Nice piece on Eric Chavez in the Wall Street Journal today by Daniel Barbarisi.

The Yankees had lost three straight going into last night’s game and frustration built by the inning as Chris Young was stingy and kept the Bombers off the board. Frustration turned into irritation when Young hit a two-out RBI single in the sixth inning to put the Mets up, 3-0.

And then, over the course of four pitches, the game changed.

Mark Teixeira led off the seventh against Young and worked the count full. He hit a foul tip that was dropped by the catcher, Josh Thole. The next pitch was over the plate but low for ball four. Close, and on a different night with a different umpire it could have easily been called a strike. Nick Swisher took a big swing at the first pitch he saw and it was likely his swing that caught right fielder Lucas Duda off-guard. Duda stepped back, hesitated, and then ran forward. Swisher hit the ball off the end of the bat and was so sure that he’d made an easy out that he ducked his head and loafed out of the box. But Duda’s hesitation was costly as he ran ahead and dove for the ball. He missed and the ball squirted behind him. Teixeira moved to third and even without hustling Swisher made it to second.

Before Yankee fans could say “runners in scoring position” Raul Ibanez hit a line drive on the first pitch he saw from Young. It was a seed, headed for the right field corner, and whoosh! it went over the fence, a three run homer. Four pitches and the game had changed.

Jon Rauch relieved Young, struck out Russell Martin and got ahead of pinch-hitter Eric Chavez 0-2 when he looked to waste a pitch up in the zone. It was at Chavez’s shoulders but the lefty fought it off and hit a fly ball to left. It appeared to be a long foul ball, but it stayed fair and went over the fence to put the Yankees ahead 4-3.

That’s how the score remained as the Bombers worked out of trouble in almost every inning–David Robertson pulled his usual Houdini act in the eighth, walking two and striking out the side–as it was the Mets’ turn to come up short with men on. Raphael Soriano got the save. The last out, a long fly ball off the bat of Daniel Murphy, looked scary coming off his bat. But it didn’t have that good sound and it fell into Swisher’s glove.

Eric Chavez is back.

[Photo Credit: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images]

According to Joel Sherman in the New York Post, the Yanks are still interested in Eric Chavez and they are also interested in trading A.J. Burnett.

So just how long should the Yankees wait before making some kind of move with Derek Jeter and/or Jorge Posada? While it’s become fashionable to proclaim both players as fully cooked and ready to begin their five-year waits for Hall of Fame consideration, those calls convey ignorance and a lack of knowledge about the Yankee organization. First off, it’s foolish to make full judgments based on the first month of the season. The same people that always cry out “sample size” conveniently forget about the principle when it involves players they don’t like. Jeter has been so reviled by some in the Sabermetric community that they’re ready to drop the guillotine at a moment’s notice.

His critics will quickly add that Jeter’s poor performance is a continuation of his 2010 finish, but his overall 2010 numbers were hardly as bad as what he’s done early in 2011. On the whole, Jeter was a passable player in 2010. So let’s give it more than a month before we proclaim a death knell. I would suggest the Yankees give Jeter at least until the end of May, if not until the middle of June, before they drop him to a lower spot in the batting order. And if his lack of hitting continues beyond that, let’s say into July, then it would certainly be fair for the Yankees to consider removing him entirely from the starting lineup.

There is another reason to have patience. Who exactly is ready to step in to become the starting shortstop? Bucky Dent and Tony Kubek are not available. Eduardo Nunez’ throwing problems make it clear that he’s not ready NOW; he might be later this season, he might be in 2012, but he’s clearly not ready at the present time. Ramiro Pena, starting at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre, is an excellent defensive shortstop but isn’t likely to represent any improvement over Jeter’s current hitting. Are Yankee fans really ready to wade through a bottom-third of the lineup that has both Pena and Brett Gardner? I know I’m not.

Then there’s the case of Posada, who’s coming off a respectable season in 2010. Would it be smart to give up on Posada so quickly, especially when he’s at least shown significant power over the first 30 games? I don’t think so. I would suggest a similar timetable with Posada. If he’s still struggling badly at the end of May, it would be fair to consider a platoon with another player, perhaps Andruw Jones. And if Posada is still struggling into July, and the Yankees are in danger of falling out of contention, then yes, it might be the right time for a total replacement.

In the case of Posada, the Yankees DO have tangible replacement options. Jones is one; the other is super prospect Jesus Montero, who is close to being ready to hit in the major leagues, if not handle regular catching duties. (Montero is finally drawing a few walks and has his batting average up to .372.) Montero could be just what an aging offense needs, particularly if Jeter’s punchless hitting continues. The problem with demoting Posada is what to do with him? Teams do not need backup DH’s who cannot play the field and cannot run the bases. Unless the Yankees change their mind about using Posada as a backup catcher, he could become a roster albatross by the middle of the summer.

It’s certainly possible that Posada and Jeter, who’s been nicknamed “Captain Groundout” by Rob Neyer, might be done as useful players. It’s just too early in a long season to draw that conclusion once and for all. So let’s give it a little more time before we make them walk the plank…

***

Perhaps it was just a matter of time before Eric Chavez returned to the disabled list, ala the brittle Nick Johnson in 2010. But it is strange the way that he broke a bone in his foot while running the bases on Thursday afternoon. Chavez did not step awkwardly on the second base bag. He didn’t trip, or even stumble. He did not collide with another player. And yet, he still suffered a small fracture in his left foot, one that figures to put him on the shelf for at least two weeks, if not longer. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a player break his foot while simply running out an extra-base hit.

Thankfully, the Yankees can call on the kind of superior depth at Scranton that I’ve been harping about all spring long. Jorge Vazquez, off to a roaring start at Triple-A, deserves a promotion to the Bronx ahead of Pena, who just cannot hit, and prospect Brandon Laird, who needs to play every day. Vazquez doesn’t have Chavez’ defensive skills, but he can play the same two positions (third base and first base) and has legitimate power, good for nine home runs in 110 at-bats for Scranton. In the short term, I could see Vazquez having the same kind of impact that Shelley Duncan did as a mid-season call-up in 2007. (By the way, has anyone noticed that “Slam” Duncan is doing his part for the upstart Indians, slugging .500 in a part-time role?) The first time around, at least until opposing pitchers discover his weaknesses, Vazquez could give the Yankees the same kind of bench boost that Chavez had supplied over the first month.

And I’ll be rooting for him. A ten-year veteran of the Mexican League, Vazquez is 28 and has never appeared in a major league game. I hope that latter fact will change shortly, perhaps as soon as this weekend in Texas…

***

Over at The Hardball Times, I’ve written a piece about the worst defensive players at each position dating back to the 1950s. A number of ex-Yankees made the list, including Cliff Johnson (at catcher), Jason Giambi (at first base), Curt Blefary (as a utility man), and Tommy John (at pitcher). Other players, like Jim Ray Hart and Dave Kingman, played only briefly for the Bombers after establishing their defensive ineptitude elsewhere.

So who’s the worst Yankee defensive player you’ve ever seen? Does anyone in the group go back to the days of Hector Lopez? How about Rich McKinney, who once made four errors in a game at third base? Or does one of the current Yankees deserve consideration?

Bruce Markusen, who lives in Cooperstown, loves the new look of Bronx Banter Blog.

There is only one conclusion to draw from Ivan Nova’s performance on Wednesday night in Tampa: he is going to make the Opening Day roster, and most likely as the No. 4 starter. In bouncing back from his lone poor performance this spring, Nova pitched brilliantly by forging six hitless innings against the Orioles. He threw strikes, kept his fastball down, and even mixed in a slider, the latest addition to his repertoire. Nova recorded 11 of his 14 outs on ground balls, which is exactly the kind of ratio the Yankees would like to see this summer.

With Nova slotted in the fourth spot, that leaves only the No. 5 starter to be decided. The two right-handed veterans, Freddie Garcia and Bartolo Colon, will continue to fight for that honor, with the loser possibly heading to the bullpen, especially if the Yankees take the careful route and place Joba Chamberlain on the disabled list to start the season. (I don’t think Chamberlain’s oblique injury is all that serious, but the Yankees tend to be overly cautious when it comes to these things.) The Yankees could also open up a relief spot by releasing or trading Sergio Mitre, a possibility that has actually been rumored this spring despite Joe Girardi’s affinity for the former Marlin.

The other outside possibility for the bullpen is Romulo Sanchez, the ex-Pirate who is out of options. Sanchez has been wild this spring, but he has a live fastball that has impressed opposing scouts, and would almost certainly be claimed on waivers by someone. At 26, Sanchez is a lot younger than both Colon and Garcia, and more accustomed to pitching out of the pen.

Whatever happens with the 12-man staff, the Yankees at least appear to have some decent pitching options, more so than they appeared to have at the start of spring training…

***

The revelation of the Yankee spring has been the play of Eric Chavez. Given up as a lost cause by the A’s and most other teams, Chavez signed a minor league free agent deal with the Yankees during the winter. The move hardly registered a note in the Big Apple, barely mentioned as an afterthought in the New York city dailies.

As of this writing, Chavez has practically guaranteed himself a spot on the roster, barring a late-spring injury. By shortening his swing, Chavez has taken some pressure off his ailing shoulders. He’s also shown power, enough to make scouts wonder if he might get some DH time if Jorge Posada slumps at the start of the season. Chavez has also taken a crash course in learning first base, giving the Yankees the kind of versatility they want from a backup infielder. Perhaps most importantly, he’s fully recovered from the plague of shoulder, back, and neck injuries that laid waste to his career over the past half-decade.

Yet, with Chavez must come some caution. The reality is this: he’s played a grand total of 64 games over the last three seasons, so he will have to prove he can stay healthy. If he can, the Yankees will boast their most powerful bench in years. With Chavez, Andruw Jones, and potentially Jesus Montero assuming the backup catching role, the Yankees could have three legitimate power hitters available in reserve. When’s the last time the Yankees had that? You might have to go back to the latter stages of 2000, when Joe Torre could call on Glenallen Hill, Jose Canseco, and Shane Spencer in a pinch…

***

Prior to the arrival of Ozzie Smith in St. Louis, Marty Marion was considered the greatest fielding shortstop in the history of the Cardinals’ franchise. Marion, who died earlier this week at the age of 93, was one of those players who will always incur debate between old schoolers who saw him play and the younger Sabermetric crowd. The old schoolers will defend his 1944 MVP Award and even call for his election to the Hall of Fame, while the Sabermetric analysts will say Marion never should have won the award because of his mediocre offensive numbers, and laugh off any suggestions of Cooperstown.

I suspect Marion is one of those players you had to see play in order to appreciate his value. Growing up listening to Art Rust Jr. on WABC Radio in the late seventies and early eighties, I heard numerous witnesses attest to Marion’s defensive brilliance, from his broad range to his ability to go deep in the hole to his shotgun throwing arm. I listened to Rust and so many of his callers absolutely rave about Marion that I eventually took them at their word. After all, I figure they couldn’t all be wrong.

I never saw Marion play, but I think Steve Treder of The Hardball Times is probably right when he imagines Marion as an early day version of the former Oriole stalwart, Mark Belanger. With his long, lean frame (which is just how Belanger was built), the six-foot, two-inch Marion was nicknamed “Slats” and “The Octopus.” Fans who watched him say he seemed to glide along the infield, gobbling up ground with the ease of a high-powered lawnmower. I did see Belanger play, and that’s pretty much how I remember “The Blade” played the position, with the same kind of smoothness and fluidity attributed to Marion. From a defensive standpoint, Belanger was one of the five best shortstops I’ve ever seen play, ranking somewhere behind the “Wizard of Oz” and mixed in the middle with a group that includes Adam Everett, Omar Vizquel, Davey Concepcion, and Eddie Brinkman.

That’s not to say that either Belanger or Marion deserve to be in the Hall of Fame. Neither man hit enough to truly deserve that honor. But strictly from a standpoint of fielding, these guys were masters of their position, both efficient in their skill and aesthetically pleasing to watch. And there’s nothing wrong with finding value in that.

Bruce Markusen writes “Cooperstown Confidential” for The Hardball Times.

Last year, career minor leaguer Jon Weber was the feel-good story of spring training. He hit everything in sight and made a run at the Opening Day roster before being demoted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre. Weber’s story ended nightmarishly; the veteran outfielder was suspended in mid-season for a third violation of baseball’s drug policy, and rather than take a 100-game ban, he opted to retire.

Let’s hope that the story of Jorge Vazquez ends far better than that. Like Weber, Vazquez is no prospect. He’s soon to turn 29 and will never be a regular in the major leagues. But he has legitimate right-handed power, is versatile, and could be a useful backup player in the Bronx. It’s only been a few games, but the career minor leaguer and ex-Mexican League standout has been rapping line drives around the Grapefruit League, putting himself in position to make an outside run at the 13th and final spot for position players.

Vazquez spent most of 2010 at Scranton/Wilkes Barre, where he slugged .526 as a part-time third baseman and first baseman. There’s little doubt about his power; he twice exceeded the 30-home run mark in Mexico, and has hit long balls at a similar rate in the high minors of the Yankee system. Now the down side. He’s the ultimate free swinger, having never walked more than 25 times in a full season. So let’s call him Celerino Sanchez with power.

Vazquez’ best shot at making the team rests on his ability to continue hitting this spring, along with a potential breakdown by Eric Chavez, who is also vying for a spot as a backup infield cornerman to Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira. I think the Yankees would like to see Chavez make the team, based on his pedigree of left-handed power and defensive supremacy at third base. But if Chavez cannot stay healthy (a big IF for a guy who hasn’t played a full season since 2006) or if he fails to show any of his past power, then the door might open for Vazquez

As with Weber, I’ll be rooting for Vazquez. I guess I’m just a sucker for career minor leaguers. …

***

Chavez’ case is also an interesting one. I despised this guy when he played for Oakland. A friend of mine who works for the A’s says Chavez really turned off some of his teammates when he first joined the team because of his extreme arrogance. He acted as if he owned third base, even though he had yet to play a major league game.

Of course, Chavez would own third base in Oakland for more than a half decade. From 2000 to 2005, Chavez played like a Hall of Famer; he consistently slugged over .500, despite playing in a pitcher’s park. He drew walks, drove in runs, and played the best third base the A’s had ever seen in Oakland, better than Sal Bando, Carney Lansford, or Scott Brosius. His play–along with his effort and his hustle–won over his teammates and the fans, as he became a staple in the Bay Area.

I suspect that Chavez is not as arrogant anymore. A succession of injuries that rendered him a non-roster invitee to Yankee camp will do that to a player. He seems to understand that he is now a backup, who will have to learn the subtleties of playing first base, and perhaps even the outfield in his bid to become a utilityman.

Now that he’s a Yankee, I find Eric Chavez a little more likeable…

***

Two Gotham baseball figures died last weekend. By now, you’ve probably read plenty about Duke Snider, the third rung on the celestial center field ladder that hallmarked New York City baseball in the 1950s. You might not have read as much about Greg Goossen, a former Mets catcher who died suddenly at the age of 65, just hours before he was scheduled to be honored as part of his high school’s hall of fame.

Goossen didn’t hit much during a fragmented six-year career with the Mets, Seattle Pilots, Brewers, and Washington Senators, but he led a fabulous life. He played for a who’s who of fascinating managers, including Casey Stengel, Gil Hodges, Joe Schultz, and Ted Williams. He also became one of the intriguing characters of Jim Bouton’s Ball Four, the famed day-by-day journal that chronicled the Pilots’ lone major league season. Goossen and Bouton became friends, with the pitcher praising Goose for his positive, upbeat personality.

The fun for Goossen really started after his playing days. He went to work at his father’s private detective agency, and then joined his brothers’ boxing gym in Van Nuys, where he trained such fighters as Michael Nunn.

While working at the gym in the late 1980s, his brother asked him to meet with actor Gene Hackman, who was doing research on a boxing film at the time. Hackman and Goossen immediately hit it off. The legendary actor was so impressed that he hired Goossen as his stand-in for the film, the 1988 release Split Decisions. Hackman then made it a standard part of his film contracts; Goossen would work as his stand-in, or there would be no deal. For Goossen’s 60th birthday, Hackman gave him a brand new Mercedes.

As a result of the friendship, Goossen made small appearances in a slew of great films, including The Package, Class Action, and the truly remarkable Unforgiven, the 1992 Academy Award winner starring Hackman and Clint Eastwood. That made me a bit jealous of Goossen, since Hackman and Eastwood are just about my favorite actors, with an honorable mention thrown to Sandra Bullock.

I was saddened to hear that Goossen died so suddenly, especially on the same day that he was to be honored by his alma mater, Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, California. That just seems so cruel. But then again, I’m pleased that Goossen had such an eventful life, doing three things that I would killed to have done: played baseball, worked as a private detective, and played a role in a movie. All in all, Greg Goossen’s 65 years were pretty good ones.

Bruce Markusen writes “Cooperstown Confidential” for The Hardball Times.

[Photo Credit: N.Y. Daily News]