Melky Cabrera’s favorite player is Chipper Jones, but the Yankees hope his future resembles another Atlanta player with that last name.
Capping a meteoric rise through the Yankees’ farm system, the 20-year-old outfielder had his contract purchased from Triple-A Columbus yesterday and started in center field last night against the Indians.
In a corresponding move, Carl Pavano was placed on the disabled list retroactive to June 28 with right shoulder tendinitis.
Cabrera spent most of the year in Double-A Trenton before a nine-game stint with the Clippers, and manager Joe Torre said yesterday Cabrera would start in center at least through the All-Star break.
If things go well, Cabrera will be an everyday player like young teammate Robinson Cano – or Atlanta’s Andruw Jones.
Andruw Jones was promoted at the age of 19 in the summer of 1996 and led the Braves to a National League pennant. Obviously, the Bombers hope they have something similar.
“I’m curious,” Torre said. “I think we’re all a little curious to see what it looks like. So many people have seen him, you have a feeling you’re going to like what you see. It may not be as good as it’s gonna be, but you have to understand that, too.”
At Trenton, Cabrera batted .267 with nine homers and 44 RBIs in 75 games. He scored 41 runs and compiled a .310 on-base percentage and .413 slugging percentage.
After the promotion, he batted .324 with three homers and 11 RBIs in nine games with Columbus, showing no aversion to the tougher level. Although he looked like a deer in headlights when initially confronted by the New York media, Cabrera can handle this jump emotionally, Torre was told.
Cabrera, who won’t be of legal drinking age until Aug. 11, used the services of Mariano Rivera to translate for him before the game.
“He was nervous,” Rivera said. “He was anxious to see Yankee Stadium.”
Torre spoke with Bernie Williams regarding the move. The manager and GM Brian Cashman also sat down with Tony Womack in the mid-afternoon to explain that his role would be significantly diminished.
Womack was unhappy to hear he’s now a bench player, but neither he nor his agent demanded a trade.
“I ain’t got nothing to say. I’m going home,” Womack said after the game.
Cabrera will only stay with the team if he can adjust fairly quickly.
“We’re all going to learn together,” Torre said. “If he can handle it, fine. If he can’t, we’ll do our best not to hurt him.”
Additional reporting by Evan Grossman