State of the organization: Shortstop
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Jan 14, 2013 
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Maybe it shouldn’t be this way, but there certainly seems to have been something symbolic about Derek Jeter’s broken ankle. It was the postseason, the Yankees offense was clearly lost, and their most consistent hitter was in the dirt, unable to stand. If Jeter couldn’t pick himself up, what chance did the Yankees have? Shortstop and closer have been the Yankees most consistent positions for nearly two decades, but as each year passes, we get closer and closer to finding out what’s next. For now, shortstop belongs to the same familiar face, perpetually forced to prove himself all over again.
Derek Jeter
Signed through 2013 (player option for 2014)
The 2010 season changed the way Jeter is viewed from year to year. Once an aging player shows the signs of decline, everything becomes a question mark. How much longer can he keep this up? Can he still hit? Can he still field? Is this the year he becomes a liability? Even after he led the Majors in hits last season, Jeter still faces that same sense of uncertainty. Not only is he coming off the broken ankle, but he’s also another year older — 39 in June — and history has not been good to shortstops at this age. Cal Ripken Jr. had been a third baseman for three years when he turned 39. By the time Ernie Banks turned 39, he’d been a first baseman for eight years. As Jeter prepares to turn 39, the Yankees leave no doubt that they expect him to be a shortstop and nothing else. He’ll get some DH days, but the shortstop position is his, and the Yankees will almost certainly count on him to once again be a productive hitter at the top of the order. How much longer can he do it? I have no idea, but I know we’ll keep asking that question until he proves he can’t.
On the verge
As far as I can tell, there’s one strong argument in favor of the Yankees making Eduardo Nunez a full-time shortstop but not trading him. That argument has everything to do with the perpetual question of how much longer Jeter can last. As long as Jeter is in place, Nunez’s big league role must come as a utility player or as a platoon DH/SS, and neither of those roles is likely to provide the steady playing time that might help Nunez improve his defensive shortcomings and live up to this lofty idea that he can be an everyday guy. Nunez seems to be one of the Yankees 25 best players, which suggests he belongs on the big league roster. But he’s also the only real alternative if Jeter truly can’t do it any longer. Jayson Nix has proven himself to be a steady utility man, but if the Yankees have to pass the shortstop torch, it’s Nunez who’s poised to take it, and getting him ready for that responsibility might require sending him back to the minors to work on the most fundamental part of the job.
Deeper in the system
Not so long ago, back in 2010, the Yankees took a first-round gamble on an athletic, switch-hitting high school kid. Cito Culver was a somewhat controversial choice, but the Yankees believed in his glove, and they thought the upside was significant. It was their chance to get a legitimate shortstop prospect in the system — Carmen Angelini clearly wasn’t the answer — and the Yankees were prepared to be patient. After two-plus seasons, there’s still considerable uncertainty. The Yankees still believe in Culver’s glove and say there’s no doubt he can stick at the position, but he hit .215/.321/.283 in Charleston last season. The Yankees insist it’s far too early to give up on him, and it’s worth noting that Culver just turned 20 years old in August. There’s still a lot of time, and still a lot of questions. In the 2012 draft, the Yankees took another shot on an athletic high school shortstop, drafting Austin Aune in the second round. A highly recruited football player, he’s kind of the opposite of Culver: Fewer questions about his bat, jury still out one whether he can stick at short. On the organizational ladder, Claudio Custodio fits right between Culver and Aune. He had success against lefties but struggled against righties in Staten Island last year.
Moving pieces
It’s not often that a player moves from a different position to suddenly become a shortstop. If anything, the Yankees give their prospects every opportunity to stick at short before moving them elsewhere. Until last season, it seemed that Addison Maruszak — drafted as a shortstop — had played his way out of the shortstop conversation and was quickly becoming an organizational utility man. Last season, though, Maruszak emerged with a .276/.330/.457 slash line in Trenton, playing his way from utility infielder to everyday shortstop. Maruszak has never generated much prospect buzz, and if he has any sort of big league future it’s probably in a utility role, but it’s interesting that he played well enough to gain an everyday job last season. That’s especially true given that shortstop is a pretty thin spot in the upper levels of the Yankees system.
What to watch
Jeter’s ability to maintain and Culver’s ability to develop are obviously worth watching, but those aren’t exactly hands-on situations. They either happen or they don’t. It’s going to be interesting to see — and second guess — the Yankees treatment of Nunez. There’s a case to be made for using him as a utility infielder (big league ready bat and speed), sending him to Triple-A (someone has to be ready in case Jeter starts to slip) or trading him (could bring back a piece more valuable than a bench player).
Associated Press photo; headshots of Jeter, Nunez, Culver and Maruszak
“The other countries better be practicing their shifts for Tex”
The WBC would be a nice, safe place for him to actually try to work on his LH swing so he has a chance of taking the outside pitch up the middle or even to LF.
“tex is working on his bunting as we speak.
…so is gardner…
Corban Joseph was a high school shortstop stop playing him at 2nd base. He can hit a lot better than the 215 culver gives you.
Per Joel Sherman on YES: Mike Morse is expected to be traded in the next 72 hours and has been told the Yankees are NOT one of the teams involved in the heavy discussions with the Nats.
Makes you wonder if Cash is focused elsewhere.
I’ve been a long time reader of this blog, but this will be my last time, I cannot support a newspaper that is so irresponsible and would put people’s lives at risk for political gain.
Mujlou January 14th, 2013 at 6:42 pm
I’ve been a long time reader of this blog, but this will be my last time, I cannot support a newspaper that is so irresponsible and would put people’s lives at risk for political gain.
What?
“Makes you wonder if Cash is focused elsewhere.”
It makes me wonder if the Yankees are willing to add any payroll without subtracting some.
matthew friedberg January 14th, 2013 at 6:35 pm
Corban Joseph was a high school shortstop stop playing him at 2nd base. He can hit a lot better than the 215 culver gives you.
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There are doubts he’s even good enough for 2B.
yea, I’m all for thinking outside the box on moving guys around to try to get our prospects playing, but most prospects were SS’s in HS. Being the best player on the team, they’re usually gonna be a pitcher, SS, or CF.
Then in college/minors they will move to another position.
coney1 January 14th, 2013 at 6:40 pm
Per Joel Sherman on YES: Mike Morse is expected to be traded in the next 72 hours and has been told the Yankees are NOT one of the teams involved in the heavy discussions with the Nats.
Makes you wonder if Cash is focused elsewhere.
—
Or maybe the other teams are willing to give up more talent in trade.
jacksquat January 14th, 2013 at 6:48 pm
coney1 January 14th, 2013 at 6:40 pm
Per Joel Sherman on YES: Mike Morse is expected to be traded in the next 72 hours and has been told the Yankees are NOT one of the teams involved in the heavy discussions with the Nats.
Makes you wonder if Cash is focused elsewhere.
—
Or maybe the other teams are willing to give up more talent in trade.
—
Who knows? I’m not about to predict their thinking this offseason as there is no rhyme or reason to it.
coney1 January 14th, 2013 at 6:40 pm
Per Joel Sherman on YES: Mike Morse is expected to be traded in the next 72 hours and has been told the Yankees are NOT one of the teams involved in the heavy discussions with the Nats.
Makes you wonder if Cash is focused elsewhere.
———————
Where is blake…?
blake, wherever you are, step away from the ledge bro.. think of Mrs. blake and little blake(s).
im sure cashman knows what the nats want from the yankees for morse and has already decided its too much for him.
if there are 11 or so teams in on him as was reported, chances are someone has already offered more than the yankees wanted to give up.
so they move on.
the guy is MR DL so i dont think they want to give up much for one year of him.
So not involved with Morse? That’s a bit surprising as they have the parts, it would seem. He seems to fit the RH one year power guy.
It either means they are onto something else or aren’t going to do much of an upgrade. I sure hope it is the former.
Sherman isn’t often wrong in his reporting. Let’s hope this is an exception.
coney1 says:
January 14, 2013 at 6:40 pm
Per Joel Sherman on YES: Mike Morse is expected to be traded in the next 72 hours and has been told the Yankees are NOT one of the teams involved in the heavy discussions with the Nats.
Or just asleep
Shame,
I’m giving up…..
Chad,
I couple have saved you some time and wrote this post for you.
SS depth:
Derek Jeter
Crickets…….
@JeffPassan: Top estimated payrolls: Dodgers $213M, Yankees $210M, Phillies $158M, Angels $152M, Tigers and Red Sox $150M.
That’s $210m of really well-spent money.
SS depth:
Derek Jeter
Crickets…….
———————–
Ahahahahaha lol…
Someone go get that Cuban kid!! We can just drive him to the Bronx and leave him at Gate 6.
morse has averaged 78 games per season over the past 5 seasons.
Man.. how long before the Rangers, Phillies, Angels and Tigers get to $180? 2-3 years?
I’m not surprised if the price for Morse is considered too high. blake, you and I have discussed it, and I think ultimately they just don’t want to give anyone else up that might be useful in 2014. So what they’ll do instead is have all these one year deals and open auditions in 2013 waiting to see who distinguishes themselves for next season… What might end up happening, unfortunately, is that they let the value of some of the excess parts plunge to being completely worthless.
Also – you guys still think Johnny Depp is pretty? Man looks like a disheveled professor without the charm.
“I’m not surprised if the price for Morse is considered too high. blake, you and I have discussed it, and I think ultimately they just don’t want to give anyone else up that might be useful in 2014″
Just depends what the price actually is I guess…..if the price is high sure then pass….but if he gets traded for a middling LH reliever and a fringe prospect then Cash has some slainin to do…..Unless he gets Upton!
What might end up happening, unfortunately, is that they let the value of some of the excess parts plunge to being completely worthless.
———————
It’s happened before
morse has averaged 78 games per season over the past 5 seasons.
–
Which is a convenient arbitrary end point. He averages 127 games over the past 4 seasons.
Shame Spencer says:
January 14, 2013 at 7:32 pm
Also – you guys still think Johnny Depp is pretty? Man looks like a disheveled professor without the charm.
I watched Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (the new one) the other day and that’s the weirdest movie ever
” He averages 127 games over the past 4 seasons.”
===========================
wow, he must be exhaused! he only got 55 games off?
Morse should stay healthier as a DH you’d think….
Hope Cash is trying to three way with Seattle and Dbacks
wow, he must be exhaused! he only got 55 games off?
–
Well, not sure about that math you just did there, but he of course was both a bench guy breaking into the league at the time and a platoon bat. For the Yankees, looking at a platoon bat & potential DH, he looks like a great fit.
Ys guy blindly defending the Yankees. What a shocker. The team’s front office can do no wrong in this dude’s eyes. He’s like the male version of Trisha.
I don’t think he’s a blind defender because even he would admit they do somethings he doesn’t like.
that was a typo.
i spent yesterday talking about how i’d prefer the yankees trade cano, hughes and granderson.
but if that’s blindlly defending the yankees because they dont want to trade a buttload for one year of a guy who constantly breaks down, ok fine…
@mlbtraderumors: Dodgers Have Looked Into Rafael Soriano http://t.co/a6dNmN6V #mlb
Of course they have
not to mention how this morning i was complaining, as i have since it opened how big a f’up i thought it was to build the OF fences in YS the way they did and how much i think it’s hurt the offense.
and my dislike for kevin long
…and the arod thing i’ve been steady about since what 2007?
but i blindly defend the FO… ok…
I would love to be a Yankee apologist. Help me out, Hal!
blake January 14th, 2013 at 7:23 pm
@JeffPassan: Top estimated payrolls: Dodgers $213M, Yankees $210M, Phillies $158M, Angels $152M, Tigers and Red Sox $150M.
Rich in NJ January 14th, 2013 at 7:24 pm
That’s $210m of really well-spent money.
——–
How the heck is it even humanly possible to have spent $210MM and still have only a platoon RF, no C, no DH, and no bench?
Rich in NJ January 14th, 2013 at 7:59 pm
I would love to be a Yankee apologist. Help me out, Hal!
—————
Me too!!
“I’m so sorry we spent all that money and raked every single season guys!!” – Me, to various Mets fans over the years.
so ‘real kevin’ lets see you reprint the last comment you posted that wasn’t a complain about something the yankees did.
anything even remotely positive.
was it this month? august? 2006?
“How the heck is it even humanly possible to have spent $210MM and still have only a platoon RF, no C, no DH, and no bench?”
They’re really, really top heavy (he says heavy in very sloooow, increasingly deep voice).
“How the heck is it even humanly possible to have spent $210MM and still have only a platoon RF, no C, no DH, and no bench?”
Same way Lottery winners end up broke I guess…..
same way jose canseco is flat broke after making $45M playing baseball?
It’s considered in poor taste to point out that the roof hasn’t caved in yet, right?
you start by spending $30M on a broken down roider…
im guessing kevin isnt actually trying to find a positive post….
Nick in SF says:
January 14, 2013 at 8:21 pm
It’s considered in poor taste to point out that the roof hasn’t caved in yet, right?
It’s frowned upon
“It’s considered in poor taste to point out that the roof hasn’t caved in yet, right?”
It’s not considered in poor taste to point out that the roof should be ever expanding…
This is the NYY. A departure from that model should be a per se disqualification to owning the team.
how in hell will the bashing help?
you expect someone to read it and do something in the FO?
if hal ruins this team you can come here to gloat about it
if he doesn’t then admit you were wrong.
either way the beat goes on….
“how in hell will the bashing help?”
Pointing out what one believes to be reality is not bashing.
“you expect someone to read it and do something in the FO?”
Um, no…
“if hal ruins this team you can come here to gloat about it”
Right, because I am not really a Yankee fan unless I agree with you.
“if he doesn’t then admit you were wrong.”
Is ruining the test? I thought flourishing was. Admitting that one is wrong is easy. Watching your favorite not be all it can be isn’t.
“either way the beat goes on….”
That’s why we’re all here. Although some seem to think there is only one melody for the beat. I’m not sure why you think that, but whatever.
JF
Tried to post this earlier but Chad and his timing got me.
Great job on the post. It should be required reading for any journalist doing a “189″ article on the Yankees. There should be no excuse for anymore of the”misguided” ( putting it nicely) articles we have been reading on the subject.
Again, although they are far off we do have a bunch of toolsy LA shortstops who have yet to come stateside, including Abiatal Avelino, Jorge Mateo, and Yancarlos Baez–all Dominican, and the Venezuelan Angel Aguilar. And most of them can hit. So, we have some depth there, and maybe we will start hearing about them soon. Although, granted they are a long way off. But I wonder if some of our LA kids come stateside sooner now that we have the two GCL clubs.
“if hal ruins this team you can come here to gloat about it”
Right, because I am not really a Yankee fan unless I agree with you.
==========================================
i guess you took it personally as you responded and really wasn’t aimed at you .
what does your yankee fan remark have to do with anything i said?
Having seen a fair amount of him, I can tell you that Addison Maruszak has virtually no chance to be even a backup shortstop in MLB.
Worst case scenario:
Yanks end up sucking. Haven’t reached that point yet.
Fans stop going to games. Prolly won’t happen next year.
2014 arrives. Team goes into the tank.
Hal does nothing.
Fans stop coming.
Hal takes a loss. Media make Yanks a laughingstock.
Hal sells team.
What’s the story with the Cuban SS?
Pruf, lol, re: Maruszak, I agree. However, he did have a career year for him, especially vs. lefties. I wonder if we’ll pursue Aledyms Diaz.
Blake, you just read my mind; things are mighty quiet in Yankeeland…
Yankeefem – no offense to the kid, he just can’t play there. Too bad Feliz isn’t a SS.
“Ys guy blindly defending the Yankees. What a shocker. The team’s front office can do no wrong in this dude’s eyes. He’s like the male version of Trisha.”
Hmmm, I guess it was the false kevin who spent him time on the forum all last season to hear 80-20 randy have a on-going mental fit because I had the AUDACITY to question whether Kuroda coming from the NL would be able to pitch in the AL East and that I thought it was a mistake for the Yankees to sign him. I also guess the real kevin was elsewhere being real when I publicly opined (both at the time the things happened, and later on) that it was a mistake for:
1. Wells to be traded for Clemens
2. Jeff Nelson to be low-balled by the Yankees
3. Melky to be traded
4. the Yankees to bring Vasquez back
5. Ian Kennedy to remain in the Bronx as long as he did
6. Joba to be relegated to the bullpen
7. Pukelis to be signed by he Yankees
…Amongst other things
NOW – since none of those were apparently decided by the front office
I can see why the real kevin would make the highly-intelligent statement that he did above.
Perhaps the real kevin has gotten confused by my saying that I recognize that the front office knows much more about baseball than I and everybody else here does, something that is unquestionably correct (despite the fact that I and others may have had questions from time to time). Maybe he’s gotten confused by the fact that I don’t short out the forum by crying incessantly about the state of the Yankees or because I am willing to root on the team on the field through thick and thin. Maybe he’s confused because I don’t spend 24-7 complaining. I don’t know.
Or maybe he’s confused that I don’t play the role of sef-entitled, spoiled brat fan, constantly screaming about how bad things are. (Part of the reason I don’t do that is because I don’t believe they are; the other part is that I am neither self-entitled nor spoiled.)
But I never want him or anyone else here to let facts get in the way of their glamourized fiction.
Carry on!
yankeefeminista says:
January 14, 2013 at 8:59 pm
Blake, you just read my mind; things are mighty quiet in Yankeeland…
You know anything about him?
Pruf, kid’s a gamer; I will give him that.
J. Alfred Prufrock January 14th, 2013 at 8:45 pm
Having seen a fair amount of him, I can tell you that Addison Maruszak has virtually no chance to be even a backup shortstop in MLB.
——————-
More comments like this, JAP, and you might ruin your reputation as a prospect hugger
Can’t we just clone Jete? Feels like the Yankees – the world? – should just end, when he retires. As long as I’ve watched the Yanks, it’s almost as if I have no visceral memory of anyone playing there before him. It’s like, right after the Chicxulub hit, and the dinosaurs disappeared, Bob Sheppard was telling us that “Numbah twoooo” was coming to the plate….
By the way Kevin Long was the one who told the press that the team needed to work on bunting and situational hitting and was immediately shot down. So those calling for Long’s head based on the “fact” that he refuses to have the hitters work on those things need to pay a lot better attention.
Blake, just the already posted scouting reports that tout his range, speed (although doesn’t steal that many bases), arm strength, potential for power, solid OBP, walks a lot… He turned 23 on Jan 8th, so he is now fair game and importantly isn’t a hit against the IFA cap. (I guess they are spelling his first name, Aldemis…)
More comments like this, JAP, and you might ruin your reputation as a prospect hugger
///
Shame, I only “hug” the really good ones
. More prospect snob, than hugger. Been telling folks here that Corban Joseph can’t handle 2B, either, but they keep putting his name into future lineups there. Hugging is at its fiercest, I would say, when you pencil in players for everyday jobs when you’ve never even seen them play 
.
KLong only brings up that bunting/situational hitting theme after we show no offense in a couple of playoff games… Same drill as 2011 playoffs.
JAP,
I remember before Jeter. It was like before electricity. The stadium was dark every October.
Jap, QFT. Most prospects are not only not hugged by the so-called huggers, they aren’t even given a handshake.
“Blake, just the already posted scouting reports that tout his range, speed (although doesn’t steal that many bases), arm strength, potential for power, solid OBP, walks a lot… He turned 23 on Jan 8th, so he is now fair game and importantly isn’t a hit against the IFA cap. (I guess they are spelling his first name, Aldemis…)”
Guess this means the Rangers, Dodgers, or Cubs will sign him
austinmac January 14th, 2013 at 9:14 pm
JAP,
I remember before Jeter. It was like before electricity. The stadium was dark every October.
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LOL, that’s good
. Well, we do have “*ucking Bucky Dent” lore to draw on. Larry Milbourne, anyone? We did make it to the ’81 series, but blowing that lead was one of the worst fan experiences of my Yankee “career.” I’m afraid the Scooter’s a little before my time, but I did enjoy his rhapsodies about Cannolis, the traffic, and his beloved Cora. I once had high hopes for Andre Robertson, but he was never the same after that car accident 
.
yankeefeminista January 14th, 2013 at 9:14 pm
Jap, QFT. Most prospects are not only not hugged by the so-called huggers, they aren’t even given a handshake.
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There is a guy on here who I would call a “hugger” with respect to its true meaning, but he’s rarely around. He’s probably quite young, and thinks everyone is going to hit .300… He’s the exception; I enjoyed talking with him, nonetheless – he had a passion for watching the guys in the system. Most people who know what they’re talking about who attend these games have far more discrimination than some would like to believe… the idea, I guess, is if you have any familiarity or interest in prospects, you’re a “hugger.” Some deep thinkers among us
.
Blake, probably.
Third time’s the charm: maybe the name’s Aledmis. I have seen it written 3 different ways. “Diaz, 22, was playing with the Cuban National team when he defected last summer and had played in Cuba’s premier league, Serie Nacional, since 2007. Regarded as the more advanced player, comparatively, the 6’1”, 185-pound shortstop has a projectable bat with power potential, as well as solid range and a strong arm.”
“The Villa Clara shortstop, 21, had a .315 batting average last season and a .404 on base percentage. He had 12 homers and knocked in 49 runs. One of the leagues better fielders he had a .972 fielding percentage over 76 games.” Havana Times
However, in this St Louis baseball article, they say his D is not very good. So, got to wonder if the stuff about range, D is actually legit.
http://www.stlcardinalbaseball.....3710937500
Jeter will be productive until his last day as a Yankee. If he so desires he will be productive until he breaks Pete Rose’s hit record with what ever team offers him three years.