During Oswaldo Cabrera’s first week in the pro, the Yankees made the most of the gloves that occupied his closet. On any given day, he finds he can be sent out in one of four different positions and is expected to keep his own.
That versatility would certainly make a player stand out, as would the number 95 shirt worn by a central midfielder for the first division team with a salary of $250 million. But Cabrera, 23, raised the bar by injecting some flair into her ensemble with a faux pearl necklace that, thanks to a combination of white and colored beads, clashed just enough. with the Yankees’ business approach to getting audiences to watch at Home.
“I love it,” said Ron Marinaccio, the Yankees pain reliever, another Yankees rookie who has teamed up with Cabrera in this year’s junior and pro. “It was his thing. That’s what I like about Oswaldo. He doesn’t really worry about what other people are thinking. He’s doing his own thing, and he’s happy to do it. “
Cabrera, who immediately found a steady stream of video highlights on social media thanks to his defensive abilities, received the handmade necklace from Milton Ramos about six weeks ago.
Ramos, a midfielder who was selected to the Mets’ third round in 2014, broke his arm while turning on one of his minor league stops and eventually founded the company PawGripz, make the handle of the racquet rubber to protect the player’s hand. In the end, he decided that his company had to sell something stylish, too.
“Look good, play well, you know?” said Ramos, who competed with Cabrera in the minors. “I said, ‘Hey man, let me send you a necklace,’ because he’s a good friend of mine. He has never taken it off since. “
“Everybody loves it,” Cabrera said. “People are asking me. I was like, ‘Hey, this is my guy. Ask him!'”
Ramos said his other major clients include Gary Sánchez, Nick Gordon, Triston McKenzie and Chris Archer. The Cabrera wears Ramos’ “Pollyanna Necklace” – so named because it’s for the cheerful and upbeat – on sale for $29.99.
Cabrera’s, though, is one of a kind. It features two letter beads that spell “OZ,” a fitting nickname for a player whose defensive spells made him an instant fan favorite.
Featured at every stop
When Cabrera sprinted to second base Monday against the Mets, it was only the sixth game of his career in the professional leagues. Having previously started short, third leg and right field, Cabrera became the first Yankees player to start in four different positions in his first six appearances.
Midfielder Estevan Florial, who was promoted with Cabrera last week, said, “It doesn’t matter where he plays. He is ready all the time.”
In every position, Cabrera makes a mark.
He reminds everyone of Derek Jeter with his narrow pit jump. He crashed into the net of Yankee Stadium and rolled up the tarp while chasing a pop-up in third place. He jumped up and stole a run home that would be out in the yard. And he performed a deft flip in an attempted double game.
Of course, no rookie is perfect. Monday 4-2 win over Mets there is some misinformation on the popup. Cabrera ventured out into the field beyond Pete Alonso’s cross, and Marwin Gonzalez was rushing in from the right. The players collide and the ball falls to the ground. Making matters worse, the next hitter, designated hitter Daniel Vogelbach, cost the Yankees the error – charged to Cabrera – with a double hit.
However, the Yankees appreciate the Cabrera’s tenacity and versatility, and can make a few rookie mistakes along the way.
“He was not afraid at all. You’ve seen him all over the diamond play some really good plays,” said Yankees director Aaron Boone. “He likes that ice. He feels he belongs.”
Ask Cabrera to pick a favorite spot, and he can’t. “I like them all,” he said, noting that each is different. However, the outfield is the newest pitch for him. He only scored 43 professional innings there, all coming this year.
Cabrera asked to play in the youth team last season, but didn’t get the chance. This year, he didn’t say anything, but the organization put him on the permanent offer. And it was Cabrera’s versatility that helped him move up the majors.
“I want to do different things like learn. At the moment that they need me there, I can play there,” Cabrera said. “It was an opportunity to play more, so for that reason, I said, ‘I want to do this too.'”
Provide a spark
As valuable as Cabrera’s adaptability is, the Yankees also called him and Florial up last week because they were desperately looking for a spark.
The team hit .500 in July and 3-11 in August before Cabrera launched. With veterans like Aaron Hicks, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Josh Donaldson struggling, the Yankees are poised to take down some younger players.
“He’s someone we’re very excited about,” Boone said when Cabrera, the Yankees’ No. 14 prospect, according to MLB.com, joined the team. “We’ve always loved his makeup and really like what he brings to the table as a diversion. Ball impact and really a good midfielder wherever you put him. “
While Cabrera’s batman has yet to keep up with his gauntlet so far – he’s hitting .136 with a double – he’s brought some energy and joy to the Bronx at a time when stuff like that. such are in short supply (the Yankees have won consecutive games on Sunday and Monday for the first time since late July).
Marinaccio said: “He was always like a free-spirited player. “There doesn’t seem to be a moment that’s too big for him, and it’s impressive to see him keep plunging in like this.”
So far, that approach has worked well for the Yankees and Cabrera. But they weren’t the only ones to benefit from Cabrera’s rapid popularity.
“I had a bunch of people hit me,” Ramos said, referring to a series of Cabrera-inspired necklace orders. “It really went well.”
