Yandy Watch 2017: Extra-base hits, walks, and slick fielding

Welcome back to Yandy Watch 2017.

Please, take your seats once you’ve finished helping yourself to the refreshments on the table in the back. Isn’t that a nice spread? Who knew Diet Slice was still around? Anyway, while you settle in, here is a brief synopsis of the movement since we last met.

Even if the man hit a pedestrian .300 during spring, I’d still clamor for his inclusion on the everyday roster. You know what he’s hitting right now?

.429/.529/.667. Thirteen runs batted in, which trails only Bradley Zimmer. Eight walks, the team leader.

We’ve learned additional news about the roster since our last meeting, as well. Lonnie Chisenhall heads to the disabled list to start the season. Abraham Almonte slides into that vacancy, and only two spots remain — the void created by Jason Kipnis’s shoulder, and the utility infielder role.

Assume, just for a moment, that Michael Martinez will make the team. Okay. I know. It’s not — look you don’t have to throw donuts at me, I’m making a hypothetical point here. Let’s say that utility role goes to Michael Martinez, who we know is capable of standing on clay and fielding ground balls. That doesn’t mean that Yandy won’t break camp with the club.

Some of you are shaking your heads. Yes, I know — Yandy is not on the 40-man roster, and the addition of a Michael Martinez, a Gio Urshela, or an Erik Gonzalez might force him to start the year in Columbus.

Might.

With the poise at the plate Yandy displays each time he steps to it, fair Tito may no longer have a choice in the matter. The baseball gods infused the bat of Yandy with Mjolnir-like magnificence. He cannot be denied.

Even if he is turned away at the end of the spring, he will not be denied. Should Yandy return to Columbus and immediately begin pummeling to the tune of .300/.400 once more....

Well, you know what to do, people. Grow the movement. I, for one, look forward to bringing a #FreeYandy sign to Clippers games.

Yandy Watch by the Numbers

March 23: DNP

March 24: 1-3 with a walk. Collected a putout on a foul popup and threw a runner out at first on a grounder.

March 25: 1-3, the hit being a double. Another clean play at third.

March 26: DNP. Presumably shouted encouraging things from the dugout.

March 27: 0-3, but not unproductive. Yandy earned an RBI on a groundout. Handled a couple of popups.

March 28: 2-3, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 R, 1 RBI. Positioned at DH.

March 29: 2-3, 1 HR, 1 R, 3 RBI. No chances defensively, although there was an infield single to shortstop. I would be curious to see where it was; it’s possible that an elite 3B may have been able to cut and angle on it and make a ludicrous play.

As you can see, Yandy had a fantastic week. It’s still a little bit difficult to judge the defense without knowing exactly where these balls are hit, but he has fewer errors than the other players jockeying for the open roster spots. Errors are not everything in defense, but it is part of the information set that we have available.

We should know soon — possibly today — what Yandy’s fate will be at the beginning of the season. As we wait for the team to finalize the opening day roster, I present the following matrix to this assembly as our final argument for his inclusion.

I feel comfortable sliding him to the right on the fielding matrix based on what we know, while his hitting — still spectacular — can only really reach the top if he starts to hit like Sylvester Coddmeyer III.

Please, help yourself to whatever remains on the table in the back. I think I see a box of Timbits left. Hopefully when we next meet, we will be discussing the dazzling exploits of a #FreeYandy on the Cleveland Indians roster.