OLD FACES IN NEW PLACES? The Yankees could have a new left side of the infield next season, writes The Post’s Joel Sherman, if they consider limiting Derek Jeter (pictured) to part-time duty at shortstop and Alex Rodriguez’s appeal of his suspension is unsuccessful. (N.Y. Post: Charles Wenzelberg (2))
OLD FACES IN NEW PLACES? The Yankees could have a new left side of the infield next season, writes The Post’s Joel Sherman, if they consider limiting Derek Jeter (right) to part-time duty at shortstop and Alex Rodriguez’s appeal of his suspension is unsuccessful. (N.Y. Post: Charles Wenzelberg (2))
The Yankees headed to Boston. Derek Jeter to Tampa. Both were essentially trying to do the same thing — save their season.
And, in a way, Jeter is auditioning for next year, as well. Because Alex Rodriguez is not the only left-side-of-the-infield elder statesman that the Yankees can’t really plan around for 2014.
Jeter already was going to be fighting history. Only six times has a player 40 or older started even 100 games at shortstop: Honus Wagner (1914-15) and Luke Appling (1947, ’49) twice each, and Barry Larkin (2004) and Omar Vizquel (2007) once each.
But Jeter will be trying to do so after four major leg injuries have cost him almost all of his age-39 season; have made him, arguably, more brittle this year than even A-Rod. Rodriguez started a day game after a night game yesterday, both contests at third base. And between his fragility and the lingering Biogenesis matter, who saw Rodriguez playing more games in 2013 than Jeter, which is now someplace between possible and probable?
Jeter has a $9.5 million player option for next season (an $8 million base plus a $1.5 million bonus tacked on because he won the Silver Slugger for AL shortstops last year). He could attempt to negotiate a more substantial amount for next season or an extension, but the most likely scenario is he simply triggers the option since he doesn’t want to leave and the Yankees are not going to be in a giving mood considering his injury-crushed season and their desire to get under the $189 million luxury tax threshold for next season.
So what should the Yankees do with this version of Jeter moving forward?
In the past, I have felt Jeter’s value was tied to sticking at shortstop — he gave the Yankees high-end production for the position and he had not proven he could play anywhere else. And, of course, Jeter has been prideful and willful in seeing himself exclusively as a shortstop.
Now, however, I think to get Jeter through a season and maximize his health and, thus, his value, it is wise to consider him as no more than a half-time shortstop — 70-80 games at most. He could then be the Yankees’ primary righty DH and also, at the least, try to play some first base.
The player Jeter has always reminded me most of is Paul Molitor in that both were high-average hitters with good but not great power and base-stealing acumen. Molitor came up as a shortstop, moved around the diamond and then settled at first base/DH, mainly as a way to preserve his oft-injured body. This would be the same idea for Jeter. So it is hardly an insult. Especially when you consider the Yankees moved Mickey Mantle to first (there was no DH then) when his body deteriorated.
Can Jeter play first 10-15 games to spell Mark Teixeira — and more if Teixeira again misses sustained time with injury? He seems a good enough athlete to do so, as long as he is willing.
When asked about a position switch to lessen the burden on his body in the future, Jeter said, “I am not thinking about next year. Next year is not on my mind.’’
The Yankees’ official policy is to say the same, that the only season that matters is this one. But that is just a public statement so fans think they are fixating on one goal and one goal only — a parade in The Canyon of Heroes.
But the Yankees were thinking about the $189 million two years ago and — like with all teams — Yankees scouts are eyeing potentially available players, particularly in areas of need, such as the left side of the infield. The Yankees have to assume they will not have A-Rod for part or all of next season because of a Biogenesis-linked suspension, and Jeter will be limited by the realities of age/injury.
The Yankees thought they answered the issue this year by signing Kevin Youkilis and making Eduardo Nunez a shortstop only. But both struggled offensively and got hurt for long stretches, leaving the Yankees to play Quadruple-A level players for most of the year on the left side.
They could conceivably try to bring back Youkilis on a small contract if they thought his back would hold up, and/or look into trade possibilities such as San Diego’s Chase Headley, Milwaukee’s Aramis Ramirez, Oakland’s Jed Lowrie or Cleveland’s Asdrubal Cabrera. But with limited prospect clout that might be difficult.
Here is a name — an ironic name at that — to keep in mind: Jhonny Peralta. He is serving his Biogenesis suspension now, prior to his free agency. He is unlikely to be tendered a contract by the Tigers, so he would not have draft-pick compensation tied to him. He is a shortstop, but the belief has been he eventually would move to third. In 2014, the Yankees could probably use a player capable of playing both positions and providing offense. And because of his suspension, Peralta could look to do just a one-year deal to re-establish himself, which would work for the Yankees.
Of course, the Yankees would have to believe Peralta is a good player without PED assistance (he was just an All-Star), and that they want to deal with the backlash of signing a player tied to Biogenesis after all of the A-Rod brouhaha.
It all is going to be tricky, dealing with an absent A-Rod, a physically uncertain Jeter and finding suitable insurance/replacements for both.