If the Yankees do their due diligence on Cody Bellinger, they received’t have a tough time discovering an encouraging character witness.
“He’s a great ballplayer, obviously, but he’s a better person,” Willie Calhoun instructed the Daily News. “I can’t say enough good things about him.”
Calhoun got here up with Bellinger within the Dodgers’ minor league system, the place they performed collectively at each stage from High-A to Triple-A. Calhoun and Boston’s Alex Verdugo lived with Bellinger, a Scottsdale native, throughout the Arizona Fall League, and Calhoun crashed with Bellinger’s household in Arizona previous to spring coaching in 2017.
“I’ve seen him grow from a guy that hit three homers in short season [leagues] to a guy that hit 40 homers in the big leagues,” Calhoun stated. “So it’s been fun to watch him grow into the guy he is.”
Calhoun described Bellinger as a laidback particular person, somebody who wouldn’t succumb to the strain of taking part in in New York City.
The matter got here up as a result of Bellinger is a commerce candidate, and his Cubs are on the town to play the Yankees this weekend. With the commerce deadline set for Aug. 1, Chicago taking part in sub-.500 ball, and the Yankees in want of left area assist, Bellinger is sensible as a attainable goal.
On Friday, Bellinger confirmed off a left-handed swing tailored for Yankee Stadium when he drilled a protracted dwelling run off Carlos Rodón.
“This dude lives for these types of environments,” Calhoun stated. “Obviously, he performed in L.A. his entire profession, and that’s an enormous market itself. Chicago’s an enormous market, too. I really feel like he’s constructed for this setting. He lives for these massive moments. He’s had a number of clutch moments within the playoffs with the Dodgers, a number of massive dwelling runs.
“I know for a fact he would fit right in and he would probably thrive in something like this. That’s just who he is as a person.”
It additionally helps that Bellinger is conversant in the Yankees group.
His dad, Clay, performed in 181 video games for the Bombers from 1999-2001. The light-hitting utilityman received two World Series rings within the course of.
“He grew up in a Yankee clubhouse,” Calhoun stated of the 27-year-old Bellinger. “So that dude, he knows what it’s about. He wouldn’t let these lights be too bright for him.”
Bellinger, a first-year Cub who might be a free agent after this winter, is having fun with considerably of a resurgent season after batting accidents lately.
The 2019 National League MVP entered Saturday’s contest slashing .303/.359/.502 with 13 doubles, 9 homers, 29 RBI and 11 stolen bases over 56 video games. The 2020 World Series champ additionally has a 132 OPS+, which simply tops that of any certified, wholesome Yankee.
“It’s good to see he’s had a really big bounce-back year,” Calhoun stated. “He’s back to his old self. I’ve seen him up close for years, and I watched him win Rookie of the Year. I’ve seen him win MVP. I’ve seen him do it in the minor leagues. I’ve seen him do it on the big stage. But he’s back.”
The Yankees’ lineup, in the meantime, has been scuffling for some time with Aaron Judge on the injured checklist, and the group has acquired blended offensive manufacturing and poor protection from a protracted checklist of left fielders this season. That consists of Calhoun, who’s at the moment on the injured checklist.
Bellinger has solely performed middle and first for the Cubs this 12 months, however he has expertise in left.
“I’m still confident in the group of players,” Aaron Boone, talking on the whole phrases, stated Saturday whereas discussing the Yankees’ offense. “And then hopefully, you add in a guy here and there that changes it a little bit and you get it going.”
If the Yankees have been so as to add Bellinger — or some other outfielder — Calhoun would definitely lose taking part in time as soon as he’s wholesome. A commerce might even threaten his roster spot. The identical goes for different Yankees outfielders.
Calhoun is aware of this, however he would nonetheless welcome a reunion with Bellinger.
“He can help any team win right now,” Calhoun stated. “He would be a great asset to any ballclub. For us, obviously we’re kind of struggling right now offensively, but getting a guy like him that can bolster our lineup is huge enough that it will elevate everyone’s game.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com