TAMPA — In the here and now, Mark Teixeira, Brian Roberts and Derek Jeter are red-flag injury risks and Kelly Johnson is a neophyte third baseman. There is arguably no greater risk-reward infield in the whole sport than the Yankees’. They can have a high-production unit or a high-wire disaster.
No matter the result, the Yankees are looking at a renovation for next season. Teixeira is signed through 2016, but Roberts and Johnson are on one-year contacts and Jeter already has announced this is his last season.
In theory, the Yankees could re-sign Roberts and/or Johnson for a second tour of duty. But they know they will be lucky if both perform this season as one-and-dones.
And the Yankees simply have no answers coming. Eduardo Núñez, Yangervis Solarte and Dean Anna are even viewed internally by the Yankees as backups. Recent first-round picks, shortstop Cito Culver (2010) and third baseman Dante Bichette Jr. (2011), have lost prospect status. The Yankees have big hopes for last year’s first pick, third baseman Eric Jagielo, but he is years away.
“I am very aware of [the coming crisis],” Brian Cashman said. “But being aware of it and being able to address it are very different.”
Still — despite the general perception — the Yankees have not dispatched their scouts to unearth, say, a platoon partner for Johnson or insurance for Roberts. The way it was described to me is they are looking for a 500-at-bat player, not a 300-at-bat player — someone who might be a backup or insurance policy now, but has a good chance to start beginning next year. In other words, they are not hunting for utility types such as Jeff Keppinger.
Scouts are definitely focusing on Yankees catchers. Francisco Cervelli is having a strong camp. His reputation already was for strong defense and he has three homers this spring. Catching is in short supply and he could start for some teams, including the White Sox. A deal built around Cervelli and Chicago’s Gordon Beckham is not impossible.
But does Chicago believe Cervelli will hit? And do the Yankees think Beckham is a younger Keppinger or the 2.0 version of Scott Brosius — someone who will revive after coming to the Yankees? Beckham hit well as a rookie in 2009 (.808 OPS), but has not even reached a .700 OPS in four seasons since. One opposing scout said “the lack of offense is wearing on the White Sox.”
To have access to a surer thing or a higher-quality prospect, the Yankees will probably have to sacrifice John Ryan Murphy or Gary Sanchez, who are projected to be their starting catchers at Triple-A and Double-A, respectively, or outfielder Mason Williams. The signing of Brian McCann blocks the starting catching spot for a while for the Yankees, and the signing of Jacoby Ellsbury and the extension for Brett Gardner blocks Williams, who perhaps more than any other Yankees prospect has helped his status this spring, playing with energy and looking as if he belongs with major leaguers.
Arizona has made it clear it is in a win-today situation and so probably will look for a return that would help now to trade either Didi Gregorius or Chris Owings, who are battling for the starting shortstop job. The Rangers have long been trying to develop a frontline catcher and have a glut of middle infielders, including the well-regarded minor league tandem of second baseman Rougned Odor or shortstop Luis Sardinas.
“Our pro personnel department is in charge of watching everything,” Cashman said. “In terms of something presenting itself in an area [of need] then we can be proactive.”