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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Brian Cashman did the brave face thing yesterday when he insisted over and over that the Yankees would not “overreact” to Alex Rodriguez’s absence to find a replacement.
That is what the general manager should have done. But understand that the Yankees currently have no viable third baseman on the 40-man roster with Rodriguez out until at least June. David Adams played third in the Arizona Fall League, but the organization does not think he is ready for the majors. Cashman continues to say he will not shift Eduardo Nunez back to third. And Jayson Nix is on waivers for a few more days and the Orioles, among others, like him and could pluck him.
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So Cashman really is going to have to find answers. Here are some considerations:
1. STEPHEN DREW: The name that comes up most often when you ask outside executives. But the free agent has never played an inning at third, Arizona said he was unwilling to consider a switch before he was traded to Oakland, and the Yankees do not believe the lefty swinger wants to do anything but play shortstop now. Also, there are questions if he has the makeup to handle New York.
2. ERIC CHAVEZ: The simplest solution is to re-sign Chavez and team him with a righty bat. But Chavez is always a health risk and his 16 homers in 278 at-bats last year should make him attractive elsewhere, as well. And, to date, the Yankees have yet to even talk to him about a ’13 pact.
3. HIROYUKI NAKAJIMA: At $2 million, the Yankees won the post for Nakajima last offseason, could not reach a contract agreement and the righty hitter returned to play again for Seibu in Japan (.311, 13 homers). But he is now a free agent and wants to play in the majors. He is a shortstop, but the Yankees believed he could play multiple positions when they went after him last year.
4. JEFF KEPPINGER: He’s recovering from a fractured right fibula, though he is expected to be healthy for spring. He mashes lefties and can handle third base defensively. A Chavez-Keppinger platoon would probably work effectively, but Keppinger likely wants multiple years, and the Yankees are not willing to spend too many 2014 dollars.
5. CHASE HEADLEY: He would be top of market after finishing fifth in the NL MVP voting. But with new ownership, San Diego doesn’t want to deal its best/most popular player. A Padres official told The Post: “We’re not going to move Headley.”
6. MARK REYNOLDS: He was a Yankees killer last season, but he is a brutal third baseman and a strikeout machine when the Yankees already have Curtis Granderson.
7. KEVIN YOUKILIS: The Yankees have big-time questions if he can handle the physical demands of playing third consistently, the same as fellow free agent Placido Polanco.
8. SCOTT ROLEN: The expectation is he is retiring, and the same goes for Brandon Inge.
9. JERRY HAIRSTON JR.: This Dodger is versatile and the Yanks know him well from their 2009 championship run.
10. MARCO SCUTARO: The Yankees think he is more of a second baseman and he is expected to get multiple years. The Yankees also think Ty Wigginton can’t handle third at all any longer.