Who’s in left for Yankees? Aaron Hicks and all challengers tee off on Rays

TAMPA — The three flags that are high up on poles behind the left-center field wall between the scoreboard and batter’s eye whipped straight back the entire afternoon, transforming Steinbrenner Field into Wrigley Field South minus the ivy.

The wind contributed to Saturday’s Grapefruit League game ending up looking like a football score, Rays over Yankees 14-10.

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The weather wasn’t responsible for the Yankees’ left field competition … ah, pardon the pun, really taking off.

Aaron Hicks, the favorite, homered in the second inning, then most of the competition did the same. Also homering were leading challenger Oswaldo Cabrera and two non-roster veterans who are new to the organization that can really hit, Willie Calhoun and Rafael Ortega.

“It gets your competitive juices going,” Hicks said.

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The wind aided how far the homers traveled, but it could have been blowing in and all four would have left the park. Just look at the exit velos and distances:

--Hicks, 101.3 mph, 404 feet.

--Cabrera, 98.5 mph, 385 feet.

--Calhoun, 97.4 mph, 360 feet.

--Ortega, 101.1 mph, 385 feet.

They all play left field, as does Estevan Florial, an out-of-options long-time legit prospect who smoked a ball 108.1 mph to center for a single.

Like it or not, Hicks began spring training as the favorite to win this supposed open competition, and he’s probably more than halfway home to winning it.

For a change, he’s healthy and playing pretty well. It’s still early March, but Hicks is feeling great physically and mentally. He’s recovered from last fall’s knee injury and, knock on wood, hoping for some overdue injury luck.

Also, Hicks already has two hits on groundballs that would have been outs if the shift hadn’t been lifted. The switch-hitter lost a bunch of hits in past years batted left-handed.

“It’s a new season,” said Hicks, who is hitting .300 after 10 at-bats and four spring games. “I have to take advantage of the opportunities that I have and have fun.”

For the first time in years, Hicks isn’t being handed a starting job. Four seasons overloaded with struggles and injuries plus last summer’s trade for centerfielder Harrison Bader led to Hicks moving from center to left. He also sat out a lot more games that he has in past seasons due to long stretches of hitting woes.

And so, Hicks has to win a job this spring, and there is some talented competition. Cabrera earned his stripes last year following his late-season call-up. Although the Yankees prefer him playing all over the infield and in both corner outfield spots, he’s probably the backup plan in left over Florial.

Both have had their moments thus far, too: Cabrera is hitting .286 with a homer and six RBI, which ties for the team lead. Florial is 2-for-10 with a walk and two steals.

The non-roster candidates are longshots, but they’re raking. Ortega is batting .375 with two homer and five RBI, while Calhoun has six hits in 11 at-bats for a team-high .545 average along with a homer and three RBI.

“It’s good to see those guys performing and playing well and keeping themselves in the mix,” manager Aaron Boone said.

It’s Hicks’ job to lose, but he’s handling his new nothing’s-guaranteed situation well.

“It’s good,” Hicks said. “I have to have a good spring training, play solid defense and pretty much make it a point where I’m in there every single day and we never have to talk about this again.”