When Carlos Beltran Plays First It’s Time To Call Stephen Drew

Oct 30, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox shortstop

hits a solo home run against the St. Louis Cardinals in the fourth inning during game six of the MLB baseball World Series at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

If you didn’t watch Sunday’s game against the Red Sox, then you didn’t have the horrible pleasure of watching Carlos Beltran dawn a first baseman’s mitt and well… hope for the best. With Derek Jeter getting another day’s rest before an off day to ease a tight quad and Brian Roberts sitting out with back soreness the Yankees had a very limited infield. So when the game’s first baseman, Francisco Cervelli hurt his hamstring (of course he did) the Yankees were forced to put Beltran at first base. It’s now time for the Yankees to address those glaring infield holes that really reared their heads in the final game of the series against the Red Sox. There is one name on everyone’s mind that might just do the trick.

Stephen Drew.

Yes we’re back here now. The 30-year-old infielder is still a free agent and is surely frustrated that he is not on the field right now. I mean come on, the guy is in the prime of his career and he’s straight off a World Series victory with Boston. Why is he not on a team? More importantly, why is he not a New York Yankee? Drew, a natural shortstop, has expressed a willingness to shift to another position for a year if the Yankees sign him to a multi-year deal. Derek Jeter will be retiring after this season so why not get the deal done?

Face it. The Yankees infield is in pretty bad shape. Mark Teixeira is making a recovery from a hamstring injury that put him on the DL but is still a while from return. Derek Jeter will require days off as he goes down the final stretch of his career. After the loss of Robinson Cano, the Yankees brought in Brian Roberts and unreasonably expected the guy, who’s as fragile as a porcelain doll, to stay healthy. Roberts is sitting out with lower back and neck soreness and while X-Rays were negative, it just goes to show you that the Brian Roberts train is headed off a cliff. It’s not all negative though. Backup utility infielder, Dean Anna has looked surprisingly good in both the field and at the plate. Rookie “sensation” Yangervis Solarte has been the talk of the town and is starting to break out of a small slump. Kelly Johnson is showing off some power and has looked good in the field. But even these three players can not be expected to carry the load of an entire infield.

Stephen Drew needs to be on this team. It’s no longer a “he’ll fit well” situation. This is do or die situation, and the Yankees are running out of options and their creativity with positions isn’t cute anymore. Yes, Drew would require some games in the minors to get his timing back, but it shouldn’t take long. Stephen Drew would instantly improve the second base and third base positions (Depending on where the Yankees decided to put him) and gives them an option for next year when Jeter hangs up his spikes.  Drew played 124 games for Boston last year and he hit .264 with 13 home runs and 67 RBI while looking very good in the field. He would provide a lot of stability to a constantly shifting infield.

This is becoming less and less of an option. Going into the season the Yankees’ two biggest question marks were the bullpen and infield and the bullpen has proven to be stable despite an injury to closer David Robertson. Now it’s the infield and there is a solution out there that needs to be taken. GM Brian Cashman needs to stop messing around and dial the phone of Drew’s agent, Scott Boras and get a deal done. The team cannot succeed with an infield like this (maybe it can but it sure doesn’t look like it). We can’t keep rolling out guys like Roberts and expect an MVP. Things need to be done because when Carlos Beltran plays first base… it’s a problem. What’s Boras’ number again?