Marcus Thames

For most of the new Yankees, the 2010 season has been a struggle. But Marcus Thames has done everything they hoped when they signed him to a minor league deal.

Thames, a shaky outfield, made the team for his ability to punish lefthanded pitchers. He's hitting .414 against them.

But with Curtis Granderson and Nick Johnson on the DL, Nick Swisher and Jorge Posada hurting and out day-to-day, Thames has had to hit against righties, too. He hit a homer off Jonathan Papelbon to win the dramatic game Monday night.

"I was a 30th round draft pick," e

Thames said. "I wasn't a first-round pick. Nothing has every been given to me."

Thames, who knew he'd have a tough time finding a job, took a shorter break after last season and got a head start on conditioning. He reported to spring training ready to compete. He's a player's player.

"He's a great man," Alex Rodriguez said, "he's fit in very well here."

That Thames hit his biggest homer so far on a first-pitch fastball was fitting. Remember, he came up in the Yankees farm system and is best known for hitting the first  pitch he saw in the big leagues, a Randy Johnson fastball, over the wall at the old Stadium in 2002.

"This one is right up there," Thames said. "But t hat first one, the can never take away from me."