New York Yankees: Brett Gardner might be the most underrated Yankee ever

The New York Yankees are coming off another win against another good team. However, Brett Gardner was the guy who carries his own with another multi-home run game. Is Brett Gardner the most underrated Yankee ever?

The New York Yankees, as we know have set the standard for winning in baseball. They are the team that everyone knows, everyone loves to hate, and everyone tries to whether you like or not.

So, with that being said it is not very often that greatness falls through falls the cracks the day in age. It is even more rare to overlook talent on the Yankees because the team and fans know it when they see it and it is incredibly glorified.

Brett Gardner is one of those players where a lot of people know he is really good. But his role on this team and the nostalgia he provides for the fans is, at least on the surface, underappreciated.

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I say typically once a World Series drought turns 10 years old then it is officially time to say that is is a drought. The Yanks’ title in 2009 is almost at that point. That 10-year window, if it becomes reality then the Yankees should become desperate to win one.

Since 2008, Brett Gardner has been part of this. He is a World Champ and was on that ’09 team. Him and CC Sabathia. He knows what it takes but he is truly a great Yankee.

Not only is he the veteran of this team by being the longest tenured, he has been part of the most up and down era of Yankees baseball in recent memory.

Gardner won the title in ’09, has been part of teams that missed the playoffs, lost the LCS and was on the teams that made magical runs into the post-season. The best team, bad teams, teams that meet expectation, teams that shatter them.

Through all of it, almost every Yankees team possible, for 10 years, Brett Gardner has been there and playing an above average level and learning what it takes to get back to the ultimate goal.

Although Gardner has only been an All-Star once in 2015, he has been putting up consistent numbers and helping the team. With the exception of 2008 when he barely played, when Gardner plays over 100 games in a season, he’s never batted worse than .250.

“Gardy” as we can call him is also top 5 Yankees history in stolen bases, has once led the league in triples, and in something that is hard to measure with accolades, he does have a Gold Glove though, is a great fielder each year.

But right now, on a team full of young, up and coming, bonafide potential stars, Gardy is the leader. He just has to be the guy that is helping everyone. He has been here the longest and done it right for a while.

His careers has gone exactly how it should have too. He came up, lived up to some promise, excites the fans with his style of play, and delivers whatever the team needs him to the most.

No, I am not pleading Gardner as any type of Pro Baseball Hall of Famer and I am not even trying to put him anywhere close to the top Yankees players of all time. I just think Gardner is an underrated player.

Out of all the Yankees in history, and the list is loose because there are many, Brett Gardner has been one of the best ones ever without getting a lot of credit.

He has it good though. Gardy is a fan favorite and always get a good reaction. He just does not have to deal with the same pressures as other guys too, perhaps that is why it has all worked out.

But, overall, appreciate Brett Gardner. He has just been here for a long time. That is nice and shows the type of guy he is but it is a lazy analysis. Look at as the fact that Gardner has been doing it right AND for a long time. That is the difference.

Consistently solid seasons, rarely ever had any disputes, disruptions, or noise around him. He plays the same when the team is doing well or the team is doing badly. He is simply reliable.

So, Brett Gardner might just be the most underrated Yankee player of all-time. He is always integral in their wins and rarely at fault for their loss. He does a lot of things well and is a handy player to have been around this long.

Brett Gardner, never change. He represents New York baseball very well. Only time will tell if his number 11 will end up in Monument Park.

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It feels like it shouldn’t and it would be wrong if it does. Rather just have every Yankees fan talk about how good he was and wonder why it isn’t down the road. That is how he should be remembered, that is okay. He will always be underrated.

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