Yankees Should Make Alex Rodriguez The Regular First Baseman

Yesterday it was reported that Joe Girardi has had conversations with Alex Rodriguez about playing first base. We don't know how extensive those talks were, but it's certainly something to consider since a second first baseman would be a very good thing for the Yankees to acquire. And that's even if they bring Chase Headley back, because Chase would likely be the regular third baseman.

"I'm a Yankee again, and I will play regularly at 3B? Sweet!"

If something were to happen to Mark Teixeira, like... say... he nicks his face while shaving and needs a day to recover from it, then what does Girardi do? Thanks to Martin Prado, it actually wouldn't be that difficult. But keep in mind that somebody from the bench is going to come into the game. And I think it's a safe bet that the offense would get weaker as a result, because it's very rare that a bench player will out-hit a regular.

Not to mention that the defense would likely take a hit.

For example, to start, let's say the Yankees bring back Chase Headley. While losing a gold glover in Teixeira at first base would hurt, they could probably get by just fine with Headley there. But if Chase were the regular third baseman, and he were replaced there by Alex Rodriguez, then that would be a much bigger problem. Basically, the defense would go down a little at first base, and would go down a lot at third.

So what do they do to combat that? Play Alex Rodriguez at first base regularly, while Mark Teixeira is the primary designated hitter.

In this scenario, if Mark Teixeira gets a mosquito bite doing the game and needs to take the rest of the night off, you can do so many things, as anybody can DH. And say Alex Rodriguez gets hurt, then just move Tex to 1B. Of course, assuming Tex started the game as the DH, then a pitcher is going to have to hit as you lose the DH when he changes positions. That's not a good thing, but chances are that move wouldn't happen until later in the game when you can pinch-hit for a reliever when that spot in the lineup comes up.

You can't avoid an offensive hit, but with ARod at 1B and Tex at DH you simplify things, and the defensive hit is minimized.

Let's look at things another way...

Alex Rodriguez is not the poster child for great health. In 2011 he missed 39 games for his right knee, missed 36 games due to fracturing his left hand in 2012, and of course had hip surgery in 2013. But he hasn't had any further problems with his right knee, his left hand recovered just fine from the fracture, and he just spent the entire 2014 season resting and recovering from that hip surgery. At this point, ARod should be fairly healthy.

On the other hand you have Mark Teixeira. In 2013 Mark missed 147 games due to tearing a tendon sheath in his right wrist, and has had problems with that wrist since (including missing 5 games this past season). On top of that, this past season, he had to go on the 15-day disabled list because of straining his right hamstring. Furthermore, this past season, he missed time due to issues involving his left wrist, fingers of his left hand, back, trunk, and groin.

The bottom line is that Mark Teixeira is a much bigger question mark, as far as health, than Alex Rodriguez. Because of that, it might be a good idea to make it a goal that Alex becomes the regular first baseman, while Tex becomes the regular DH.

"I know... I know... I have to stay healthy and play right field regularly."

MLB's Official Offseason Schedule

10/21 — World Series begins with home field advantage going to the American League champion.

November— Deadline to offer qualifying offers to free agents 5 days after World Series.

November — Deadline to accept qualifying offers 12 days after World Series.

11/10 - 11/12 — GM Meetings

Nov. 19-20 — Owners’ meetings, Kansas City, Missouri.

12/8 - 12/11 — Winter meetings

1/13 — Salary arbitration filing.

1/16 — Salary arbitration figures exchanged.

2/1 -- Prospects Month Starts on TGP

2/19 — Reporting date for pitchers, catchers and injured players.

2/1 - 2/21 — Salary arbitration hearings

2/24 — Reporting date for other players.

3/3 — Mandatory reporting date.

4/6 -- Yankees Opening Day

TGP Daily Poll: Cardinals Win Game Two

Call it a gut feeling but I believe that the St. Louis Cardinals will win Game Two of the NLCS tonight against the San Francisco Giants. What say you?

Vote in our poll.

Triple-A Hitting Coach Butch Wynegar Fired

Yankees AAA Hitting Coach Butch Wynegar was also let go after the season so he is not a candidate to replace Kevin Long.
— Sweeny Murti (@YankeesWFAN) October 11, 2014

Another option to replaces Kevin Long comes off the board for the Yankees. 

This Day in New York Yankees History 10/12: Casey Stengel Day

Not much has happened on this day in New York Yankees history believe it or not. The team didn't capture any World Series championships, break any records, or win any big games. Casey Stengel made the Yankees news a couple times though when on this day in 1948 the Yankees named Stengel the manager. Stengel was replacing Bucky Harris after never finishing higher than fifth place with the Braves or the Dodgers in his managerial career.

Also on this day in Stengel history the Hall of Fame manager hit the deciding home run in a World Series against the Bronx Bombers. In front of the largest crowd in MLB history, a mere 62,430 fans, Stengel hit his second home run of the World Series for the Giants in a 1-0 victory over the Yankees.

Asdrubel Cabrera Would Be Willing to Play Second Base Next Year

Nationals' Switch Hitter Asdrubel Cabrera said that he'd be fine with playing second base next year if it meant he'd have a better chance of winning.

Cabrera, who was traded from the Indians to Washington July 31, is a lifelong shortstop, and could be a Yankees target this winter for either position. In his career, which began in 2007, he has batted .268 with 87 home runs and 451 RBIs, also appearing in two All-Star games during that time.

"I mean, I don't know," Cabrera recently told MASN. "It depends. A team like (the Nationals), a good team that want me to play second, I would love to stay here. I just want to win. I've got eight seasons already. I want to be in the World Series one day."

Cabrera said he'd like to stay with Washington, but that whether or he does so isn't up to him.

"I would love to stay here," he said. "A lot of good guys. A good team. I would love to stay here. But it's not my decision."

If Cabrera ends up leaving the capital for the Yankees this offseason, it's not known exactly what they'd do with him. As things stand, New York has seemingly unlimited options for each of their 2015 infield spots, with the futures of Alex Rodriguez, Chase Headley, Stephen Drew and Martin Prado all somehow being mysteries at this point.

#BringBackTino

Now that Kevin Long has been fired it is time to bring Yankees legend Tino Martinez back to the Bronx and let him be the hitting coach for the New York Yankees. Tino has experience in the hitting coach position as he was once the coach in Miami with the Marlins. Obviously that didn't end well and we all know the story so I won't get into that again but I can't see lightning striking twice, especially in New York.

Tino would command immediate respect from anyone and everyone walking through those gates game in and game out. Tino is also a professional and a professional hitter with a great approach, attitude, and work ethic. Tino would add immediate credibility to the team and I truly believe he could work wonders with the likes of Brian McCann and the other lefties on the team.

Long is gone and I have been clamoring for Tino to become the hitting coach since early in the year and now is the chance. Brian Cashman, I know you're reading.

2015 Yankees If I Were GM: The Infield

If I were the General Manager of the New York Yankees I think the team would have 30+ World Series championships by now but I digress. Here would be my plan if I were the GM of the Yankees.

First and foremost I would have to replace Derek Jeter in the infield and in the lineup. I have already stated that I would go hard after Hanley Ramirez for the shortstop position but I feel that this may be unrealistic. While Hanley would be nice every GM needs a backup plan and my backup plan is Martin Prado. He has played shortstop before and is still young enough, mobile enough, agile enough, etc. to play the position in my eyes. This leaves a glaring hole at second base that I would fill with Robert Refsnyder from Triple-A. Also to fill out the Yankees infield I would bring Chase Headley back on a three or four year deal, whatever gets it done. Of course I want to see a Pinstriped Panda in Pablo Sandoval but I cannot see him leaving the West Coast.

This leaves you with an infield of Mark Teixeira at first base, Refsnyder at second, Prado at short, Headley at third, Alex Rodriguez as your DH, and Brian McCann as your catcher. On the bench you have Headley as a capable backup for first base while Rodriguez gets his turn at third base and you have Brendan Ryan as a capable backup at any of the infield positions. I would also re-sign Jose Pirela for a bench role also since he can play multiple infield and out positions.

This infield gives you a ton of options offensively and defensively allowing everyone to get playing time while still staying fresh. I also think with Refsnyder’s bat that the team gets an incremental increase in productivity from last season’s infield. A full season of Prado and Prado Jr. (Pirela) gives this team an absolute ton of options for manager Joe Girardi, options that a veteran and injury prone team needs during the 162 game marathon. 

Stephen Drew May Owe JJ Hardy a Thank You Card

When the news broke that JJ Hardy signed a three year extension with the Baltimore Orioles making him the highest paid shortstop in all of baseball my initial reaction, well after the four letter word came out, was that Stephen Drew and Hanley Ramirez just got expensive. Drew may end up owing Hardy a thank you card before it’s all said and done because this extension may have sealed the deal for Drew and the Yankees in 2015.

The Yankees need someone to replace Derek Jeter and Hardy was considered to be the best offensive option on the board. Many around the league do not consider Ramirez to be a legitimate option at shortstop going forward leaving a very weak shortstop class that may now be headlined by Drew. The Yankees also don’t have much in the way of shortstop and major league ready prospects that could fill the hole making Drew look more and more attractive as the offseason drags on.

New York could always plug Martin Prado at shortstop and let Robert Refsnyder have second base or the team could live with Hanley’s less than stellar defense until they could move him to third base to replace Alex Rodriguez. It seems more and more likely that the Yankees fans will have one more season of Stephen Drew in pinstripes, and we can all thank JJ Hardy. 

Why Nelson Cruz?

In this morning's edition of the TGP Daily Poll, the question of Nelson Cruz reaching free agency was broached. It was unanimously voted that Cruz wouldn't be like JJ Hardy and sign an extension with the Orioles, thus reaching free agency. Many people would love for that to happen, as it would allow the Yankees to make a bid for the Dominican slugger.

But why would the Yankees want Cruz?

Besides having that great smile around?

While his 40 home runs this season may make you stand up and say "wow", keep in mind that it's the most homers he's hit in a season in his career. His next highest HR total was 33 in 2009. In the four years since that '09 season, Cruz hit an average of 26 bombs a year, which ranks 23rd in MLB over that time period (Miguel Cabrera hit the most home runs during those four seasons with 156).

Edit: I should have pointed out that Cruz did miss games in August of 2013 due to suffering a thigh contusion at the end of July that season, so he very well could have hit 4 or 5 more home runs that season, pushing his total above 30 that year. And he had problems with that same thigh in 2010, which likely suppressed his HR total that season too.

The point is... expecting him to hit 40, or even 30, home runs in 2015 is pretty optimistic.

Then there's the fact that Cruz had a line drive percentage this past season much higher than his career norm. Between 2009 and 2013 his line drive percentage was 18%, but he saw that number jump way up to 23% in 2014.

So I'll reiterate.. if you think Nelson Cruz is going to come to the Yankees next year and put up another 40 homers, or even 30 homers, then you're just as optimistic about him as myself and others are about CC Sabathia coming back as an effective pitcher.

But let's put the home run totals aside and look at the biggest issue with signing Mr. Cruz.

Where does he play?

The Yankees already have two guys on the roster to play right field, that being Carlos Beltran and Martin Prado. That's assuming we'd even want Cruz in right field. I mean, he's not exactly a gold glover in the outfield anymore. The current Orioles slugger hasn't posted a postive UZR in right field since 2010. So even if you argue that the reason Buck Showalter kept Cruz at DH most of the season was because they already had Nick Markakis in RF, it doesn't mean that Nelson would have been any good there anyway.

Now, I'm sure plenty of you are pointing out that having Carlos Beltran in right is hardly an improvement over Cruz. And you'd be right. Heck, I'd accept that Cruz is better in the field than Beltran. But there's a big difference between the two... Beltran is already under contract with the Yankees.

Not only is Beltran already around to (hopefully) play in RF most of the time in 2015, but the team also has Martin Prado, who played 60 innings out there last season. I suppose Prado could play 2B regularly, but what about giving youngsters like Jose Pirela or Rob Refsnyder a shot?

And don't even get me started with the designated hitter slot. I mean, the team is chock full of players that will need to see DH days fairly often (see Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, and Carlos Beltran himself).

Even if Nelson's bat was a perfect fit for the team, you can't ignore the fact that there's just no place for him to play.

One more thing... what do you have left with Nelson Cruz if he doesn't post 40 home runs? Not much. Cruz hit .271 with an on-base percentage of just .333, and both of those numbers are higher than he hit in his previous three seasons. So even continuing to bat that well overall is being optimistic.

Twenty-five or so home runs, a sub-.270 batting average, a sub-.330 on-base percentage, well below average defense when he does play in the field, and no room for another person that should see the majority of his time at DH. Why in the World should the Yankees make a play at Nelson Cruz?