MLB Rumors: Who Will Play SS, Close for Yankees if Derek Jeter, Mariano Walk?
MLB rumors continue to heat up the hot stove—or at least New York City—as we inch closer and closer to February.
And that magical date when pitchers and catchers report.
Around baseball, it's actually been a somewhat quiet offseason for player movement. No free agents of note have signed, with the exception of the reports that former Yankee Javier Vasquez will sign with Florida.
But not even the much-coveted Jayson Werth and Carl Crawford have been in the news as much as Derek Jeter's very public contract talks with the Yankees have been.
There have been conflicting reports about the terms that Jeter is demanding. The Yankees have taken a very hard line in negotiating, and as of this posting, there is still no deal.
Much less publicized, but just as—and maybe more—alarming, is that the great closer Mariano Rivera is also without a deal and on the free-agent market.
Eventually, when it's all said and done, both are expected to remain Yankees.
But, for the sake or argument, here are some options to replace two of the more celebrated players to ever wear the pinstripes.
Jeter Option No. 1: Ramiro Pena
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In the short time he's been a member of the Yankees, Pena has proved to be the Luis Sojo of these current Bombers.
Back in the late '90s, Sojo was an integral part of the Yankee dynasty, filling in wherever needed in the infield with solid defense and timely hitting. Many people forget Sojo had the Series-winning hit off Al Leiter in the 2000 World Series.
Like Sojo, Pena has filled in admirably when called upon, usually at third or short.
He did struggle at the plate, hitting .227 last year. But his RBIs and stolen bases were up.
And in 57 games at shortstop, Pena only committed four errors.
He's not an All-Star, but he's a nice player at the bottom of the lineup to replace Jeter should the need arise.
Jeter Option No. 2: Eduardo Nunez
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The organization feels that if Jeter is replaced with someone from within the organization, Nunez will be that player.
He's arguably the Yankees' best shortstop prospect. Nunez performed well in limited time with the big club last year, hitting .280 in 53 plate appearances last season, adding one home run and seven RBIs.
Brian Cashman and the Yankee Brain Trust thought enough of Nunez that they refused to send him to Seattle along with top prospect Jesus Montero in the proposed Cliff Lee trade that never was. That should tell you all you need to know about Nunez and whether or not he's the shortstop of the future.
The question: Will that future be sooner or later?
Jeter Option No. 3: Edgar Renteria
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Renteria was one of the heroes of the Giants' first World Championship in San Francisco.
But after an injury-plagued season in the Bay Area that allowed him to only play in 72 games last year, the Giants decided to cut ties with the shortstop.
Defensively, he might not be much of an upgrade over Jeter. But he did have a .983 fielding percentage and only four errors in 68 games at short last year.
He still proved he can hit in the playoffs, hitting .412 in 18 postseason at-bats and hitting .270 during the regular season. The days of him being a premier, everyday shortstop have probably passed him by.
But a platoon situation with either Nunez or Pena could be an option, especially since either one could be moved down lower in the lineup to let Brett Gardner hit lead-off.
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Jeter Option No. 4: Orlando Cabrera
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Like Renteria, Cabrera might be at the later stages of his career.
But he also provides a nice balance of good defense and adequate offense from the shortstop position. Cabrera had a down year last year with the Reds, committing 11 errors and only batting .250.
But his errors were extremely cut from 2009, when he committed 25 in 158 games.
Cabrera is not a great shortstop. But if he can cut down on the errors, then he can fit in well with the Yankees.
He's another player who can hit eighth or ninth if the situation warrants. He could also can be a strong defensive player and a good fit in a platoon situation.
He can also be an inexpensive replacement, if the one-year, $2.27-million contract he signed last year is any indication.
Jeter Option No. 5: Jose Reyes
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If the Yankees wanted to go down the trade route to replace Jeter, perhaps the best option could be right down the subway line in Queens.
It may be time for Reyes to have a change of scenery. When he's healthy, he's a dynamic talent.
He can turn any hit into extra bases, and all he has to do is get on to cause havoc on the basepaths. His career averages of 58 stolen bases, a .335 on-base percentage and a .286 batting average prove that.
He's had a problem staying healthy recently, though. There's been rumors and rumblings that if the Mets can get some blue-chip prospects for him, then they should pull the trigger.
A trade between the Yankees and the Mets isn't unheard of. But if the Yankees want a charismatic, youthful player. Reyes might be the way to go.
Rivera Option No. 1: Kerry Wood
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Wood has experience being a closer, and an successful one at that.
He saved 34 games with a 3.28 ERA with the Cubs in 2008. He also saved eight games with an ERA north of six for the Indians before getting shipped off to the Bronx last season.
There, he stepped into—and claimed—the set-up role as his own, with an 0.69 ERA over the last two months of the season.
He has experience. But with Wood, there's always the fear that the next major injury with him is one pitch away.
Then where do you turn?
Of course, there's always the fear that he could revert back to what he was in Cleveland. Combined with the Yankee fanbase, that could be a disastrous combination.
It's feast or famine with him, which seems to perfectly sum up his career to this point.
Rivera Option No. 2: Rafael Soriano
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Save for a inconsistent couple of years in Seattle to start his career, Soriano has bounced around to become one of the more dependable relievers in baseball.
You may be surprised to find that since 2004 he hasn't had an ERA higher than 3.00. When he's been healthy, he's appeared in 70-plus games in two of the last four years and 64 games last year.
He's proven he can take the leap from set-up man to closer too, saving 27 games with the Braves in 2009 and 45 games in Tampa last year.
He'll get a large paycheck wherever he signs. If he stays healthy, he can be a workhorse with electric stuff.
If, by some chance, Rivera doesn't return, Soriano would be the next-best option.
Rivera Option No. 3: Brian Fuentes
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One of the members of the rare left-handed closers club, Fuentes has been nothing, if not dependable, during his career.
His 3.41 career ERA and his average of 23 saves a season are nothing spectacular, but enough to keep him working through his career. His age (34) could be an issue, and his ERA is a little high for a closer, but he's been solid.
He does have a history of going through rough stretches. For instance, the stretch that saw him demoted in Colorado in favor of Manny Corpas.
But a lefty closer can give the Yankees a lot of freedom and a lot of options. Bringing in Fuentes would also fill the need for a lefty specialist, something the Yankees missed desperately last year.
Rivera Option No. 4: Francisco Cordero
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Cordero is like Soriano—a rocket arm with electric stuff.
He's saved 40 games three times in his career and has had at least 34 saves in each of the last four years. But like Fuentes and many other closers not named Rivera, he has a tendency to go into funks and self-destruct.
He saved 40 games last year, but had a 3.84 ERA. That, combined with his contract size, led to the news tweeted by SI's Jon Heyman that Cordero could be available.
Like Fuentes, the age could scare off a lot of suitors. The price tag could become another albatross contract for the Yankees should they decide to go this route.
But like Wood, he's a high-risk, high-reward type of closer that could be problematic. But if there's any club that could eat that contract, it's the Yankees.
Rivera Option No. 5: Joba Chamberlain
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There is another internal option, Yankee fans.
And you may not want to hear it.
Just imagine the word closer next to Joba Chamberlain's name.
To watch Chamberlain pitch the last year or so has had Yankee fans reaching for the Pepto-Bismol more often than not. To some, moving him to the closer spot would just be the latest in a long line of moves that have screwed with the kid's psyche and has turned him from out-of-this-world reliever to middling pitcher and possible bust.
If the powers that be could ever get that one-inning, let it rip and see what happens mentality back into his head, then the love-fest could be back on in the Bronx.
Not doing so would be denying that he ever had the unhittable stuff he showed his rookie year, however long ago that might seem.
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