Cashman: "We Won't Overreact" - Gary Armida's Blog

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Gary Armida's Blog

Cashman: "We Won't Overreact" Stuck

Posted on December 3, 2012 at 04:02 PM.

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The first major news of the Winter Meetings wasn�t a signing or a trade. Instead, it was a press release from the New York Yankees stating that Alex Rodriguez was undergoing left hip surgery to repair a torn labrum, a bone impingement, and the correction of a cyst. Rodriguez underwent a similar procedure on his right hip in 2009. The Yankees expect a recovery time of four to six months, based on what the doctors have told them.

The news of Rodriguez�s surgery was one of the better kept secrets in sports. The rabid New York media didn�t know because as Cashman said, �I was never specifically asked about his left hip.�

Cashman has known about the injury and impending surgery since the end of the season when Rodriguez had his annual check up with his surgeon, Dr. Marc Philippon. The start of the worry actually happened during the American League Division Series against the Baltimore Orioles. Rodriguez was infamously lifted for Raul Ibanez, making for some drama as Ibanez homered twice to win the game. But, Rodriguez was asked to pinch hit the next night and revealed that something was wrong.

�When Joe (Girardi) asked Alex to pinch hit, Alex said, �I have to tell you something. My hip is bothering me. I don�t feel like I can fire off� and that�s when we decided to send him for an MRI,� said Cashman. It was after the that Rodriguez was sent for an MRI on his right hip. The MRI came back clean, which isn�t surprising considering that it turns out that Rodriguez�s left hip was the root of the problem. The doctors didn�t do an MRI on his right hip.

�I do think that it�s a likely scenario that his struggles in September and October had to do with this,� said Cashman in reference to Rodriguez�s poor finish to the season. Rodriguez had just 3 hits in 25 post season at bats in October. He slugged just .369 in the final month of the regular season.

While Rodriguez has been largely criticized because of his declining performance and still top salary, the reality is that Rodriguez is still one of the better offensive third basemen in the sport. Even in an injury riddled 2012, Rodriguez ranked 15th with a 2.2 WAR value. 15th sounds mediocre, but considering that he played in just 122 games and was injured for most of it, it is amazing that 15 other teams had third basemen less valuable. His 18 home runs ranked 13th amongst third basemen, while his .353 on base percentage was seventh best. That career low .430 slugging percentage was still 11th best.

He may not be producing like a $30 million player, but he still had on-field value for the Yankees. With the departure of Russell Martin, the likely departure of Nick Swisher, and the injury of Derek Jeter, Rodriguez was still a big part of the 2013 Yankees.

�Where do we go from here? My sole interest is in improving our entire club. Whether or not that includes solving the third base problem, we�ll see,� said Cashman. Cashman did focus his early season efforts on settling his pitching staff. Hiroki Kuroda and Andy Petttitte were re-signed to complete the rotation. Mariano Rivera was re-signed to reclaim his closer role. Now, Cashman has to round out his everyday lineup.

The needs were many for the Yankees, even before the news of Rodriguez�s injury. Nick Swisher�s time is likely done in New York and the market will probably price him out of Cashman�s budget. The matter of who is going to be the starting catcher is still on the table. And, perhaps most importantly, there is a need for a right handed bat and infielder who can play both shortstop and third base. Now, Cashman needs a starting third baseman.

�We are not going to overreact. I have been engaging in the trade market and free agent market for a while. We�ll see what happens. Luckily, I was able to do this quietly until the news went public today,� stated Cashman.

Cashman is correct to �see what happens� because of the simple fact that there are very few quality third basemen in the league right now. Every position has ebbs and flows and this is just a down period for the hot corner. There are the top four in Longoria, Beltre, Zimmerman, and Wright, but everyone else either has a limited track record, is on the wrong end of 30, or is a below average player. The Padres are not going to give up Chase Headley unless they receive a premium package. Headley broke through last season, but would a team unload the farm just on the bet that Headley is an elite player.

He�s also correct to be patient because this isn�t your Dad�s Yankees anymore. The days of free spending and zero budget restrictions are over. Cashman has a budget and it is not going away, even with this news. There is nobody currently on the free agent market worth overpaying for. And, as Cashman said, �Alex will be back.�

He�ll be back and still be owed $114 million. Adding another big ticket third baseman is just not happening.

Internal candidates are short. The immediate option would be 26 year old Eduardo Nunez, who is a defensive liability, but promising offensive player. Nunez was tried in the utility role in 2011, but struggled defensively. The Yankees decided to make him a shortstop-only again in 2012. He spent most of the year hurt, but wound up playing in five post season games. For now, Cashman prefers to wait. �I haven�t considered Nunez as our third baseman. I still think of him as as shortstop.�

Cashman�s plan is sound. There is no reason to overpay for a third baseman when he can get better value and better production from an outfielder. If he is truly on a budget--and he is--spending the money on a productive outfielder is infinitely more important and valuable. He likely does that rather than overpaying for a third baseman. Instead, he�ll likely bring back an Eric Chavez or a Jayson Nix, or sign a Scott Hairston (if the price is right) to fill in.

Losing Alex Rodriguez, even the diminished version, is a blow to the Yankees� aging offense. It puts more pressure on Curtis Granderson, Robinson Cano, and Mark Teixeira to provide power. But, Cashman can add in other areas, rather than focus on replacing Rodriguez. He has shown that he is at his best when he has to find �spare parts� to fill in at a value. This is another time that he has to demonstrate this skill.

This story isn�t about Rodriguez�s contract and how he is failing to live up to it. Everyone knew that was going to happen. There was no way he was going to live up to it entering his late 30�s and early 40�s. The story is about how Brian Cashman goes about finding production and providing depth to an aging core that now has a budget. And, it�s about whether or not Rodriguez can come back and even give his current level of production. That�s a point that Cashman believes will happen. �I don�t think there are any restrictions being placed on him by the operating team. He�ll be back,� said Cashman when asked if Rodriguez will be his starting third baseman moving forward.

The Yankees� winter was going to be interesting because they needed to address their outfield and bench. Now, they have �just one more area to address.�