MLB Trade Speculation: Will Yankees Consider Acquiring Jose Reyes for Shortstop?
May 19, 2011 · Doug Rush · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
As the month of May gets closer to the end and the 2011 baseball season moves along, we’ve had some interesting drama these past few weeks with the Yankees.
Jorge Posada asked Joe Girardi to be taken out of the lineup before a game with the Boston Red Sox because he was slated to hit ninth, which since then has sparked major debate and talks about Posada’s future.
Derek Jeter stepped in to defend Posada, which apparently ticked off Yankee management.
It’s like the 2011 version of the Bronx Zoo all over again.
Speaking of Jeter, who is currently batting .255 with two home runs and 12 RBI right now, he has been the focus of a lot of people’s discussions this year, and several this year on Bleacher Report.
Is he on the decline? Is he not the same? Can he not play shortstop and lead-off anymore?
You’ve got to wonder if the Yankees front office is wondering the same thing too, because if they feel that Jeter, who is under contract for at least three more years, can’t play shortstop and lead off anymore, they would try to find someone new.
They have done it in the past. They slowly moved Bernie Williams to the bench in 2005 and 2006 and brought in Johnny Damon to take over in center field.
And this past offseason, Posada was moved from his catcher spot to be the DH and brought in Russell Martin to take over.
So you have to wonder if they would start to think of moving Jeter out of his shortstop role that he’s had since 1996, his rookie year.
Now, who would the Yankees replace him with? Now, there is Eduardo Nunez, who has been playing several positions and getting experience, but if the Yankees want to make a splash, whether it be this summer or this coming winter, there is one name out there that could do it.
As we all know, New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes is a free agent at the end of the 2011 season and rumors have been all over about Reyes’ future with the Mets.
Some even wonder if the Mets would trade Reyes this summer if they fall out of contention before July 31.
Right now, the Mets are 20-22, so they aren’t considered done yet in the National League, but who knows what the Mets record or how Mets GM Sandy Alderson is going to be treating the team like in July.
You have to strongly wonder and consider, would the Yankees make a serious move to go after Reyes?
Now, we could all wonder it, but I have a strong doubt that the Yankees and Mets would make a trade involving Reyes.
The last time the Yankees and Mets were even involved in a trade was before 2002 when the Yankees traded David Justice to the Mets for Robin Ventura.
A lot of people have the San Francisco Giants or the Los Angeles Dodgers as possible trade candidates and favorites right now for Reyes this summer.
But would Reyes sign a long-term contract before hitting the open market? I would strongly doubt it, as he could make some serious money from teams this winter.
And with Reyes’ talents, he could make upwards to over $100 million easily from anywhere to five, six or even seven years on a contract.
Do the Yankees have the money to sign Reyes for that? You bet they do.
Since being called up in 2003, Reyes has been a major fixture for the Mets lineup. He can hit for average and power, steal bases, score runs, and field his position.
He also ran into some injury problems, which forced him to only play in 36 games back in 2009 and missed the beginning part of 2010.
He has seemed to recover from injuries and is playing well for the Mets, hitting .322 with 16 steals, one home run, 15 RBI and six triples already, which is only increasing his value.
Now, lets say the Yankees were to make a move for Reyes. What would they do with Jeter?
Obviously, they would have to move him to another position on the team, whether it be third base or the outfield.
Even though Jeter will be turning 37 this season and 38 next, he is still a decent enough of an athlete to learn another position late in his career.
Cal Ripken, Jr. was moved from shortstop to third base by the Baltimore Orioles before the 1997 season when he was 36 years old.
If they didn’t move Jeter to third, left field could also be a consideration for Jeter. His arm could be strong enough to play that position.
Right now, this is all speculation on my part, but it’s now got me thinking and wondering if the Yankees would do this given the events that have happened since the end of the 2010 season.
So now after raising these issues, I’ll ask you guys on here what you think.
Would the Yankees dare make a move to get Reyes to New York?
Would they move Jeter to another position if they did?
Stay tuned Yankees Universe, we could be in for a whole lot more drama.
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