CLEARWATER, Fla. — Rob Refsnyder’s chances of sticking as a backup third baseman and second baseman aren’t good considering he has minor league options remaining and Sunday was the first time he played third.
Yet the initial impression was hard to ignore, even if it was in a meaningless 6-5 exhibition loss to the Phillies at Bright House Field.
Refsnyder, who started his pro career in right field and then moved to second base, snagged Carlos Ruiz’s second-inning smash with runners on first and second and no outs and turned it into a 5-4-3 double play. It was the first of two chances Refsnyder handled at third.
“I knew I had time and I let [Starlin] Castro do the rest,’’ said Refsnyder, who made a perfect throw to the second baseman. “He made a great turn on it. I learned from [Chase Headley] that you have to make a good feed.”
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Refsnyder’s day was more than defense. He singled, walked, scored a run and stole two bases. But his play at third will be watched closely.
“You have to take someone who can play third,’’ manager Joe Girardi said when asked about the fourth bench player.
To say Refsnyder can play third after one game is stupid. But it’s not like the next Scott Brosius is an option.
“You really have to see how this plays out,’’ Girardi said. “You have guys like a [Donovan] Solano, and a Castro, and a [Ronald] Torreyes and a [Jonathan] Diaz, who have played all over.’’
Castro is the starting second baseman who Girardi said would get a look at third but hasn’t yet. Torreyes is the only other candidate Girardi mentioned who is on the 40-man roster.
Aroldis Chapman threw one inning of a simulated game at Tampa’s George M. Steinbrenner Field on Sunday morning, but since he can’t pitch in a regular-season game until May 9 due to suspension, the lefty closer is on a slower schedule than other Yankee pitchers.
“We are trying to keep him going but slow him down,’’ Girardi said of Chapman, who faced Dustin Fowler and Chris Denorfia.
After the workout, Girardi talked to each hitter.
“Denorfia said it was probably the best slider he has seen him throw,’’ Girardi said. “I asked him about the changeup and he said it had sink to it. He said it was good.’’
Don’t read anything into Girardi pairing Masahiro Tanaka with Gary Sanchez on Sunday. It didn’t mean that Sanchez was ahead of Austin Romine in the competition to be Brian McCann’s backup.
“In evaluating Sanchez and Romine, you want to give them equal starts and see how they do and how they adapt to the different pitchers,’’ Girardi said.
Sanchez, 23, entered spring training the apparent favorite since the front office talked him up during the offseason when it continued to tell other teams he wasn’t going to be dealt.
“I think it has shown how much he has grown, that he is getting starts now as opposed to coming in and backing up and [catching] guys he knew from the minor leagues.,’’ Girardi said of Sanchez, whose first big league camp was 2012. “Now he is getting guys he doesn’t know and you want to see how he adjusts.’’
The question facing the Yankees is: Would Sanchez be better served playing every day at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to keep improving, or backing up McCann and possibly catching 50 games?
“I think you have to see where his game is as we go through spring training. Sometimes you talk about players who have high ceilings and sometimes people say, ‘Let’s finish [the development] off in the minor leagues before we call them up.’ I think Gary does have a high ceiling, but he is a guy who might be able to help us a lot, too,’’ Girardi said. “If you think he is ready, then you have to weigh that. Is he better off playing every day and really finish everything off? Or do you see if he can help you out and make a difference.’’
Since Girardi has a plan to lighten McCann’s load a bit this coming season, Sanchez, Romine and Carlos Corporan could play a lot against left-handed pitchers. Sanchez and Romine are right-handed hitters; Corporan is a switch hitter.
“They are going to play,’’ Girardi said.
Sanchez was hit on the left thigh with a pitch in the final at-bat Sunday but said he was fine and was scheduled to leave the game after that at-bat.
As for how it turns out — SWB or the big leagues — Sanchez understands the decision won’t be his.
“It doesn’t feel different [competing for a job],’’ Sanchez said. “I am just focused on doing my job, work hard and call a good game. The decision is up to them.’’
Romine replaced Sanchez and went 2-for-2 with two doubles and three RBIs.
“Both are playing extremely well,’’ Girardi said. “They are going to make our decision really tough.’’
Girardi said he didn’t know whether Brett Gardner would take batting practice outside for the first time Monday but said that “it’s getting close.’’
Gardner has been taking BP in the cage as he works his way back from a bone bruise in the left wrist that he suffered last October in the wild-card loss to the Astros.
Training day
Something good
Anthony Swarzak, a non-roster invite who appeared in 10 games with the Indians last year and is in the mix for a bullpen job, tossed two hitless innings, striking out two.
Something bad
Chad Green, one of two pitchers acquired from the Tigers for Justin Wilson, allowed five earned runs, three hits and two walks in two-thirds of an inning.
Caught my eye
Dustin Fowler, a non-roster, left-handed-hitting outfielder who split last year between Single-A Charleston and Single-A Tampa, laced an opposite-field single off Aroldis Chapman in a simulated game at GMS Field.
Monday’s schedule
Michael Pineda will start against the Astros at GMS Field and Luis Severino will follow. It’s Pineda’s first outing of the spring and Severino’s second. Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller are slated to work.