Name: Brett M. Gardner (can't find what the M stands for anywhere), outfielder
DOB: August 24, 1983
Contract Status: Signed a 1-year, $452,500 contract with the New York Yankees on Mar 12, 2010
2010 Stats: 569 PA, .277/.383/.379, 121 wRC+, 5 HR, 5.4 WAR
2010 in Review: GGBG came into the year with one fan: McDaniel. Just kidding, not much was expected of Gardner for the 2010 season, as he was supposed to be a platoon type of outfielder that is the weak spot of the lineup. By the end of the season Gardner had Yankees fans begging for him to be at the top of the order, as he proved to be a reliable starting outfielder.
The Good: His nickname, Gritty Gutty Brett Gardner, is great. He gets on base a lot (led the team in OBP) and makes pitching more difficult, as the pitchers must always keep an eye on him (led the team in steals with 47). He's also one of the best selective hitters in the game (led MLB in pitches/PA with 4.62).
The Bad: Gardner has next to no power: he's never hit more than five homers at any professional level. He had wrist surgery earlier this off-season but is expected to be ready for Spring Training. Gardner struggled at the end of last season, OPS'ing .640 over the last three weeks and just .443 in the playoffs.
2011 Outlook: Hopefully Gardner will continue to improve at the major league level. His 2010 season was a very pleasant surprise, and many are pegging him to regress. Bill James projects him at around the same number for each of his stats, except for a decrease in WAR. A repeat of 2010 would be great.