THE LAST PUZZLE PIECE

As much as I loved puzzles growing up....there was always that one piece that gave you trouble! Trying to plug it in and complete the picture could be frustrating. You look at the puzzle piece and then look at all the holes it could fit in and eventually you find it's home, but man sometimes it takes a lot of time. Right now, I think the Yankees bench is kind of like that puzzle.

The infield and outfield are set, but there are a lot of puzzle pieces aka Yankee players that could fit in for the final bench spot. So who is it going to be? I personally think it will be an infielder, but that is just me. Other people have told me they think it is going to be an outfielder, and I don't agree.

The Yankees have made it pretty clear that Brian Roberts will be our starting second basemen, and Kelly Johnson will man third base. No offense to them, but that isn't the most solid infield. Roberts is too injury prone, so if he is out then that is going to make the roster thinner. When healthy, Roberts can make a big difference in the lineup because he is very effective on the bases. Johnson just is not an everyday player in my eyes. I can't adjust to the idea of having someone like Alex Rodriguez at third base to Johnson. That is such a drastic change I can't wrap my head around it.

The infield has more question marks then anything right now. With Mark Teixeira still a big question mark and Derek Jeter getting back in action after missing almost the entire season, if they go down then that makes things even more challenging. So who can come off the bench and make the most impact?

Right now if you are keeping tabs on Spring Training, it is hard not to notice Yangervis Solarte. He is hitting a crazy .778/.800/1.444 and his switch hitting abilities would be very valuable to the Yankees. He is also pretty versatile, he can play all in-field positions except first base and can play both corner outfield positions. That looks really attractive, but can he perform against big league hitters once the season starts? If he played first I would put hit at the front of the pack right now.

There is also Corban Joseph and Eduardo Nunez to consider, but they are so high-risk I cringe to think about them out there. Corban Joseph is pretty average on the field, he isn't going to be stellar at any one skill or position and he tends to make errors a lot. The Yankees took him off of the 40-man roster over the winter and other teams didn't claim him....take that for what it is worth. Speaking of errors, there is Nunez. It's hard not to like him because he is a funny guy but the errors and his defensive skills frighten me. He doesn't make up for it much with the bat either. He can hit for contact but he has little power so if he doesn't get on base and steal then he isn't giving the Yankees the most impact. He does have a minor league option that the Yankees could choose to exercise.

We can't forget Russ Canzler, again. He can play the outfield and he is actually the only other true first basemen on the team. Seems logical to me, but he only has 102 at bats in the major leagues and Joe Girardi still says that Johnson is the backup first basemen despite the fact that he is slated to play third and he has only played first base 18 times. That idea scares me. Maybe Canzler deserves a shot instead of sending him down to the minors, he is versatile enough.

Then there is Dean Anna. I see him as another Nunez, except he is more sound defensively. Anna is decent at everything, he isn't going to stand out in one particular area but he could get the job done in a pinch. He can play all over the infield like Nunez except for first base which could also give the Yankees another option if they want this role, but don't want to give Nunez the option. His best asset is his plate discipline but that is at a minor league level. Can he still do that against Major League pitching? It's a risk.

Last but not least, there is Scott Sizemore. This option makes me cringe a little. Sizemore made a big impact for the Oakland A's in 2011, but since then he has been injury prone. Even if he is healthy, he is hard to predict or count on. He could be a valuable player at second or third, and he has the experience in a bench role so it makes me wonder if that gives him a slight edge. The Yankees may value that experience and give it to him based on that. Oh and....anyone else find it ironic that he was given Robinson Cano's old number? Just me? Hmmmm.....makes you wonder if that is the Yankees strange way of showing their hand. We know the Yankees like that veteran presence, and Sizemore does offer that. Stay tuned.....

I don't know who will be the final piece to this puzzle, but the Yankees certainly do have their options. It's a tough choice. If we learned anything from last year, having a strong bench is important because they just may have to play a bigger role than originally planned. So who is your favorite? Let us know!






--Jeana Bellezza, BYB Senior Writer and Editor
Twitter: @NyPrincessJ

 


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