Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Whenever Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane decides to waive the white flag on the 2015 season, he will have numerous suitors knocking at his door. One of the most popular commodities will be Ben Zobrist. Although he has struggled this year, partially due to injury, Zobrist is a switch-hitter, who can play every position on the diamond. A player with his versatility will not come cheap on the trade market, because his skillset is so unique that he would fit perfectly on all 30 MLB teams.
The New York Yankees have been one of the teams rumored to have interest in Zobrist. The Yankees’ middle infield has given them next to nothing offensively in 2015, and the team has been looking for a major upgrade for some time. The foursome of Stephen Drew, Didi Gregorius, Jose Pirela, and Brendan Ryan, will not strike fear into any opposing pitcher. Acquiring Zobrist to play second base on most days, would give the Yankees a major offensive upgrade, while not losing a whole lot defensively.
If the Yankees choose to stick with Drew and Ryan in the middle infield to provide stellar defense, then Zobrist could play left field until Jacoby Ellsbury returns from the disabled list, or he could give breathers to Carlos Beltran in right. There are so many options with Zobrist, that his addition could make the Yankees serious World Series contenders. Even though they are leading the AL East right now, there are still some weaknesses, but Zobrist could fill the holes on offense.
It’ll be interesting to see if the Yankees actually pull the trigger on a deal because general manager Brian Cashman, and principal owner Hal Steinbrenner have put more emphasis on keeping their top prospects, instead of flipping them for quick fixes on the parent club. Zobrist would likely require at least two top-10 or top-15 prospects in any deal, so I wonder how much the Yankees will stick to their guns. Their decision will demonstrate how the team views its chances of winning a World Series in 2015.
Jason Fletcher is a MLB Featured Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @JasonFletcher25, “Like” him on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google+.
