Jose Caballero can use his ‘gift’ to force Yankees into a complicated Anthony Volpe call

TAMPA – Quick: Which member of the Yankees’ doubles pairing – at least to start the season – is Aaron Boone talking about?

“He plays the game with a lot of confidence. Sometimes I have to try to curb his confidence a little bit, but it’s a gift he has. When he’s there, he thinks he’s the best player on the field.”

Jazz Chisholm Jr. would be an understandable guess.

But the manager was actually referring to José Caballero, who will begin the season as the Yankees starting shortstop next to Chisholm, at least until Anthony Volpe is ready to return from offseason shoulder surgery.

The Yankees got a taste of Caballero’s impact in the final two months of last season – felt most consistently with his speed on the base paths, ability to play all over the field and legitimate defense as a backup shortstop – and now he has a chance to build on that in an everyday role through the first month of this season.

“That’s out of my control,” Caballero said Sunday after hitting a home run in a 6-4 loss to the Mets, when asked how the shortstop dynamic might play out. “I control what I can control. I go out and do my best every day. They make the decision.”

The reality is that even if Caballero crushes it in the first month of the season, the Yankees will likely give a healthy Volpe some runway to show he can still be their starting shortstop.

Since late last year, when there were questions about whether Caballero should take over Volpe’s position, the Yankees believe they are at their best when Caballero is their 10th man and a weapon off the bench.

But Caballero at least has a chance to make the decision interesting by taking advantage of the daily playing time.

“He’s just so good in so many different positions, and there’s some quick moves in there, obviously [helps with] stolen bases, he’s so dynamic on the base paths,” Boone said. “You want the ball to be hit to him wherever you put him. He’s good in the outfield; he is good in all positions on the field. But there’s just a confidence: if he’s there for a few days, he brings a lot to the table that you want from a bench player late in a game. So just a lot of things that he brings to the table.

“He is one of those guys with a very good complete selection [player] for a winning club.”

Boone paired Caballero and Chisholm for the second time in three games on Sunday and plans to have them play three more games together this week before leaving to play in the World Baseball Classic – Caballero for Panama and Chisholm for Great Britain.

The good news is that the two already have a history together as young minor leaguers in the Diamondbacks organization.

They were all eventually traded, but their working comfort has quickly returned now that they are Yankees.

“He’s not afraid to play his game,” Chisholm said. “A lot of guys go to the big leagues or to New York and try to play a different game and not be himself. The best thing about him is he comes out and is himself. He’s not afraid to be himself. That’s what helps his overall game.”

This also applies to Chisholm, which is perhaps another element that makes them simpatico in addition to their self-confidence.

(When asked who was more confident in their abilities between Caballero and Chisholm, Boone grinned and replied Clarke Schmidt.)

Caballero, who leads the Majors with 49 steals, is more of a burner, while Chisholm has more power.

But Caballero showed off his own pop Sunday, a Justin Hagenman home run that was reminiscent of some of the power shows he puts on in batting practice.

“I can hit the ball hard,” Caballero said. ‘That’s not it [always] That shows in the game, so I’m trying to be more consistent with it.”