The "New" Yorker


Chase Headley, seen here in spring training with the 2010 Padres, looked like he was bursting into stardom when he batted .285 with 31 home runs and 115 RBIs in 2012. But he's never come close to repeating those numbers since.

The Yankees are hoping the switch hitting 3rd baseman rebounds -- especially when he hits from the left side and takes aim at Yankee Stadium's cozy right field corner. Even hitting the other way, the left field foul pole is just 318 feet away.

Considering how little production the Yankees received from Yangervis Solarte since mid-May, the club didn't pay a big price for Headley, a free agent at season's end. The other half of the package, minor leaguer Rafael DePaula is rated the Yankees number-15 prospect -- so no one's expecting him to turn into even David Phelps or Shane Green.

While Solarte was the feel-good story of the season's first six weeks, he, as predicted by many, fell back to reality. Give Brian Cashman credit -- he puffed up the value of Solarte, a minor-league free agent last winter, and got 2-1/2 months of Headley in return. Monty Hall would be proud of that deal.

So far, so good -- Headley's Yankee debut was a success. Flying in from Chicago (where was he was with the Padres) to New York and arriving at the Stadium after the game began, he delivered the game winning hit, singling in Brian Roberts in the 14th inning for a 2 - 1 Yankee win (and Gatorade bath during his post-game interview).

My biggest challenge was finding a picture of Headley. He didn't play when I saw the Padres against the Phillies last September, And I wasn't at any of the Mets/ Padres games at Citi Field back in June. I had to reach all the way back to March 2010 and a Cactus League game in Peoria Arizona.

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