Grading The New York Yankees' Signing of Chase Headley

The New York Yankees finally found someone to play at the hot corner when they signed third baseman Chase Headley to a four-year, $52 million contract. He will be the starter ahead of Alex Rodriguez and provide some pop in a Yankees lineup that has some serious potential to struggle in 2015.

To truly assess the Yankees’ signing of Headley, one has to look at a number of factors. First of all, how good of a fit is he on the present roster? Also, is the financial commitment justified by previous experience? Finally, does he give the team a considerably greater chance to make the playoffs than if they didn’t have him at all?

Fit: A-

Headley is a good fit for the Yankees for a number of reasons. First of all, he pushes A-Rod out of a starting spot, which is something the Bronx Bombers really wanted to be able to do this winter. That’s because they don’t know what they’re going to be getting from a soon-to-be 40-year-old A-Rod.

Giving Headley the starting job gives them more security even though he’s been relatively inconsistent throughout his career. Even so, he’s a much better bet than A-Rod based on the stage each is entering in their respective careers. His power will play well into the Yankees’ lineup that desperately needs some pop.

Financials: C+

This isn’t so much an indictment on the Yankees for spending the amount of money they did on Headley as much as it is an indictment on the overall market for Headley. It’s perplexing how a player who has only hit over 20 home runs in a single season only one time can get $13 million annually. Somehow, that’s how the market was set and the Yankees decided he was worth it.

He’s not likely to completely fulfill the production that a $13 million annual salary demands, but he’s still an upgrade from A-Rod; and based on the Yankees’ deep pockets, he could end up being worth it.

Improved Playoff Chance: A

Without a doubt, Headley improves the Yankees’ realistic chance at reaching the postseason in 2015. They still need to add some pitching before they can truly be in the playoff discussion, but Headley was a good first step. If some of the veterans stay healthy, this lineup starts to look relatively deep with Headley in the middle.

Third basemen are hard to come by in the game today, so being able to secure one to fill a key positional and lineup need was a big move for the Yankees. Now it will be interesting to see if the Yankees become more aggressive over the remainder of the offseason.

Overall Grade: B+