New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez is slated to return after missing the entire 2014 season due to his Biogenesis suspension, but general manager Brian Cashman isn't ready to just hand him the starting third base job in 2015.
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Just a couple days after it was reported that the Yankees were actively trying to re-sign free agent Chase Headley, Cashman said that he can't guarantee his expensive and troubled third baseman a starting role come April.
"If I signed or traded for a third baseman, then that would be my third baseman," Cashman said at the annual GM meetings in Phoenix, according to ESPN New York. "If I signed a Chase Headley, he would be the starting third baseman. If I traded for a third baseman that was an everyday guy, that would be the move I would be making. If I did that. But I'm not here to state that the Yankees have their definitive third baseman for 2015. I have not done anything like that."
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Rodriguez will be 40 when the MLB season reaches its midway point and Cashman said that he isn't sure what to expect from A-Rod when he returns.
"In fairness to us and in fairness to Alex, I don't know what to expect because it's been a year," the general manager said. "I just don't know. You hope that he can contribute in a significant way, but we'll have to wait and see how that plays out. In the meantime, I have to look for whatever ways to improve the club and discuss those with ownership, what manifests itself as being available and acquirable, we'll see."
Rodriguez is due to make a minimum of $61 million through 2017, but Cashman said when he shows up for spring training he should be ready to compete.
"He's going to compete for at-bats and for a position," he said. "The position would be third, and obviously DH and that's it. Maybe some time at first base. He may be eventually the everyday third baseman, he may be the everyday DH; I just don't know."
Manager Joe Girardi has also said that the team could try Rodriguez at first base this season to spell the injury-prone Mark Teixeira, but it remains to be seen if that will come to fruition.
Rodriguez was limited to just 44 games in 2013 due to injuries and then had his entire 2014 season wiped out due to suspension for his involvement with the Biogenesis clinic and performance-enhancing drugs.
A-Rod hit .272/.353/.430 in 122 games in 2012 in what was the closest he's come to playing a full season in three years.
Cashman said that he isn't trying to publicly insult Rodriguez, but it's uncertain what the aging slugger will bring to the table in 2015.
"That has nothing to do with devaluing Alex or disrespecting Alex or anything of that nature," Cashman said. "It's just a fair assessment of the unknown. You can't quantify the unknown right now until you get him out there on a consistent basis to see if he can actually remain on the field, stay healthy, be productive and be that middle-of-the-lineup threat and force that we've all come to see for years gone by."
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