In Oswaldo Cabrera’s first week in the major leagues, the Yankees made the most of the multiple gloves that occupied his locker. He realized that on any given day he could be sent to one of four different positions and expected to assume his position.
This type of versatility will make a player stand out. The same goes for the No. 95 uniform worn by the middle infielder of the No. 1 team with $250 million in payroll. But Cabrera, 23, added a bit of flair to his uniform with his faux-pearl necklace, a mix of white and colored beads, which clashed enough with the Yankees’ business-like approach to draw attention to the crowd. house.
“I like it,” said Ron Marinaccio, another Yankees rookie reliever who teamed with Cabrera in the minors and major leagues this year. “It’s his job. This is why I like Oswaldo. He doesn’t really worry about what other people think. The guy is doing his job, and he’s enjoying it.”
Cabrera, who immediately appeared in a steady stream of highlight reels on social media thanks to his defensive prowess, received a handmade necklace from Milton Ramos about six weeks ago.
Ramos, an infielder who was drafted in the third round by the Mets in 2014, founded PawGripz, a company that makes rubber batting grips that protect players’ hands after breaking his hand while swinging in the minor leagues. Eventually, he decided that his company should also sell sophisticated products.
“Look good, play nice, you know?” said Ramos, who competed with Cabrera in the minor leagues. “I said, ‘Hey, I’ll send you a necklace.’ That person is a good friend of mine. “I haven’t taken it off since.”
“Everyone loves it,” Cabrera said. “Everyone asks me. I was like, ‘Hey, this is my friend. bite!'”
Ramos said his other big league clients include Gary Sánchez, Nick Gordon, Triston McKenzie and Chris Archer. Cabrera is wearing Ramos’ “Pollyanna necklace” (so named because it’s made for cheerful and optimistic people), which sells for $29.99.
But Cabrera is one of a kind. It contains two beads with the letters “OZ” engraved on them. It’s a fitting nickname for a player who immediately became a fan favorite for his defensive abilities.
Stand out at every stop
When Cabrera reached second base against the Mets on Monday, it was his sixth career game in the major leagues. Cabrera, who had previously started at shortstop, third base, and right field, became the first Yankees player to start at four different positions in his first six appearances.
Outfielder Esteban Florial, who was promoted along with Cabrera last week, said: “It doesn’t matter where he plays. He is always ready.”
At each point, Cabrera found success.
He reminded people of Derek Jeter by jumping into the hole in a short situation. He was chasing a pop-up from third base when he crashed into the netting and rolled-up tarp at Yankee Stadium. He jumped and robbed what would have been a home run in the outfield. He performed a slick glove flip on a double play attempt. And on Tuesday against the Mets, he I kicked the runner out of the house. In right field.
Of course, no rookie is perfect. Monday’s 4-2 win over the Mets featured some miscommunication on a pop-up. Cabrera went to the outfield on a pop-up from Pete Alonso while Marwin Gonzalez rushed in right field. The defenders collided and the ball fell to the ground. To make matters worse, the next batter, designated hitter Daniel Vogelbach, made the Yankees pay for the error they imposed on Cabrera with a two-run home run.
Still, the Yankees value Cabrera’s tenacity and flexibility, and can tolerate a few rookie mistakes along the way.
“He is fearless. You’ve seen him play really well,” coach Aaron Boone said. “He has something like ice water. He feels like he belongs.”
When I asked Cabrera to pick his favorite position, he couldn’t. “I like them all,” he said, pointing out that each branch is different. But the outfield is the newest field for him. He had logged just 43 professional innings there through Tuesday, all of them this year.
Cabrera requested to play outfield in the minor leagues last season, but did not get the opportunity. He didn’t say anything this year, but the organization took him up on a permanent offer. And it was Cabrera’s versatility that helped him ascend to the majors.
“I want to do different things, like learn,” Cabrera said. “The moment they need me again, I can play there. “I had more opportunities to play, so I thought, ‘I want to do that too.’”
provided by spark
As valuable as Cabrera’s adaptability has been, the Yankees were looking for a spark, so they called up him and Florial last week.
The team was .500 in July and 3-11 in August before Cabrera debuted. With veterans like Aaron Hicks, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and Josh Donaldson struggling, the Yankees were willing to give some younger players a chance.
“He’s a guy we’re really excited about,” Boone said when Cabrera, the Yankees’ No. 14 prospect, joined the team, according to MLB.com. “We’ve always loved his makeup and what he brings to the table as a switch hitter. He makes an impact on the ball and is a really good infielder no matter where he puts it.”
Cabrera’s bat hasn’t caught up to his glove so far (he had a bases-loaded walk through Tuesday, but he was hitting .136 in doubles through Monday), but he’s brought energy and joy to the Bronx. They were in short supply (the Yankees had won back-to-back games on Sunday and Monday for the first time since late July).
“He was always a free and loose player.” Marinacio said. “No moment seems too big for him, and it’s pretty impressive to see him jump right in like this.”
So far, this approach has worked for the Yankees and Cabrera. But they are not the only ones benefiting from Cabrera’s rapid rise to notoriety.
“I’ve already had a lot of people contact me,” Ramos said, citing the influx of orders for Cabrera-inspired necklaces. “It’s going really well.”
