Doug Mientkiewicz watched the Yankees' playoff meltdown in October and envisioned himself as the stopper.
"I remember just watching them in the playoffs and thinking, `That's a perfect fit for me,'" said Mientkiewicz, who signed a one-year, $1.5 million deal with the Yankees on Friday. "What I do best can really help these guys."
What Mientkiewicz does best is play first base, and the Yankees, setting aside their desire for a right-handed hitter, went for the glove man instead.
"That's what made him really attractive to us," general manager Brian Cashman said. "There are only so many ways to improve your pitching. If you can't get your hands on one of the best arms in the game, you look to support the defensive side. I don't know if there is anyone better defensively than he is."
Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield struggled at first in the Division Series loss to the Tigers. Next season, Giambi will DH most of the time. Mientkiewicz, a Gold Glove winner in 2001 who bats left, will play against right-handed pitchers. Andy Phillips or Josh Phelps, both right-handed batters, could start against lefties.
"I can do the dirty work," Mientkiewicz said, "the stuff that goes unnoticed. ... I know it helps to have infielders know they don't have to be perfect on every throw."
