Deal him in
Chapman throw-in proving he belongs
TAMPA — For someone who wasn’t invited to the party Billy McKinney certainly looks like he belongs in his first big league camp.
Pulled from the minor league complex when Tyler Austin and Mason Williams suffered pre-camp injuries working out, McKinney has impressed the Yankees’ brass with his bat and attitude.
“He is swinging the bat great, even his outs are hard,’’ manager Joe Girardi said of the 22-year-old outfielder who was a very quiet part of the Aroldis Chapman deal with the Cubs last July that netted super prospect Gleyber Torres. “He has taken advantage of the situation and swung it extremely well. I am excited to follow him this year.’’
McKinney went 1-for-1 with a solo homer against the Orioles in a 5-4 loss at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Saturday.
In 15 games he is batting .412 (7-for-17) with three homers and seven RBIs.
McKinney likely was ticketed for Double-A Trenton before grabbing attention with his left-handed bat. He still might land there, but at some point could help in Triple-A Scranton WilkesBarre, where the 24th pick in the 2013 draft by the A’s would be a phone call away from the big leagues.
“That’s the goal, to get to the big leagues and help,’’ McKinney said. “We will see what happens, that’s not my call. I try to give my all every day and let the bat do the talking.’’
Aaron Judge’s double in the sixth inning Saturday was just his second in 14 atbats and his less-than-electric spring has opened the door for Aaron Hicks to be the Opening Day right fielder.
“I haven’t necessarily been alarmed by his atbats. Hitters are going to go through that in spring training and in the season, too,’’ Girardi said of Judge.
Fourteen games in 2014 were followed by 22 in 2015 and zero in 2016.
So when Ernesto Frieri was asked Saturday to compare himself to the hurler he was in 2013 when he saved 37 games for the Angels and struck out 98 in 68 2/3 innings, he didn’t hesitate to answer.
“I think I am better, I am honest. Whatever you do in life you have to be honest to yourself,’’ said the 31-yearold right-hander who signed a minor league contract with the Yankees on Thursday and worked one inning Saturday against the Orioles at Steinbrenner Field in which he gave up a homer and struck out three.
“Before I was a thrower, I threw my fastball and got away with a lot of mistakes. Now I work on my secondary stuff and throw breaking ball for strikes and elevate my fastball.’’
Following the 2015 season Frieri decided he needed to rebuild his entire delivery even if that meant sitting out all of 2016.