What Does the Rays Signing of Asdrubal Cabrera Mean For The Yankees?

The Tampa Bay Rays signed shortstop/ second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera to a one-year, $8-million deal on Tuesday. This signing might be a steal for the Rays as Cabrera proved what he is capable of in his 2011 breakout season. In that Silver Slugger award-winning season, he hit 25 home runs, batted in 92 RBI, and swiped 17 bases. So the Rays getting him on a one-year deal for a decent price can potentially be an under-the-radar move.

Although Cabrera feels like he has been around for a while he is on the right side of 30 at 29-years young. He brings a contradicting package of a player in his prime and veteran leadership to the clubhouse. This also locks up a spot in the infield and gives the Rays the option to move around Ben Zobrist. It can also give them the option to move him entirely which they have been rumored to have been trying. What’s not to love about a versatile player who has a decent bat?

So what does the signing of Cabrera mean for the New York Yankees? For starters it is one less option for them to consider in the free agent market. Can I admit that I am happy about this? I have been against signing another mediocre second baseman as a temporary plug to a gaping hole.

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The Yankees have made it clear that they are ready to give the young players a shot to crack the opening day roster with the trading of Martin Prado. Any Yankee fan who watched the dismal play at second base last season has to support the youth at second opposed to the signing of another Brian Roberts-esque solution. I am not opposed to Cabrera as a player, I am opposed to the Yankees signing him because he is not a good fit for the current situation.

I am going to quote one of my previous articles to further my point.

“In the 2014 season the Yankees played…wait for it… 8 players at second base. The decision to let the next Yankee captain, Robinson Cano, walk in free agency and sign with the Seattle Mariners on a 10-year, $240 million deal proved to be a problem. I agree with the decision to let him walk strictly from the stand point of the desired years. We learned the hard way that long term deals are a terrible commitment. *Cough, A-rod*. However, the scramble to plug the hole left vacant was done poorly. We fielded a Triple-A team at one position in 2014! The revolving door on the right side of the infield saw: Dean Anna, Brian Roberts, Kelly Johnson, Martin Prado, Jose Pirela,Stephen Drew, Yangervis Solarte, and Brendan Ryan. A year later, heading into the 2015 season, the Yankees still have not filled that hole. ”

Cabrera would have been just another name in that revolving door. He would be a mediocre fill-in and fail to satisfy the New York market. However, the future of second base is bright for the Yanks with Robert Refsnyder and Jose Pirela. It will give the fans something to look forward to for years to come.