Andy Phillips Joins New York Yankees
6/20/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
DENVER, Colo. -- Andy Phillips, a former University of Alabama All-American and Dick Howser Trophy Finalist, has been recalled to the Major Leagues by the New York Yankees and is expected to start at first base in the Yankees interleague game against the Colorado Rockies tonight.
Phillips hit .240 in 110 games for the Yankees last season and was making a push to break camp with the club this spring training when he missed time to be with his mother, Linda, who was critically injured in a car accident in Demopolis on Feb. 28. She continues to recover.
His wife, Bethany, beat cancer last year, so his focus finally is returning to baseball.
Playing mostly second base and moving over to first a couple of times a week, Phillips hit .301 at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre with 11 doubles, 11 homers and 36 RBI in 65 games this season.
All the while, he kept an eye on the Yankees’ woes at first base and figured he could help.
“I haven’t really looked at it like there’s a problem here, a problem there," Phillips said. “As a player, and when you have confidence in what you do, you always think you can help, whatever the situation is. Even if things are going good you think you can help."
If Phillips can show some pop at the plate to go with his good glove, the Yankees might not be in the mood to try to go searching for help via a trade.
“The thing is right now our defense is better. Offensively, we seem to be getting along pretty well with guys who can do little things at first base as opposed to having a guy who may hit a lot of home runs and strike out a lot. The personality of putting the ball in play is probably a nice mix with the other guys we have," Torre said.
Phillips hit .356 (322-for-905) in 244 career games at Alabama with 61 home runs and 224 RBI. He is the school’s all-time leader in eight offensive categories, including home runs and RBI.
