Is It Time to Throw The Towel on Joey Gallo?
Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Power in Short Supply
When the New York Yankees acquired Joey Gallo from the Texas Rangers after last year’s all-star break, they knew they were getting a hitter that fit their philosophy. It has been predicated on a “home run or bust” mindset that emphasizes exit velocity and launch angle. Everyone knows that he is guaranteed to produce one of three outcomes when he steps up to the plate: a home run, a walk, or a strikeout. With this approach, Gallo has enjoyed two all-star appearances with the Rangers. It is rare to see a player receive all-star appearances when his career batting average has flirted with the Mendoza Line. In 2021, he finished with a .199 batting average, but the 38 home runs, most being high, towering tape measure shots, allowed fans to quickly forget about the offensive struggles.
So far, Gallo’s tenure with the Yankees has been dismal. In the 64 total games he has appeared in, he is on pace for the worst batting average of his career, .160, not counting the 17 games he played in 2016 with Texas. He is simply a microcosm of the severe hitting deficiencies the franchise has endured for nearly a decade. The team itself has fallen flat with hitters known for embracing the long ball over contact and small ball tactics. For Gallo, his at-bats have been extremely unproductive, as he is also in danger of posting his worst slugging percentage and OPS of his career. In the first eight games of the 2022 season, he has had four 0-for-3 or worse games.
However, it is important to note that analytics have afforded Gallo a longer leash than most would think. In today’s game, dingers reign supreme. It saved the sport from collapse in 1998 with the McGwire-Sosa rivalry and other hitters like Griffey Jr. and Bonds launched long bombs with great frequency. The one key difference is that these guys, steroids or not, were all competent hitters who had quite a few seasons with extraordinary batting averages. Gallo will never be a player that bats .300, and that perhaps is the most frustrating aspect for Yankees fans. He can hit 40 home runs a season, but in New York players who come with high reputations are expected to produce in all facets consistently.
Gold Glove, Golden Sombrero
In the end, all the moonshots do not matter when a box score reads 0-for-4 game in and game out. Batting average still matters, and Yankees fans are very aware of that when Gallo steps into the batter’s box. He may have won a gold glove last season, but fans focus more on hitting prowess than fielding excellence. The boo birds will continue to come out for this Bronx Bomber until he begins to blast balls at a higher clip. It is still early in the season for the Yankees left-fielder but the sun could soon set on the man who often dawns the golden sombrero.