THE YANKEES SHOULD BE LOOKIN' FOR LEFTIES

Balance is a key word for me this winter. The Yankees have some additions to make in order to make improvements on this team. The Yankees will shop for more balance in the starting rotation, but that's not the only balance they need. The Yankees have had a potent offense for the last three years but relied on righty dominated lineups. The Yankees may lack even more left handed bats this season unless they make a change.

Last season Aaron Hicks, Brett Gardner and Didi Gregorius took the majority of the Yankees' lefty plate appearances and things next season could look very different. The Yankees are likely to re-sign Gardner, they are already talking about another deal. But Hicks and Didi are much more complicated scenarios. Since Hicks needed Tommy John surgery he will likely miss a few months of the season, and Didi did not get a qualifying offer from the Yankees so he may not be back at all.

So if Hicks misses extensive time and Didi doesn't come back the Yankees only have five other left handed bats on the 40-man roster....and technically I would say four because Jacoby Ellsbury just doesn't count. Honestly, Greg Bird may not count either because he could be non-tendered, then the Yankees have Mike Ford and Tyler Wade. The Yankees still have Mike Tauchman, who is the closest option to a regular player in that group.

So the Yankees have a lack of left handed hitters and Didi is available. The Yankees could bring him back, maybe. The Yankees don't need him since they could just play Gleyber Torres at shortstop but the Yankees could look to bring him back for that left handed bat. There isn't a big market out there for Didi so the Yankees could get him back at a more affordable price. Looking ahead, the Reds and the Brewers are the teams in most need of a shortstop but they don't have a lot of payroll to spend and they also have other options available in their own farm systems and other free agents out there that won't cost as much as Didi.

On paper, there is still a mutual interest between the Yankees and Didi. The Yankees righty-heavy lineup could be an advantage to an opposing manager with a strong bullpen that can maneuver through the Yankees lineup with a good righty specialist. It's always a strategic possibility anyway.

Could Didi's left handed bat bring him back home to the Yankees after all? Left handed bats are valuable. The question is, will the Yankees value his left handed bat more than any other team? Only time will tell.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @NYPrincessj