Now that Greg Bird is slated to miss 2016 in its entirety the Yankees are left in a very precarious situation at first base. Bird was perfectly situated to hang out at Scranton with major league talent while we all waited around for Tex to get hurt. Now the plans have changed. You absolutely have to prepare for Teixeira to miss hundreds of at-bats this season but who's going to step in and try to stem the tide? Let's explore the options...
Dustin Ackley
Ackley's probably going to get a lot of reps over at first base whether Tex is healthy or not. His strong finish and relatively young age make his prospects for 2016 borderline exciting. I like his stick. I'm not exactly sure if he's changed anything since stinking it up in Seattle for all those years but in 52 AB's in pinstripes he looked a lot more like the stud who was drafted 2nd overall out of UNC. He's versatile enough to give Castro and Beltran a blow at second and right every few days but if/when Tex goes down this is most likely going to be the guy shouldering the load at first.
Juan Uribe
This would be my favorite. Juan Uribe in pinstripes. There is nothing not to love about this guy. Just a fat, lovable, relatable dude who's swing is just as big as his dick. He's a right-handed bat with a ton of pop. He can spell Headley and Tex at first and third whenever you need. Basically everything the Yanks are looking for right now. Not to mention the fact that this guy is a gamer. Just one of those guys who's never seen a moment on the baseball field that he couldn't handle. Mark my words if the Yanks get to the playoffs this guy is going to bash one into monument park and turn Yankee Stadium inside out.
Ackley's probably going to get a lot of reps over at first base whether Tex is healthy or not. His strong finish and relatively young age make his prospects for 2016 borderline exciting. I like his stick. I'm not exactly sure if he's changed anything since stinking it up in Seattle for all those years but in 52 AB's in pinstripes he looked a lot more like the stud who was drafted 2nd overall out of UNC. He's versatile enough to give Castro and Beltran a blow at second and right every few days but if/when Tex goes down this is most likely going to be the guy shouldering the load at first.
Juan Uribe
This would be my favorite. Juan Uribe in pinstripes. There is nothing not to love about this guy. Just a fat, lovable, relatable dude who's swing is just as big as his dick. He's a right-handed bat with a ton of pop. He can spell Headley and Tex at first and third whenever you need. Basically everything the Yanks are looking for right now. Not to mention the fact that this guy is a gamer. Just one of those guys who's never seen a moment on the baseball field that he couldn't handle. Mark my words if the Yanks get to the playoffs this guy is going to bash one into monument park and turn Yankee Stadium inside out.
A-Rod
There've been a lot of mixed messages about Alex Rodriguez and the first base position. Girardi seems to be leaving the door open a little in terms of whether or not A-Rod will see time at first base this spring despite him admittedly being uncomfortable over there. A-Rod seems to want no part of it and I don't blame him. People act like you can just throw anyone over there and make it work. You can't. You have to fucking catch the ball. The Yanks have a third baseman who would have had about 90 throwing errors last year if it wasn't for Tex. A second baseman who just started playing the position. The only place A-Rod feels less comfortable at than a social interaction is first base.
There've been a lot of mixed messages about Alex Rodriguez and the first base position. Girardi seems to be leaving the door open a little in terms of whether or not A-Rod will see time at first base this spring despite him admittedly being uncomfortable over there. A-Rod seems to want no part of it and I don't blame him. People act like you can just throw anyone over there and make it work. You can't. You have to fucking catch the ball. The Yanks have a third baseman who would have had about 90 throwing errors last year if it wasn't for Tex. A second baseman who just started playing the position. The only place A-Rod feels less comfortable at than a social interaction is first base.
Ike Davis
I completely forgot this guy existed but apparently he's out there. He's coming off of hip surgery and was having a terrible year with the A's prior to that. He's mildly attractive because he'd likely accept a minor league contract and if he ever does make it to the big league club he's capable of putting a few balls out of the ballpark but all-in-all this dude is a bum and I'd rather try and lure Garret Jones back from Japan than invite Ike Davis to spring training.
I completely forgot this guy existed but apparently he's out there. He's coming off of hip surgery and was having a terrible year with the A's prior to that. He's mildly attractive because he'd likely accept a minor league contract and if he ever does make it to the big league club he's capable of putting a few balls out of the ballpark but all-in-all this dude is a bum and I'd rather try and lure Garret Jones back from Japan than invite Ike Davis to spring training.
Pedro Alvarez
This is the name everyone's bringing up because he's probably the best available slugger on the market and he's from New York. But he hit 27 home runs last year. That's not peanuts. That's legitimate major league output no matter which way you slice it. There's at least four or five teams who would be interested in inking Alvarez to a major league deal that can guarantee him a ton of at bats and the Yankees aren't one of them. Not going to happen.
This is the name everyone's bringing up because he's probably the best available slugger on the market and he's from New York. But he hit 27 home runs last year. That's not peanuts. That's legitimate major league output no matter which way you slice it. There's at least four or five teams who would be interested in inking Alvarez to a major league deal that can guarantee him a ton of at bats and the Yankees aren't one of them. Not going to happen.
Justin Morneau
Better player than Alvarez but I'm pretty sure he has CTE so that brings his market down a little bit. He'll likely have plenty of suitors willing to offer him a big league job so, like Alvarez, there's really no shot they sign him.
Better player than Alvarez but I'm pretty sure he has CTE so that brings his market down a little bit. He'll likely have plenty of suitors willing to offer him a big league job so, like Alvarez, there's really no shot they sign him.
Gary Sanchez
Things might get interesting if Sanchez makes the team out of spring training. He'll have plenty of opportunities to prove his bat is a major league weapon and if he hits Girardi should find ways to get him in the lineup, especially because he's right-handed. If Tex should go down don't be surprised if McCann gets an uptick in reps over at first while they try to groom Sanchez behind the plate.
Things might get interesting if Sanchez makes the team out of spring training. He'll have plenty of opportunities to prove his bat is a major league weapon and if he hits Girardi should find ways to get him in the lineup, especially because he's right-handed. If Tex should go down don't be surprised if McCann gets an uptick in reps over at first while they try to groom Sanchez behind the plate.
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