For 15 days (or more depending upon the healing of the ailing calf) the Yankees will get an idea of what it's like not to have Jeter at short. It's the Ghost of Yankees future. Perish the thought, some would say.I'm all for this if the Yankees can figure out how to make it work and avoid giving into the Reyes' rumored demands of a Carl Crawford type deal.
But it's time to start looking at that. It's time to start thinking about what Jose Reyes would look like in pinstripes. As sacrilegious as it may sound to some Yankees fans and as scary and disgusting as it might sound to Mets fans, the Bombers need to figure out a way to get the best shortstop in New York over to Yankee Stadium.
A couple of years ago you could have made a strong argument as to who was better at short - Reyes or Jeter. Now there is no question. Reyes is having an MVP year as Jeter - who struggled at the plate out of the gate - is now limping toward the 3,000-hit milestone. Some would argue that Reyes' performance is spurred by him being in the final year of his contract. Whatever the case, there is a level of maturity, and health, that is present with Reyes that wasn't there before.
If the Mets aren't going to make a serious commitment to re-sign Reyes, the Yankees need to figure out a way to keep Reyes in New York or get ready to hand the job over to Nuñez in the next two years. If you're heading into the playoffs, possibly the World Series - the only place the Yankees ever think about going - do you want Nuñez or Reyes filling the gap between second and third or standing at the plate in a clutch situation?
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As the season wears on, and more injuries crop up, the Yankees will be tested regarding their fitness to make it to the playoffs. They will soon have to make a determination whether they want to mortgage the future - part with some of their highly touted young players in the minors - to add the necessary pieces (a quality starter or two, a reliever, another bat) for a run at the playoffs this season.
None of those decisions will be as hard as the conversation that they will have to have with the Captain about relinquishing the shortstop position. If you're going to make a monumental shift such as that, it'd better be for a player who can upgrade the position. And the window for adding that player could be opening and closing over in Queens real soon.
Whether you hate him or not, it's hard to argue that the addition of Reyes and his speed would be a great at the top of the Yankees lineup.
The problem, of course, is Jeter, who is stubborn as a mule and never intends to leave short. And since the Yankees stupidly gave him a four-year deal that can, and will create issues going forward, whether it's with Reyes or any other better shortstop that comes along over the next three+ years.
Do you think the Yankees should go after Reyes?