Let the Search Begin

With the announcement that Alex Rodriguez will opt to undergo arthroscopic surgery to repair the torn labrum in his right hip, the Yankees are obviously in need of a stop gap at third base now. So let the search begin!

With Rodriguez out 6-9 weeks you are looking at a return sometime in early to mid May. Looking at the Yankees roster, the only candidate to replace Rodriguez is Cody Ransom. Although my take on him is that he isn't really much of a candidate. Generally when a player is 33 and has never had 70 Major League at bats in a season before, it is for good reason. A quick glance at his minor league stats tend to hint at why that is. With the exception of his .394 mark in 2004, Ransom has not had a year in which he had an OBP above .350 since 1999. Generally those numbers don't improve when you arrive in the big leagues. While he does have some pop he also tends to strike out a lot, walk a little, and hit for low averages. Those aren't attributes which earn you a starting spot on the New York Yankees. (Although for some strange reason they seem to earn you a spot on the Yankees bench far too often...Enrique Wilson anyone?). Imagine days when Jose Molina plays and the Yankees have a 7-8-9 of Ransom, Molina, Gardner. That's pretty much like a Pittsburgh Pirates lineup.

Of all the names I have heard bandied about, my preference is Chone Figgins from Anaheim. Figgins, a free agent at seasons end, is attractive for a number of reasons:

1. He can play third base.
2. He can also play second base, shortstop, and every outfield position. This is particularly attractive because it gives the Yankees an attractive and versatile bench option when A-Rod returns. Not only is Cody Ransom not that, but neither is Angel Berroa...another guys who the Yankees decided to donate a paycheck to this spring.
3. He has a career OBP of .356 in the majors, including a .393 mark two years ago.
4. He has averaged nearly 45 stolen bases a year over his five full major league seasons. Given his minuscule slugging percentages, his ability to steal bases help turn his many singles and walks into doubles. Plus the Yankees could Have Figgins, Gardner, and Damon in the 8-9-1 spots...three guys in a row who would be threats to get in scoring positions for the heart of the order.
5. At 31 he is younger than Ransom.
6. If Brett Gardner fails and when Melky Cabrera fails in CF, Figgins becomes a legit option when he is no longer needed at third.

Anaheim is in need of an outfield bat. The Yankees have an abundance of those. While you probably couldn't get the to take the non-outfielder Hideki Matsui and his $13 million for Figgins, you probably could get them to do a Figgins for Xavier Nady type of deal. Plus then you would solve the Nady problem as well (that's the one where people think Nady is a very good ball player when he really isn't). If Figgins didn't work out you could let him walk at the end of the season.

Finally, to address the people who think the Yankees are better off without the guy whose 162 game averages are a .389 OBP, a .578 slugging percentage, 44 home runs, and 127 RBI's. GIVE ME A BREAK! Is the guy a jerk? Yes. A liar? Yes. A disappointment in October? Yes. But for god sake he is a monster in the regular season which, believe it or not, does count...especially when you have two other 95 win teams in your division. It's nice to think about no A-Rod and all of the baggage that he brings with him. But you also need to think about how to replace that production and quite simply, you can't. If they had signed Manny in the off-season, then you'd have a case. But they didn't. And the Yankees need that type of production this year more than ever. They don't have a 2004-2007 Yankees offense. This Yankees offense has Johnny Damon, who at 35 has little chance of repeating his 2008 season. They also have a declining Derek Jeter, huge question marks in Posada, Cano, Matsui, and Gardner. The only sure thing is Teixeira, who is quite possibly their best free agent acquisition since the Moose signed on in the winter of 2000. I know people like to talk about how the dynasty teams didn't need big stars like A-Rod. "They grinded it out with guys like Scott Brosius!" Yes they did grind it out with guys like Brosius (he of the lifetime .278 postseason OBP...yes that's .278, not .378). Of course what those people forget to mention is that it is a lot easier to grind it out with light hitting third basemen when you have 5 aces in their primes filling your rotation, coup-led with the greatest closer ever in his prime, and topped off with dominant set up relief. Since Rodriguez has come to the Yankees they have had the luxury of trotting out the following pitchers to start postseason games: an aging Mussina, Jon Lieber, Kevin "Everyone knew I was a nut job even before Joe Torre threw me under the bus" Brown, Javy Vazquez, and aging and injured El Duque, Chien Ming Wang, an almost dead Randy Johnson, Jaret Wright, a 35 year old Andy Pettitte, and an almost dead Roger Clemens. Not exactly David Cone, Clemens, Duque, Pettitte, and Boomer Wells in their primes.

Comments? Is anybody out there?