Harrison Bader is a very smart man.
He knows that New York Yankees fans are all about winning, and isn’t about to start a dispute with them under any circumstances.
Quite the contrary, in fact: he hasn’t even taken the field to play his first game in pinstripes yet, and he is already saying the things fans love to hear.
“Harrison Bader: ‘I think [Derek] Jeter said it best: ‘Fans boo because they want to cheer.’ I’m going to go out there and do my best to give them something to cheer for,’” MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, who covers the team on a daily basis, tweeted while quoting Bader.
Harrison Bader: “I think [Derek] Jeter said it best: ‘Fans boo because they want to cheer.’ I’m going to go out there and do my best to give them something to cheer for.”
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) September 20, 2022
He was in the middle of one of the most curious moves made by the Yankees around the deadline: they traded pitcher Jordan Montgomery to get Bader.
The deal was criticized not because Bader wasn’t worth it, but instead because the Yankees subtracted from their pitching depth and traded part of it for an injured player.
Bader Is Ready To Go
Bader suffered from plantar fasciitis, but after a long recovery and rehab assignment in the minors, he is ready to go out there and show his talent.
Bader has a league-average bat with some potential for more: coupled with his speed and sneaky power, it’s an interesting offensive profile.
What makes him a great player is his elite defense at a premium position: center field.
With him in center, manager Aaron Boone could deploy Aaron Judge more in right field to preserve his physique.
Bader won the 2021 Gold Glove in center field and competes for the “best defensive center fielder” unofficial title when healthy.
Now that his injury is a thing of the past, it’s time to see him in pinstripes.
NEXT: Aaron Judge Is Chasing Another Historic Power Mark