Just got this from todays(6-01-01) Post. Thought that some might find this intresting.
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CASHMAN HAS
EYES ON SHANE
By GEORGE KING
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June 1, 2001 -- YANKEE NOTES
Brian Cashman talks to the Triple-A Columbus braintrust every day and the Yankees GM's first question is about Shane Spencer.
"When the [hitting coach] Bill Robinson and [manager] Trey Hillman say that he is looking like the Shane Spencer of old, that's when we will start thinking about him here," Cashman said. "I talked to them [yesterday] and I hear he is getting close, that he is starting to come. Once he gets there, then we will have a decision to make."
Spencer, who suffered a serious knee injury last July that required reconstructive surgery, went 2-for-3 and homered Wednesday night in a 7-4 win over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after missing the previous two games with a muscle problem under his shoulder blade. Going into last night's game against SWB in which Spencer was the Clippers' DH, he was hitting .232 with three homers and 12 RBIs in 38 games.
While his swing is showing improvement, Spencer will likely have to prove he can play the outfield before being promoted to the big leagues. When that happens, Joe Torre's thin bench would be receiving a huge boost since Spencer could serve as a right-handed DH and spell Paul O'Neill in right field.
The little-used Michael Coleman would be the likely candidate to go but the Yankees have been reluctant to send him out because he is out of options and could be lost.
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