What Does The Headley Signing Mean For The Yankees And A-Rod?

Well, the Yankees went ahead and signed Chase Headley for $52 million over four years. While a $52 million contract is not one that we as Yankees fans would normally even bat an eye at, there’s no doubt that they overpaid for the 30-year-old third baseman. 

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There’s been comparisons to Pablo Sandoval circulating around the Internet since the deal was finalized. And even though his offensive numbers are comparable to Sandoval’s minus batting average and slugging percentage (Pablo’s are higher by .027 and .055, respectively), that doesn’t automatically mean this is a great contract for the Yanks. Giving Sandoval $95 million over five years is crazy too.

I wouldn’t mind giving Headley $13 million per year if it was for 2 years, but I think committing to a 30-year-old player who’s only hit more than 65 RBIs once in his career is more wishful thinking than anything. What does Brian Cashman see that would make him think Headley can produce a season remotely close to the one he did in 2012? Maybe I missed something, but I didn’t see anything last year that doesn’t further my belief that Chase is a one-hit wonder.

Now before I get accused of being way too unreasonable and harsh on the Yankees third baseman, I should mention that I absolutely love his defensive abilities. And who doesn’t? Headley leads all active third basemen in fielding percentage, so there’s obviously some very bright spots to his game. But does leading active third basemen in fielding percentage really warrant this kind of contract when the offensive upside looks so limited? The Yankees clearly believe it does, and it’s clear that the front office’s philosophy has changed a bit in recent years.

We’re looking at an infield of Mark Teixeira at first, Martin Prado at second, Didi Gregorius at short, and Chase Headley at third to start the season. It definitely doesn’t have the sex-appeal that the 2009 Yankees infield had, but it’s better than what they started with last season. There’s no doubt that this infield can be great defensively, and keeping another switch-hitter in Headley will only add depth to the lineup.

Now what does the signing of Headley mean for the future of Alex Rodriguez and the Yankees? This contract clearly shows that the Yanks view Headley as their starting third basemen, so it looks like A-Rod will be penciled in most games at DH.

At the Winter Meetings in San Diego last week, Joe Girardi said he saw video of Rodriguez working out and liked what he saw. Does this mean we’ll see Alex play over 100 games this season? I’d like to think so, but it’s way too early to tell.

I also get the feeling that A-Rod’s going to have to really prove himself during spring training. He hasn’t played in nearly two years, and he’s approaching 40. He needs to show the Yankees that he can still get out on the field and help this team win. The Alex we saw in 2007 is forever gone. But if he can hit .270 with 20 home runs and 70 RBIs as the Yankees designated hitter this season, I think everyone will be happy.

Things certainly have changed in the Bronx. Let’s just hope it’s for the better.