TAMPA — The last time the Yankees were this uncertain about their shortstop, they nearly traded Mariano Rivera.
It was the spring of 1996. The Yankees had said they were committed to a rookie named Derek Jeter. But he was shaky that spring, the first in the organization’s new facility here. In fact, Clyde King, serving as an advisor to owner George Steinbrenner, told him: “We can’t win this year with Derek Jeter playing shortstop every day. He’s not ready.”
That so unnerved Steinbrenner that he called a March 26 meeting of all the organization’s top executives in then-manager Joe Torre’s office.
Seattle was handing the full-time shortstop job to a youngster named Alex Rodriguez, making both Felix Fermin and Luis Sojo available. The Yankees were pondering an offer that would land them Fermin. Seattle wanted either Bob Wickman or the young right-hander who had pitched so well in relief against them in the 1995 AL Division Series after being undistinguished as a starter that year: Rivera.
A contingent led by Gene Michael, recently deposed as general manager, convinced Steinbrenner to stick with the plan. Jeter wound up the AL Rookie of the Year, Rivera went from a long man in the pen to the most dominant pitching force in the league and the Yankees won the 1996 World Series.
For the first time since then, Jeter, who signed a new deal in December, will arrive in camp with serious questions about his abilities. King passed away in November and the impetuous Steinbrenner is no longer around either. Still, the front office will try to gauge whether Jeter’s declining batting average and range from 2010 are reversible in 2011 or if someone else within the organization will soon being saying some version of “We can’t win this year with Derek Jeter playing shortstop every day.”
The Jeter dilemma is symptomatic of a changing of the Yankees guard as the Core Four begins to unravel.
Andy Pettitte retired, against the Yankees’ wishes, Jorge Posada was turned into a designated hitter against his wishes and Rafael Soriano was signed against the wishes of GM Brian Cashman, in significant part, to serve as an insurance policy for the 40-year-old Rivera.
Yet at the same time that the Yankees are going through this transition, they do need these older players (you could throw the 35-year-old Alex Rodriguez into that mix) to play at a level close to their prime. You still are talking about the Yankees’ left side of the infield in Jeter and Rodriguez, their closer and now their full-time DH, Posada.
In conversations with Yankees officials, the early word is the group all appears in excellent shape and that Jeter and Posada are in prove-themselves, chip-on-the-shoulder mode after unpleasant offseasons.
Posada was told in a face-to-face meeting with Cashman that he was no longer going to catch because the franchise believes that portion of his game has deteriorated too much. Posada, of course, disagrees, and will show up today with the pitchers and catchers believing he will still get a chance, at some point, to get behind the plate.
For now, Posada’s friends are trying to convince him that without the wear and tear on his body, he can concentrate on maximizing 500-plus plate appearances. He will need to thrive to have any chance to return in 2012 to a Yankees team that more and more will want to keep the DH slot available for players such as Rodriguez and Jeter.
Jeter continued a reformation of his swing during one-on-one tutorials with hitting coach Kevin Long this offseason. The impression of officials who watched Jeter daily in Tampa is that the new approach has him pulling the ball with more frequency and authority, and that he is feeling positive about the adjustment.
Rivera is looking forward to his now familiar spring in which the Yankees look to the big picture and hardly ask him to pitch at all. Rivera does remain special. But the Yankees are recognizing the impact of time. Last year was the fifth straight in which Rivera’s innings total dropped, down to 60.
Sometimes Rivera gives the impression he just may go on forever. But in case he doesn’t, the Yankees used their financial might to have Soriano, the 2010 AL saves leader, in reserve.
Hey, one thing is for sure — good or bad for Jeter — there will be no discussion this time about trading Rivera for a shortstop.
joel.sherman@nypost.com