Generally I’m not a huge fan of steals-only players unless they play shortstop, and Brett Gardner is painfully close to being just that. However, I can’t get over how in 2010 he ranked 38th overall thanks to his 97 runs scored. And that’s exactly what Gardner can be if the Yankees wake up and bat him at the top instead of Derek Jeter. In 2011, Gardner had 230 at-bats as a leadoff hitter, but 269 in the bottom third. If he could get close to 600 plate appearances atop the Yankees lineup he’d be a guarantee for 45-50 steals and 100-plus runs scored and that puts him in the top 50 of players.
Best case scenario: Michael Bourn (ATL)
Similar players: Ichiro Suzuki (SEA), Cameron Maybin (SD), Peter Bourjos (LAA)
Worst case scenario: Angel Pagan (SF)
Strengths
Steals, runs, OBP. We know Gardner is fast, but he’s also a disciplined hitter at the plate. His career 10.9 BB% is well above league-average and his swing percentage is a ridiculously low 33.8 percent....
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