What the Yankees Need to Do to Replace A-Rod

     In 2007, the Yankees gave Alex Rodriguez a 10 year, $275 million dollar contract, that would last him until 2017, when he would be 43. Now, since he was suspended until the start of the 2015 season, the Yankees will get around 34 million dollars back if he does not win his appeal, and it doesn't look good that he will. 

    Just say that the Yankees want the hold on to A-Rod, and use him until his contract is up. What they should do is take that $34 million and spend it on a third baseman, and sign someone like Michael Young, Wilson Betemitte or Mark Reynolds to a 1 year contract. Any of those guys who are all in their 30's would sign a one year, seven million contract to play for the Yankees. Their best bet for a player is Michael Young who is 37, and he will definetly be worth a one year, seven to eight million dollar contract. Now they have around 26 million left. They then should go out and grab a new addition to the rotation, and let Phil Huges go. I think they should re-sign Pettite for another year, but not with the A-Rod money. What they should do is try to get a big ace like what they did in '09. They need to take all of the remaining A-Rod money, and some of the other money in the bank, and try to sign Tim Lincecum, James Sheilds or Dan Haren to a 3 year, 30 million contract, and sign Kuroda back. But if they chose to keep Hughes, and sign Kuroda and Pettite back, and want position players, then they need a new shortstop besides Nuñez and Nix. Obviously they sign back Jeter, unless he choses to retire. He has had his injury problems, so the Yankees need a legitament shortstop for the future. I think besides his recent suspension for steroids, I really think they should go for Jhonny Peralta. Peralta is young, and he will know not to do steroids again, because he knows the consequences for multiple steroid use, i.e. Ryan Braun and Alex Rodriguez. The Yankees will then use David Adams and Jayson Nix, or Kevin Youkillis for their third baseman if they don't want to sign Michael Young, Wilson Bettemite or Mark Reynolds.

    A bad choice would be paying the rest of his contract for him to go, because that's practically giving away 114 million. The Yankees need to keep him until 2015, then find a struggling team who is desperate for a short term third baseman and star player that is willing to pay the contract, so that the Yankees will then have some cap space to get a big name player that is young, and talented.

Nick O'Connor