One way the Yankees can keep Luke Voit and Greg Bird in the lineup

The Yankees have a rare, legitimate competition going down at spring training. Typically these contests have a runaway favorite — someone the Yankees actually want to win. The team knows who they will play on Opening Day, but put on a little show to make it look like an open affair.

This year’s first base battle, however, appears as real as can be. In the race between Luke Voit and Greg Bird, the batter with the better spring numbers will claim the starting job. The loser will head to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, as Aaron Boone indicated that the team will not run a platoon at first base.

Obviously the team values positional flexibility on the bench. Fans, however, find it difficult to accept they won’t bring the two best bats north. The two first basemen have torn the cover off the ball all spring.

Bird: .348/.464/.609 with one home run in 23 at-bats
Voit: .263/.391/.579 with two home runs in 19 at-bats

How could the Yankees find a way for Bird and Voit to co-exist in the lineup? They have an idea in tonight’s game.

It would complicate the roster to no end, but that makes for a far more frightening lineup than one with Tyler Wade. I suspect the Yankees would rather have the defensive skills instead of the extra thump. For now, though, it’s fun to imagine their power output from both sides of the plate.

What do you think of having Voit and Bird in the same lineup? Let us know in the comment section!