COMMENTARY

By Ken Rosenthal

updated 11:16 a.m. ET Feb. 17, 2004

Alex Rodriguez is a blockbuster acquisition for the Yankees, forming a devastating middle of the order with Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield. But his escape from Texas raises as many questions as it answers, for the Yankees, for the Rangers and for Rodriguez's own legacy.

Why should Rodriguez move to third base?
Rodriguez's willingness to change positions shows how eager he is to leave the Rangers, but the shortstop the Yankees should move is Derek Jeter, either to second base or third. Rodriguez is a far better defensive shortstop than Jeter, and it would be counterproductive for A-Rod to abandon shortstop at age 28 to accommodate a lesser fielder — albeit one who has led the Yankees to four World Series titles.

Jeter, 29, suffered defensively last season after dislocating left shoulder on Opening Day, but he has ranked last among qualifying American League shortstops for five straight seasons in range factor, the average number of plays a fielder makes over a nine-inning game. Like most defensive stats, range factor isn't foolproof, especially since the Yankees' pitching staff typically ranks high in strikeouts and low in groundballs. But Jeter also has been last or next-to-last in zone rating — an estimate of a player's efficiency fielding balls hit into his typical defensive zone — the past four seasons.

Rodriguez led AL shortstops in fielding percentage last season, though he declined in range factor and zone rating from 2002, perhaps due to a herniated disc that he endured for much of the season. One of his idols, Cal Ripken, moved from shortstop to third without difficulty, but didn't make the switch until he was 36. Jeter is a more natural candidate to play third immediately, but the Yankees might be better off putting him at second and sticking temporarily with the same cast of characters they've assembled at third — Miguel Cairo, Mike Lamb, Tyler Houston and Co.

Jeter surely wouldn't want to move, but his defense would be under immense and unpleasant scrutiny if the Yankees kept him at short with Rodriguez looking over his right shoulder. Learning to turn the double play at second is not easy, but with Jeter at second the Yankees could be far stronger up the middle than they were with Jeter and Alfonso Soriano. If they then signed free-agent first baseman Travis Lee and made Giambi their DH, their infield defense no longer would be a liability. It would be a strength.

Another advantage in moving Jeter to second is that it eventually might be easier for the Yankees to upgrade at third than second. They've got a hole in the infield regardless of what happens, but the Dodgers' Adrian Beltre, A's Eric Chavez, Angels' Troy Glaus and Twins' Corey Koskie are among the third baseman eligible for free agency after this season. The Yankees could trade for one of them at midseason or sign one next winter. They're obviously not worried about their payroll.

How would the Red Sox react?
Trading for Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols would be the most effective counter, but the more realistic possibility is that the Red Sox will sign shortstop Nomar Garciaparra long term. The Yankees' acquisition of Rodriguez would mean that the Red Sox can't have him — not this season, not the next, not for seven years.

Thus, Garciaparra could be on the verge of gaining substantial leverage as he enters the final year of his contract. If he indeed wants to return to his native Southern California as a free agent — the Dodgers would be the most obvious possibility — the Sox could be forced to pursue two other shortstops who become free agents after this season, the Cardinals' Edgar Renteria and Expos' Orlando Cabrera.

Should anyone believe a word out of Rodriguez's mouth ever again?
The answer, of course, is no. Rodriguez is a solid citizen who plays hard every day, but he reeks of insincerity. Less than three weeks ago, he seemed to settle his differences with the Rangers, even accepting the honor of team captain after his potential trade to the Red Sox collapsed.

"I feel a grand responsibility, not only to the Texas Rangers, but to our fans," Rodriguez said then. "I feel very good about our plan as we move forward. I feel we're going to be very good, very soon."

What changed?
Lest anyone forget, Rodriguez chose to sign with the Rangers after the 2000 season — owner Tom Hicks gave him 252 million wonderful reasons to join a last-place team. The Rangers will never be confused with the Yankees, but they're not without promise. Mariners fans never forgave Rodriguez for bailing out of Seattle. Rangers fans won't forgive him for leaving Texas.

What would the Rangers do with Soriano?
Most likely they would move Soriano to center field, with free-agent Eric Young taking over second and Michael Young switching from second to short. Another scenario would be for Soriano to remain at second, with Young moving to short and Laynce Nix playing center. But several clubs believe that Soriano's athleticism is restricted at second, making him better suited for the outfield. And Nix would be better in an outfield corner than center.

Even without Rodriguez, the Rangers would have three of the most gifted young hitters in the game — Soriano, first baseman Mark Teixeira and third baseman Hank Blalock. Young is developing into a potent offensive player and Nix showed potential as a rookie last season.

How quickly could the Rangers fix their pitching?
Not right away, but they would save untold millions by dumping Rodriguez, and next year's class of free-agent pitchers is a doozy. Kerry Wood, a native of Irving, Tex., likely would be the Rangers' primary target if he failed to re-sign with the Cubs. Other potential free agents include Pedro Martinez, Derek Lowe and Kevin Millwood; Matt Morris, Freddy Garcia and Odalis Perez; Russ Ortiz, Brad Radke, Eric Milton and Matt Clement.

The Rangers, however, will face continued difficulty attracting free agents to the Ballpark in Arlington, one of the most hitter-friendly parks in baseball. Their best chance of success is to develop young pitching talent, and club officials believe that they might be on the verge of doing just that. Three promising right-handers — Joaquin Benoit, Colby Lewis and Ricardo Rodriguez — could be in their Opening Day rotation.

What would the Yankees' batting order be?
It would depend upon whether they signed Lee, making Giambi a DH, and whether Kenny Lofton beats out Bernie Williams in center field.

Here are two possibilities
Lofton, L
Jeter, R
Rodriguez, R
Giambi, L
Sheffield, R
Hideki Matsui, L
Jorge Posada, S
Williams, S
Cairo, etc.

Or ...
Jeter, R
Williams, S
Rodriguez, R
Giambi, L
Sheffield, R
Matsui, L
Posada, S
Lee, L
Cairo, etc., 3B
Either way, it would be enough to bring a nation — Red Sox Nation — to tears.

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