Randy Winn: The Answer to Yankees' Left Field Situation?

By Melissa Falica
If all goes well with his physical, 35-year-old Randy Winn will most likely be the New York Yankees' answer for left field this upcoming season.

Did anyone see this one coming?

Probably not. But contrary to what many Yankee fans believe, it is not as pointless as it seems.

Despite his mediocre 2009 season with the San Francisco Giants, in which he only hit two home runs and compiled a total of 51 RBI, Winn still brings some things to the table.

For starters, he can play all three outfield positions and already has a good chance to lock down the starting position in left.

As much as Yankee fans want to believe that Brett Gardner is the answer, until he proves himself, he is far from it.

That’s not to say that Gardner is terrible, because that surely is not the case. But he was made out to be the next best thing for the Yankees, and he has fallen well short of that.

He is insanely fast and holds his own in the field, but his lack of offensive production is a problem.

Gardner is patient at the plate to the point that he watches balls fly right down the pipe without even attempting to swing. When he does swing, he rarely does anything.

Although Winn’s not exactly the home run king of baseball, he is at least a minor upgrade at the plate.

Regardless of who will start in left, Winn is a valuable asset to a Yankees team that has little to no backup for their outfield in general.

Another tool Winn brings to the team is speed.

He may not be as speedy as Gardner, but he still poses a legit threat on the bases.

However, the real question most Yankee fans are wondering is: Will he or will he not be able to put up the offensive numbers that Johnny Damon did last year?

Chances are very slim, but hey, look at it this way: Winn's defense is an upgrade from Damon’s embarrassing defense last year.

Even if the Yanks brought him back this season, Damon would most likely play more of a DH role on the team, anyway. Anybody who thinks he still has any defensive potential left in him is crazy.

With Nick Johnson back in the Big Apple, the concern regarding Damon’s offensive contribution to the team is eased.

Johnson did not have the most powerful year of his career with the Washington Nationals in 2008, but he has the potential to be an explosive player.