You can certainly survive with Gardner as an everday CF with his defensive skills and speed. He really does need to hit better and his minor track record says he can.

I think they’ll go into next yr with Gardner because why trade for CF when you got Austin jackson here sometime in late 2009-2010.

What about Gardner makes you doubt Sickels’ report? Apart from being fast, he doesn’t show much talent with the stick.

Didn’t you say last year that he’s a poor man’s Jacoby Ellsbury but not as good? If that’s the case then it certainly seems like Gardner fits the 4th OF mold.

To me relying on Gardner to start in CF next season with no backup plan, would be just as bad as counting on Hughes and Kennedy this year without a backup plan.
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I think I could deal with a year of Damon/Melky in center if Gardner doesn’t work out…getting more outfielders isn’t the answer here. I have a feeling Melky is going to be practicing his swing this offseason, at least he should be.

check Gardner’s stats on his current hit streak, I have a feeling this is the real Gardner.

By the time Polonia was 24 he had already had 700 plus at bats as a league average player. Gardner has only 100 at bats through age 24 and hasn’t even been half of league average.

To me relying on Gardner to start in CF next season with no backup plan, would be just as bad as counting on Hughes and Kennedy this year without a backup plan. Gardner hasn’t even proven he can hit as “good” as Melky and Melky is younger than him.