NEW YORK — Left fielder Brett Gardner says he hates to play the "what-if" game when it comes to baseball.
But Monday's 14-1 drubbing of the Royals provided a pretty poignant example of if a small moment turned out differently, the offensive outburst the Yankees enjoyed may never have happened.
In the bottom of the first inning Gardner lead off the game with a double to right and moments before Chase Headley hit a two-run homer to right, Royals' starter Jeremy Guthrie nearly picked Gardner off second.
"If I'm two or three tenths of a second slower getting back to the bag, I'm out," Gardner said.