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There is No Easy Fix to New York Yankees’ Shortstop Vacancy Right Now

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By @chriswgamble

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Getty Images

The worst kept secret in baseball is that the New York Yankees need a shortstop after Derek Jeter called it quits. The best kept secret in baseball is figuring out which direction the Yankees will go to fill that void. The rumored number one target, J.J. Hardy, re-signed with the Baltimore Orioles before the postseason ended. That has left the door open to a ton of speculation and now that Alexei Ramirez and Troy Tulowitzki are reportedly on the block, the Yankees have a few more options to choose from.

So far, the only news coming from the Yankees is that they won’t spend big on the top three pitchers on the market. That, quite obviously, does not shed any light on what the Yankees plan to do at shortstop. One thing is clear though and that is Brendan Ryan, currently the only shortstop on the Yankees’ roster, will not be the starter.

Alexei Ramirez is an intriguing option. He is coming off of his best offensive season that saw the 33-year-old hit .273/.305/.408 with 15 home runs, 35 doubles and 21 steals. His combination of speed power and his ability to make consistent contact make him one of the few desirable options on the trade market this offseason. Ramirez is signed through next year so there isn’t much in the way of team control or long-term stability.

If the Yankees are looking only for a stopgap, either in free agency or trade market, then Ramirez makes a lot of sense. If they are looking on the trade market for a longer-term solution then adding Troy Tulowitzki makes more sense.

Tulowitzki just turned 30 in October and is coming off of a season that saw him appear in only 91 games due to an injured hip that required surgery. Still, in those 91 games, Tulowitzki raked to the tune of .340/.432/.603 with 21 home runs, 18 doubles and 52 RBI. He was on pace to smash his previous career high in home runs, 32, set in 2009 before the injury sidelined him.

Durability has long been a concern with Tulowitzki. He has not appeared in more than 150 games since 2009 and hasn’t played in more than 130 games since 2011 when he appeared in 143 games. However, when healthy, Tulowitzki is arguably the best shortstop in the game. With the bat there is none better. He is also signed through 2020 so trading for him would be a huge gamble. Can the Yankees afford to have another infielder with a surgically repaired hip?

Then there is the question of prospects. The Chicago White Sox are rumored to be looking for pitching in return for Ramirez. The Colorado Rockies will want a nice haul in return for trading the face of their franchise. They might take a lesser return in terms of prospects than the Chicago Cubs would if they were to shop Starlin Castro but would the Yankees match up with the Rockies’ desires? It can be assumed they would want a top pitching and hitting prospect as well as a few other pieces.

Yankees’ fans clearly want Tulowitzki to replace Jeter, who was Tulowitzki’s idol and is the reason Tulo wears number two. Tulo would love to replace Jeter but unless the price comes down for him I don’t think the Yankees can afford to make a deal.

Tulowitzki is a middle infielder with hip problems and a history or injury. The Yankees are trying to overhaul their farm system after they have failed to develop Major League ready talent in recent years. Would they sacrifice youth and promise when half of their team is on the wrong side of 35 and so many injury questions surround those on the good side of 35? They would be foolish to do so. The Yankees would be better served signing Stephen Drew and Yoan Moncada while hoping an upgrade becomes available as the trade deadline approaches. This is, for better or worse, the face of Yankees’ baseball right now.

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