Strawberry Accepts His Role With Yanks He May Be A Part-Time Player, But He’s Not Been A Complainer

Three hours before Monday night’s game with Cleveland, Darryl Strawberry had no clue whether he would be in the New York Yankees lineup. But Strawberry didn’t moan about the uncertain status that for him has become a daily routine.

Strawberry joked about it.

Believe it or not, he has gleefully accepted his minor role, at least publicly, while auditioning for a major role whenever manager Buck Showalter puts him in the lineup.

Strawberry’s auditions were impressive against Boston this past weekend as he crushed homers in the first innings of both games he started and helped guide the Yankees to two victories in the three-game sweep.

Maybe Strawberry was loose because he knows he has applied pressure on Showalter to resume starting him against all right-handed pitchers. Strawberry was in there batting cleanup as the designated hitter against Dennis Martinez on Monday night, and he might start the next two games since Cleveland is using Ken Hill and Charles Nagy, two more righties. Strawberry seemed in no rush to know whether he will play today or Wednesday.

“I’m quite sure a lot of people didn’t expect this to happen,” said Strawberry, who has a .239 average and two homers in 59 lifetime at-bats off Martinez. “I just wanted to fit in and be one of the guys. Waiting for Buck’s decisions is part of being prepared. That makes a difference. The production part of coming back, I never concerned myself with. The adjustment part of not always playing, that’s something I never had to deal with.”

How is Strawberry dealing with it? How has a player who was accustomed to being a regular adjusted to starting sporadically?

“I think any time you go through a lot in life like I did, you work to make changes,” Strawberry explained. “The changes were necessary for me. The guys have really accepted me as a person. It was a matter of me being here and showing I care for people and the game. I want to succeed as part of a team. I knew this would work out for me.”

“I haven’t really kept up with his career from at-bat to at-bat, but I don’t remember him ever complaining,” said Showalter, who neglected to mention that Strawberry has had little reason to complain about atbats throughout his career before joining the Yankees. “I’m sure, at some point, everybody does. He’s been outstanding. I think it’s important to him that he be construed as part of our success.”