So, who is going to play 3B next season?
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Here are some possibilities for the Yankees next season, in no particular order:
Mike Lowell: The Boston third baseman will be a free agent and is coming off a strong season that saw him hit .324 with 21 homers and 120 RBI. He came up through the Yankees organization and is a proven playoff performer, having just been named World Series MVP.
Robinson Cano: The Yankees could move their hard-hitting second baseman to third base. It is usually easier to find a new second baseman than a third baseman.
Joe Crede: The third baseman of the White Sox played in only 47 games and hit .216 because of injuries and might not be offered a contract by Chicago. But he had 30 homers and 94 RBI in 2006.
Wilson Betemit: The Yankees were eager to obtain the infielder from the Dodgers in July. He hit .224 with four homers and 24 RBI in 37 games.
Miguel Cabrera: The Marlins could be enticed to trade their third baseman. But buyer beware: Cabrera has refused to stay in shape and will soon be more of a DH than a third baseman.
Adrian Beltre: The Mariners owe him $24 million over the next two seasons and could be willing to trade him.
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Chad Jennings
Sam Borden
Josh Thomson
It would be a big overpayment but Mike Lowell for 3yrs/36M might be the best bet in this market. There are no real free agents and you can count on Lowell’s defense even if he doesn’t keep up with this year’s #s. Plus, he is a good character guy and seems like he would be a good fit in the clubhouse. Go Mike!
Miguel Cabrera. I am sure Joe G can force him to shape up.
My guess is Cano or Cabrera. I doubt the Red Sox will let Lowell get away and even risk messing with the chemistry by signing A-Rod.
There seems to be a misconception that Cano is a bad fielder at second when in reality all the metrics have him just below Mark Ellis as the best in the league. Keep him where he is having enormous success
Im not accusing you of that Pete I am just making a general statement
EY -
You might have forgotten but Joe G already had the opportunity to shape him up and was not able to.
“Mike Lowell”
Red Sox would find it hard to let go of the 2007 World Series MVP…
Cano is the best option on that list if we have a good, cheap 2B.
I’m hoping we get Miggy from the Marlins… I’ve been hoping for him to be a Yankee for a while now, and would provide as a great replacement considering hes not even in his prime yet. He would have to cut down on his weight though.
I’m still kind of in a shock over all of tonight’s events. Seeing Girardi providing commentary to the WS, watching the WS be won by Boston and lost by the Rockies, hearing A-Rod opted out…
Just, wow.
I cannot believe I’m saying this, but out of the lot, I’d take Lowell or move Canò to third.
If he is fully healthy, I’d go with Crede. Any chance St. Louis tries to trade Rolen with LaRussa coming back?
I played 3b for my little league team, I’ll get my glove out and dust off the old spikes.
Andy Marte?
A. Rod will probably end up with the Giants.
He’s the only player who actually puts fans in the seats.
They have that stadium they have to keep paying for, no Bonds and no huge payroll committments.
I would expect him to end up there.
As for who plays 3B for the Yankees next year. Who cares?
The question should be where are you going to make up 50 HR and 150 RBIs?
If you can answer that, I’d also like to know how big the universe is and does God exist?
(BTW, if he does, he’s switched his allegiances over the last few years)
not one piece of me wants Lowell, people got to chill on that guy. I’m in favor of moving Robi to 3B and Gonzo to 2B
G-d exists, and has the worst sense of humor _ever_.
Peter. I like the pics. My source has told me that Cashman really really likes Joe Crede but was concerned about his back last season. Cashman expressed interest in team meetings before Crede’s surgery took place. He cautioned about his back. Also Betemit was a target for 3b way back during the Proctor/Betemit talks were swirling out of Atlanta.
I think we’ll see a Crede/Betemit combo for the next couple seasons. After 2009, Miguel Cabrera can be signed as a 3b/DH. Altough Jorge Posada will likely need more rest at DH by that point, Miguel can give Crede rest at 3b and Betemit can come off the bench. I think it could work very well with Girardi puttin the smack down on Miggy.
Adrian Beltre may be out there but he may not be worth the time. He has definitely tailed off since that huge 2004 that he had, in a contract year. Beltre slugged 48 homers for the Dodgers that year, numbers that now look like a mirage instead of a sign of things to come. The chance that the Yankees get him is probably very slim but he would at least be out of Seattle’s lineup. Beltre seems to always give the Yankees fits when they face him.
Beltre had his best season since 2004, when its pretty obvious that he took steroids. Crede’s numbers last year were a mirage. I just don’t see him coming close to those numbers again. We need to look for a young, high ceiling player (aka Cabrera). The Yanks can trade a bunch of their young arms (Rasner, Karstens, Kennedy, Wright, etc.) for the Marlins, since they’re looking for pitching. It’s a cheap but GOOD option.
At least it won’t be Daarth-Rod …. A Eulogy for Alex:
“Annikan, you were the chosen one!”
In 2004, the same year that the Red Sox ownership gave us the monniker “the evil empire” you came to the Yankees. The Red Sox were prescient, because you turned out to be Annikan Skywalker, fabulously gifted, but insecure to a fault. That is your legacy, insecurity. Could it have been any worse that you played next to Jeter, a real Jedi?
In the last year, I thought your story was so interesting because you were so human. Could this clearly flawed person overcome his insecurity? Could he stick it out, accept his own imperfection, and from there find success? No, before that story could play out, your insecurity has called you away.
Now, we seek a new beginning. Hopefully, now the force will be with us and the curse of Annikan-Rod has been lifted.
I, for one, would take Scott Brosius in a heartbeat over the chosen one.
Arods 50/150 were great, especially when they were slumping early on. But they’ll make it up across the entire team. Besides, the Yankees were #1 in runs scored by far.
I dont even know. It is a dark hour to be yankee fan.
It’s not a very good argument that the Yankees will miss A-Rods numbers, however, we one a few (4) WS w/o a 150rbi guy. It can be done, I’ll take a few scrappy (consistent) guys over the one guy who the team lives or dies with.
Pete — Add Eric Chavez to your list. He’s another big name/reclamation project type guy who is looking for ring and known as a good team first guy. Beane would love to get out from that money they owe him.
Tbat said, I hope we don’t sign Lowell. Remember what happened to Ray Knight after he won the WS MVP for the Mets and left for free agent dollars? That’s what will happen with Lowell.
My pick would be to work out a deal with Texas for Hank Blalock. If we can’t do that, then look at Crede and Chavez.
Lowell’s home/road splits this year are appalling. He’d be great for the 9 games at Fenway, far below avg the rest of the season.
also seen kouzmanoff listed on various sites. If they go with Cano at 3rd, what about Barfield at 2nd?
Something…
Miguel Tejada, not Cabrera. Look for the O’s to market him as a third baseman, and potentially trade him to the Yanks.
I’m not worried too much about the yanks. They’ll resign everyone else and be cool, just take a look at all the pitching thats coming in. Remember they won more games before the a-rod era. They probable find some 3rd basemen with above league average numbers, find a way to get johan and start to win with pitching.
I doubt the Sox will part with Crede–especially to the Yankees for God’s sake. (Kenny Williams does NOT view his organization as the modern day equivalent of the Kansas City A’s, willing to give NY whatever the heck they want). The Sox played their top 3B prospect, Josh Fields, in LF, in the second half. This obviously was done with a view to Crede returning to 3B next season if healthy. Crede is also a folk hero on the South Side.
Ultimate slap in the face….Lowell as the World Series MVP for the 2008 NY Yankees….oh, yea….stick THAT in your pipe and smoke it, Alex, you AZZ !!!
How ironic would it be if we got the Red Sox WS MVP and they our overpaid playoff failure in return?
Yeah I know A-hole is obviously the better player, but it’s amusing nonetheless.
My guess is the evil empire 2 signs them both and puts A-hole back at SS.
How coincidental this is announced during the Sox WS clinching game. Just boggles the mind…
Cano to 3rd…Sign Iguchi to play 2nd done deal
How about Jeter sliding over to third and give Gonzalez a shot at short?
As much as I like Lowell, I feel it will just turn into another bad Johnny D move.
Garret Atkins. Rockies have Ian Stewart ready to go behind him, and it’s been made known they’ll shop him. Couple B+ arms should get him (Horne/Clippard).
Trade for Melky Cabrera until he gets fat like Mo-von keep him their and then call up 3B Eric Duncan from minors.
I’m happy Toree left. In fact he should have left last year. he’s okay with the lineup but he expects 2 pitchers to pitch the whole game= Starter for 5-6, chamberlin 2, Marino 1-2 and thats how the yankees lost the playoffs. I want Girardi as manger and as long as Mattingly is concerned get rid of him. He’s a jinx and as long as he has been a player and coach the Yankees have never won the world Series. 1982-1995 Mattingly was playing. Yankees won the world series in 1981 and then after 15 years 1996. don’t believe me check it out.
Lowell is far too inconsistent for me to see the wisdom in giving him the money and years it would take to sign him. Betemit is a nice guy to have around but I wouldn’t want to depend on him as a starter so I think the position will end up being filled through a trade.
I REALLY hope we don’t end up giving up what it would take to get Cabrera. His defense is truly terrible by any reasonable standard and he would cost us a lot of nice prospects. I’d definitely talk to Baltimore about Tejada but I doubt that deal would get done without us overpaying.
I’d rather take a chance on someone like Blalock or Kouzmanoff than panic and sell the farm. Failing that Beltre can undoubtedly be had for free. He is excellent defensively and young enough that he could still come into his own offensively. The same goes for Chavez but his contract is ugly(owed 37 mill over the next 3 years) and his health questionable.
What’s Mike Lamb doing these days?
G. Love
Forget Chavez. We need a right handed hitting 3B, no question. We must fill the power void from the right side. Beltre would be our best option. We could probably trade for him without losing the farm, he plays solid D, his offensive #s are hindered by Safeco, he has good speed, and he seems to play with fire and a good attitude. Beltre for 3B.
‘Annikan’? Nice piece of writing, but for that one little part that somehow got overlooked.
No way the Mariners trade Beltre anywhere. The guy’s definitely not lived up to his 2004 uber-season, but he plays Gold-Glove quality defense and consistently hits for SOME righty power in the ballpark where left-field dingers go to die. 25 HR there from Beltre would be equivalent to at least 30-35 elsewhere.
I can’t see the Yanks refusing to negotiate with A-Rod, public stance or no. Cabrera is going to be really expensive… all the Santana cookies would be gone if management really wanted to go that route, and even if not you’re talking a lot of pieces for a player with questionable work ethic. Half the other guys mentioned shouldn’t be starting in a Yankees lineup.
I’ll take “someone who isn’t an overpaid underachiever” for $2,000 please, Alex.
(er no pun intended there w/the Alex thing…I mean the Canadian one!)
Anyway, here’s what I think of all the choices.
Lowell – I respect the guy alot despite his laundry, but no. Fenway is perfect for his swing, thus he’s worth more to them than to us so why overpay for him? Too many of his hits there would be outs at the Stadium.
Tejada and/or Rolen – These are both intriguing choices b/c it would take less to get them in a trade than it would a younger player like Cabrera or a better player like Atkins. But I have 2 problems w/both guys, one I’m not sure how much I trust either one to stay healthy all season. Two I think they are both kind of punks. Tejada dogs it sometimes, we’ve all seen him fail to run out groundballs, etc. And I have seen Rolen make his share of dirty plays. But of the 2 he may be a better trade b/c a guy like Clippard (though I’d hate to see him go) has more value to the Cards than to the O’s.
Adrian Beltre – I like this possibility too, but I fear Pat Burrell-esque stretches of disappointing slumps with him. However Bavasi is an idiot, Cash could probably fleece him in a trade, I bet they would take Igawa, etc.
Mike Lamb – yuck. No. Mediocrity personified. Joe Crede, same thing and would have to give up too much in a trade for such mediocrity.
Miguel Cabrera – I love this kid and would give up a good deal for him. I have already read where the Marlins won’t field both him and D-Train next year. If they’re gonna trade 1, you’d think it’d be Miggy since his value is higher. I think we could get him for a package built around Wang but I’d only be willing to do so if he signs an extension. To those who mentioned troubles with Girardi in Miami, can you elaborate on why they didnt get along? He did have the best year of his career in 06…
Anyway, just my thoughts ladies and gentlemen, as Jay-Z would say. At first I was a proponent of moving Cano to 3rd and getting a 2b, but the more I see that there really are some decent 3b trade options out there, the more I’m starting to be against it.
If Crede is truly healthy after his back surgery…he could be a real sleeper here. Right handed power bat and can be had cheap. A bit risky but great upside.
what about Scott Rolen? If (and yes it’s a big if) he is healthy, his defense and decent bat would be a somewhat low-risk, potentially huge reward. As long as the fans could lay off the guy during his slumps and not expect ARod #s he might be able to survive NY. Platoon him with Betemit so he can rest and he could be a steal.
I say go for Crede. It’s sort of a throwback move, reminds me a bit of Brosius with his glove and decent bat. He could be a real sleeper. I don’t like going for offense here, a la Miggy… Lowell would be a nice fit for 2-3 years, but I agree that it would be hard for Boston to let him go, knowing he would end up with Yanks. Plus, Lowell seems to love Boston and their fans, so I doubt he’d diss them like that…. Anyhoo, ticked pink that A-Rod is gone!!!! At least we got some good news this morning. Maybe more to come with Girardi signing on as skippper. Fingers crossed.
how about tejeda from the orioles
Jeter shold show some leadership and move to 3rd base so that we can get a glove man like Alberto Gonzalez at SS. Jeter was something like 22 runs below league-average last year at SS, so that would be a wash since his offense roughly offset that. His defense alone cost the Yankees roughly 4-5 wins relative to an average fielding SS. That is roughly half of what Arod’s bat provided.
Of course, it still leaves them much worse offensively at 3B, but not as bad as some of the other alternatives being suggested when you consider the defensive upgrade.
I hope the Post does a real number on Gay Rod, the stripper and that tranny looking wife of his.
I’m so tired of his act.
Go away to the National league and never come back.
Part of me is glad to be rid of the ARod circus. We were probably going to have to overpay hugely, esp towards the end of the deal. And although I think he was sometime unfairly picked on for playoff fefeats, it had all gotten into his head and was affecting him. Now we can have a more balanced lineup and I’m guessing give Boras his money next yr for Texiera.
Plus we will get 2 more good draft picks next yr.
I just pray we dont have a panic kneee jerk reaction and sign one of the many overpriced outfielders on the market.
I think Scott Rolen and Eric Chavez are two interesting vet options. Both have struggled with injuries in recent yrs and given their big contracts might be obtainable for not too much talent. Both are outstanding defenders and have never had the sort of protection they’d have in this lineup. 120 RBI if healthy is possible for either of them.
The talk is that Chavez has had the surgery he has really needed for yrs and will properly heal this time and could be ready for another 100+RBI season. He has 3 yrs left on his deal and I’m guessing Beane would let him go given how many of his young guys are looking for long term deals now. I think Chavez would be a good club house guy and another solid vet to balance all these young guys coming through over the next year or two.
A 3 way deal might be needed if Oakland want young bats though (maybe send pitching to the Mets who send Lastings Milledge to Oakland?). If Cash could somehow include Street or Harden in the deal even better. Word is Oakland like Igawa. Desalvo, Horne and some of our relief prospects might also be a good fit there.
St Louis might be a better fit for a trade since they have more pop in their lineup and might be willing to make a deal for pitching. Rolen and La Russa dont get along anyway.
Girardi will know if Miggy Cabrera is a good bet having managed him in Florida.
Another option might be to make a deal with Arizona for someone like Callaspo or possibly Tracy. They wont give you as much production but would be solid enoughy if we can upgrade at 1st base.
And I definitely want ARod in Boston. I know it is asking for trouble. But I kinda like Ortiz, Lester, DiceK, Ellsbury and Pedroia. And Manny is crazy, you cant really hate crazy. Be good to have a real villain on the team, esp with Schilling possibly leaving. Plus he’ll choke in October.
His numbers in Boston would be sick though with the green monster there. Might make him want to go. Although he has always hit well in Anaheim too.
With all these questions of trading, who precisely do the Yankees have that they are willing to give up? Hughes? Chamberlain? Clippard? Tabata? The Yanks NEED good young ball players and can’t, also, give up their draft picks since they need to rebuild their farm system.
Two other things
1. Someone mentioned Kouzmanoff and CHase Headley, both with the Padres. Kouzmanoff has played great and is finally solidifying the 3B spot for the Pads. Headley’s the best prospect. NEITHER will come cheap and the Pads don’t seem willing to give up either EXCEPT for a king’s ransom.
2. Here’s an option for you guys – Morgan Ensberg. He was getting healthy and should be 100% at the start of the new season. He plays solid defense and hits the ball very well. He would be cheap and you could platoon him with Betemit if you want, and keep Cano at 2B.
One thing that everyone fails to realize is that Miguel Cabrera went on record saying he does not want to be a Yankee due to the corporate attitude if I recall correctly. So based on Hank’s reasoning for not negotiating with A-Rod here forth, why would they want Miggy. Lowell as aforementioned is doomed to be the next Damon.
Does anyone remember when we had third basemen that didn’t even get 100RBI’s? What was his name again? That’s right Scott Brosius. We just need a good defensive third baseman with a little bit of pop.
Those who think Jeter will move to third base at this point of his career are out of their minds. The vast majority of his errors came in the first month of the season. Additionally it isn’t like he’s on his way out to retirement and has to make room for young talent.
Cano to third seems like a good move because he’s young and has time to adjust, not to mention has an above average arm for a second baseman already. The only thing that worries me is having an ADD third baseman seeing as how his concentration falters from time to time. This does not bode well for the hot corner.
At the end of the day A-Rod does not make or break the Yankees. While he was a nice luxury, he is not a necessity. Without him we still have a very offensive minded team with up and coming young pitchers (whoever wants to get rid of Kennedy is crazy btw) much like the teams that have been winning of late.
I have heard Cano’s name bandied about. Leave him at 2nd base and on the Yankees! This kid is the real-deal and a franchise player worthy of the being mentioned in the same breath as A-Rod. When he gets hot, he could put a .400+ month together and hammer 8 – 10 HR with 25+ RBI.
That being said, we need a power, right-handed bat. Rolen and Crede are great options but still don’t scare opposing teams in a lineup. Miguel Cabrera does but, he has serious discipline issues. We are overstocked on lefty batters. If we keep Bobby in right, I think Damon and our own Cabrera become tradebait. This would clear the way to signing Torii Hunter.
Regardless of the speculation … we’re nothing without Posada and Pettitte. They should be priority #1. 3rd base could be filled in with overloading the Rockies with pitching prospects for Atkins at any time.
I’d have betemit play 3rd base and then sign adam dunn to play first. Adam hit 40 hrs last season and with his power to left at yankee stadium he could easily hit 45-50. But say he has a mediocre year getting used to AL pitching with that short porch at the stadium you can still mark him down for 30- 35 hrs.
The Yankees are going to need to fill two positions in A-Rod’s absence. Obviously 3B, but they also will not get away with having a bottom of the lineup 1B anymore.
I’d say try to add a righthanded bat to compete/platoon with Betemit at 3B. Ty Wigginton would be an interesting choice and Morgan Ensberg could be a real sleeper and should coome cheap. Ensberg had a horrible season, but his career suggests that he should bounce back and would at least maintain a quality right side of the platoon. If Betemit rounds out his right handed numbers, then you can use Ensberg or Wiggington as righthanded options at other positions.
The Yankees absolutely have to get a middle of the order hitter for 1B. Unfortunately, they really need someone right handed and that’s going to require a trade. I’d do Kennedy for Lance Berkman in about half a second.
Wow, don’t know who you could find on the market who would equal Cano’s production at second and all the third-basemen free agents are on the downside of their career and will probably want 3 or 4 year deals. Who is available as a FA at short? Would rather see Jeter move to third and get a SS with range- isn’t Khalil Greene a FA? I thought he signed a 1-year deal before the 2007 season.
i think the yankees could get by with a rotation anchored by hughes pettitte and wang and a bullpen consisting of ramirez sanchez chamberlain and mo. id also like to see a trade for tanklersely or olsen as a good lefty on the team. they have both played for girardi. since A-rod isnt coming back a good signing at first would be casey since doug isnt that necessary.a casey/phillips platoon is aslo a good mix in the clubhouse.