Brett Gardner appeared in all three games of his first playoff series, the 2009 ALDS, also against the Twins — except he was deployed exclusively as a runner and a late defensive replacement in center field for Melky Cabrera.
George Steinbrenner was ill by then, in full retreat from his day-to-day immersion running the Yankees. But make no mistake, these were still George Steinbrenner’s Yankees. They believed in stars and throwing money at problems and top-heavy rosters. In that realm, Gardner was the type of player who flitted through the pinstripe scene quickly. Fourth outfielders without power made pit stops with the Yankees en route to becoming Royals.