Ever since the New York Yankees inked ex-Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury to a lucrative deal this offseason, there has been speculation that they might part ways with Brett Gardner, and the outfielder admitted he was caught off guard by the signing from the Bronx Bombers but said the trade speculation is out of his control.
According to ESPN, the incumbent center fielder was surprised by the Yankees signing Ellsbury to a seven-year $153 million deal back in December.
"I was surprised at first. I didn't really see that coming," Gardner said Tuesday, according to ESPN. "He's a great player. You put him on our team or any other team across baseball and he makes them better. I look forward to playing beside him and learning from him and got a feeling he knows a thing or two about some pitchers -- especially in our division -- and pushing each other and getting the best out of each other."
Gardner, who is entering his seventh year in the league, is unsure of his role on the team heading into spring training as Ellsbury will be the team's starting center fielder and Gardner will either be the fourth outfielder or the starting left fielder if the team decides to put Alfonso Soriano as their designated hitter.
The team could also possibly use him as a trade chip, but the outfielder said the only thing he can focus on is helping the team improve from whichever position he's slated to play.
"It's not really anything I control. Go in, play hard, and I've played left field before and I've played center field, and I'm sure if they needed me to I could slide over and play right field, too," Gardner said before being honored at the 34th annual Thurman Munson Awards Dinner in Manhattan, according to ESPN. "Whatever it takes to help the team win and I'm sure they're going to put our best team on the field."
ESPN reports that Gardner said that manager Joe Girardi called him around the holidays to say that the team still had big plans for him despite the fact that Ellsbury will take over in center, new import Carlos Beltran will be playing right field and Soriano--who helped lift the Yankees in the second half last season--is expected to play left.
With a crowded outfield, it was rumored that the Yankees were shopping Gardner, though general manager Brian Cashman said that the team didn't want to deal him. Still, his name came up time and time again and Gardner admitted that he wants to stay with the team but realizes the business side of it all.
"I try to block it out as much as I can. I try not to drive myself crazy thinking about what might happen or what might not happen," Gardner said per ESPN "All offseason I've expected to stay with the Yankees, go down to Tampa for spring training until I hear otherwise, and so far, so good. Still headed to Tampa so I'm excited about it."
Gardner hit .273 in 2013 with eight homers and 52 RBIs.
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