With the World Series in the books, fans of every team not named the San Francisco Giants are looking toward hot stove season and what their team will be up to. In the Yankees' case, priority No. 1 may be figuring out how to handle the return of lightning-rod infielder Alex Rodriguez.
Rodriguez was originally suspended during the summer of 2013 for 211, but finished out the season while he appealed the ruling. During appeal his ban was reduced to 162 games, or the entirety of the 2014 campaign.
He has three years remaining on a contract that will pay him $61 million. And Rodriguez can earn an additional $6 million by hitting six more home runs that will give him 660 for his carrer -- tying him with Willie Mays on the all-time list.
Now, he's back, and for all his off-field issues the Yankees looked like they could use him last season. They trotted out a number of stopgap options at third base that produced very little before trading for Chase Headley, who batted a respectable .262 with six home runs and 17 RBI in 58 games.
Going forward, here are some options.
Put A-Rod Back At Third Base
Baseball was a struggle for Rodriguez the last time we saw him. The once-mighty perennial MVP candidate finished up 2013 with a .244 batting average, seven home runs and 19 RBI in 44 games. He was a minus defensively for the second straight year, although he was pretty close to neutral.
Even those numbers, combined with the threat of a homer off a mistake pitch, made him more valuable than the options the Yanks threw at the hot corner in 2014. Headley shored things up, and brought a phenomenal glove to the infield, but Rodriguez is still a scarier option even at his advanced age.
The question about A-Rod at third base is whether his surgically repaired hips can handle playing third base regularly when he'll be turning 40 during the season. That question will likely be answered in 2015, since this is the likeliest course of action.
Full-Time Designated Hitter
If A-Rod's mobility has deteriorated a great deal, and that won't be known until spring training at the earliest, then the field won't be for him on a regular basis. The Kansas City Royals just proved how valuable defense can be, and even though their stellar outfield got all the props players like Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer were no slouches at the corners.
Provided Rodriguez can still hit for power, slotting him in the DH spot primarily and limiting his exposure to the field may keep him healthier, and increase his effectiveness at the dish.
The problem? The Yankees have an aging roster and frequently use the DH spot to give other regulars a half day off, or to have injured players stay in the lineup a la Carlos Beltran when he played through an injured elbow.
The other problem? A-Rod might not be much of a hitter anymore at 39 years old following a year-long layoff.
Play A-Rod At First Base
This has been thrown around a bit in the newspapers and online, and at first glance it might seem ridiculous. A-Rod has no experience at first base whatsoever, and with Headley entering free agency there isn't an obvious solution beyond him at the hot corner.
But consider Rodriguez's age, and recent medical history--splitting time with the even more injury-prone Mark Teixeira between the DH and first base spots becomes appealing. Rodriguez's lack of experience at the position could be an issue, but he's a Hall of Fame talent that should be able to adapt quickly. It's also a less stressful position on the body.
Shortstop?
Derek Jeter is gone. The current option to replace him in-house is Brendan Ryan, a guy who brings his glove to work every day but tends to leave his bat elsewhere. Stephen Drew could be brought back, but he didn't perform well in his brief time in pinstripes. This is the longest of long shots but it can't really be ruled out. With offense down in the Bronx A-Rod at shortstop would put fans in the seats, and potentially put above-average power in a spot where few teams have it.
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