Jose Caballero can use his gift to force Yankees…
TAMPA — Quick: Which member of the Yankees double-play mixture — at least to start the season — is Aaron Boone discussing?
“He plays the game with a ton of confidence. Sometimes, I got to try to rein his confidence in a little bit, but it’s a gift that he’s got. When he’s out there, he thinks he’s the best player on the field.”
Jazz Chisholm Jr. can be an comprehensible guess.
But the supervisor was, in fact, referring to José Caballero, who begins the season as the Yankees beginning shortstop next to Chisholm, at least until Anthony Volpe is prepared to return from offseason shoulder surgical procedure.
The Yankees received a style of Caballero’s impression over the ultimate two months of last season — felt most constantly with his velocity on the basepaths, means to play all over the sector and his authentic protection as a backup shortstop — and now, he has an alternative to construct on that in an on a regular basis function over the first month-plus of this season.
José Caballero hits a home run during the Yankees’ Feb. 22 Grapefruit League sport. Charles Wenzelberg
“That’s out of my control,” Caballero said Sunday after hitting a home run in a 6-4 loss to the Mets when requested how the shortstop dynamic may play out. “I control what I can control. I’m going to go out there and do my best every day. They make the decision.”
The actuality is that even if Caballero crushes it over the first month-plus of the season, the Yankees are doubtless to give a healthy Volpe a runway to show that he can still be their beginning shortstop.
Since late last 12 months, when there have been questions about whether or not Caballero ought to take over for Volpe at the place, the Yankees have believed they’re at their best when Caballero is their tenth man and a weapon off the bench.
But Caballero at least has a probability to make the choice an attention-grabbing one by taking benefit of the on a regular basis taking part in time.
José Caballero makes a play during the Yankees’ Feb. 20 Grapefruit League sport. Charles Wenzelberg
“He’s just so good at so many different positions, and there’s some fast-twitch in there, which obviously [helps with] stolen bases, he’s so dynamic on the basepaths,” Boone said. “You need the ball hit to him, wherever you put him. He’s good in the outfield; he’s good at all the infield positions. But there’s just a confidence, if he’s sitting over there for a few days, he brings a lot to the desk that you need to have of a bench participant late in a sport. So just a lot of issues he brings to the desk.
“He’s one of those guys that’s a really good complete-your-roster [player] for a winning club.”
Boone paired up Caballero and Chisholm for the second time in three video games Sunday and plans to have them play three more video games together this week before they each go away to play in the World Baseball Classic — Caballero for Panama and Chisholm for Great Britain.
The good news is that the 2 already have prior historical past together as younger minor leaguers in the Diamondbacks group.
Each ultimately was traded away, but their consolation working together has shortly returned now that they’re Yankees.
Anthony Volpe makes a play during the Yankees’ Feb. 16 workout. Charles Wenzelberg
“He’s not scared to play his game,” Chisholm said. “A lot of guys get to the big leagues or New York and try to play a different game and not be themselves. That’s the best thing about him is that he comes out there and he is himself. He’s not afraid to be himself. That’s what helps him with his overall game.”
That also applies to Chisholm, which is maybe another component that makes them simpatico in addition to their confidence.
(When requested who was more assured in their talents between Caballero and Chisholm, Boone grinned and answered Clarke Schmidt.)
Caballero, coming off main the majors with 49 steals, is more of a burner while Chisholm has more energy.
But Caballero flashed his own pop Sunday, a home run off Justin Hagenman reminiscent of some of the facility exhibits he places on during batting observe.
“I can hit the ball hard,” Caballero said. “It’s not [always] showing in the game, so I’m trying to be more consistent with it.”
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