus, Phillips
has hit 48 home runs with 139 RBI.

"He can hit," general manager Brian Cashman said. "He can hit. So
hopefully he can make a statement this spring and earn his way into
Joe's confidence."

Cashman said Phillips gives the Yankees a "righty-lefty, not platoon,
but combo choice for first base, which we didn't have last year."

Last year Tino Martinez (like Giambi, a left-handed hitter) was the
other first baseman, and he got significant duty while Giambi spent two
months righting himself before settling in as a defensive replacement.
Torre already has tabbed Phillips, who turns 29 on April 6, as a
late-inning caddie for Giambi. (Phillips also can play second base and
third base, but he has not impressed the Yankees at any position.)

Starts may be tough to come by for Phillips. Torre wants to use the DH
spot for Williams and to give outfielders Hideki Matsui and Gary
Sheffield some breathers, and Giambi wants to play mostly first base --
with good reason.

For his career, Giambi has a .252 average and .475 slugging percentage
as a DH. Those numbers shoot up to .312 and .576 when he plays first
base.

"It's just glaring," Giambi said. "When I DH, my numbers are terrible.
I don't know what it is. Donnie (Mattingly, the hitting coach) and I
have worked on it, we've talked about it. They're bad.

"... maybe ADD (attention-deficit disorder), I don't know. (Playing
defense) gives me something to do. If they want me to be that player
and do the things I did at the end of the year last year -- driving in
runs, hitting big home runs -- that's kind of the way to go."

Torre theorized that Giambi has yet to figure out a routine to keep him
sharp between plate appearances when he is the DH. Torre did say he
wants to be able to DH Giambi on occasion to keep him fresh.

"To me there's certain nicks and bruises that he can play with DHing
that he can't play with in the infield," Torre said. "That's where we
use the DH. I'm not saying that we're going to split it 50-50. But
we're going to try to keep track of it.

"I don't think it's going to be an issue, let's put it that way. I want
him to play the infield, because it gives us more options."

Phillips has been given no indications on what his role might be but
isn't fretting. He said he put too much pressure on himself during
previous call-ups.

"I know not to underestimate this level," he said, "but if I approach
it the same way (as in the minors), go out and do my business the same
way, I have confidence I can produce, I have confidence that I can
perform."

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Chip Ambres
    ... On the few days Phillips plays 1st ... Mike Myers is getting right ... handers out now according to Torre. ... Bernie is going to play mostly RF ...
    (alt.sports.baseball.ny-yankees)
  • Re: Trade Giambi?
    ... > Giambi isn't going anywhere soon for several reasons; ... I didn't realize he had a no-trade clause. ... Andy Philips will be a backup, but nobody really can ... I think Phillips will probably be slightly better than Gimabi ...
    (alt.sports.baseball.ny-yankees)
  • Re: Chip Ambres
    ... On the few days Phillips plays 1st ... Mike Myers is getting right ... handers out now according to Torre. ... Bernie is going to play mostly RF ...
    (alt.sports.baseball.ny-yankees)
  • Re: This is as pathetic as it gets
    ... Pinch running people Thompson whoever the f--- he is instead of ... Giambi is the best firstbaseman on the Yanks. ... that Cannizooplio and Phillips both LACK. ... Torres idiocy is growing by the second. ...
    (alt.sports.baseball.ny-yankees)
  • Re: Chip Ambres
    ... Do yourself a favor and make sure not to listen to the Torre interview ... on FAN when they post it. ... On the few days Phillips plays 1st ... Bernie is going to play mostly RF ...
    (alt.sports.baseball.ny-yankees)