YankeesRedSox.com

Well we are now less than two weeks to pitchers and catchers and there are almost 100 guys who are still free agents.  At what point do the Yankees get back into the free agent market, if only to improve the bench?  I am not recommending they sign Manny Ramirez, but at this point I think there are some names out there they could sign for very low money and possibly for non-guaranteed money.   

I know Pudge was a disaster with the bat during his two months in Yankees' uniform last season, but the Yankees still don't know if Posada will be able to catch all season.  Rodriguez didn't show it while he was here, but he still has more offensive upside than Molina, while providing similar defense.  If Posada can't catch, the Yankees need all the options they can get.  How about signing Pudge to an incentive-based deal and seeing what happens in camp?

The other main area I have of concern is with the majority of the infield.  What happens if A-Rod, Cano or Jeter gets hurt and has to miss time?  I don't like the choice of Berroa or Ransom to fill in, so how about some different names?  Start with Ray Durham who rebounded from a terrible 2007 and hit pretty well in 2008.  Therer are two obvious downsides with Durham, his age and the fact that he has only really played second in his career.  But, he can still play second well and that might translate to other positions on the infield.  He is a switch-hitter and had a .380 OBP last season (.352 for his career).  

A different idea would be to sign Nomar.  (On a side note, Imagine going in a time machine back to 1999 and telling people that of the three great shortstops at that time (A-Rod, Jeter and Nomar) only one would still be with his original team and still a shortstop.  You would be laughed out of the room.)  Nomar gets hurt way too much, but when he is healthy he can still hit (.264/.326/.466).  More importantly, he played short again in 2008 and also third and first.  Nomar is still searching for a job and searching for a World Series ring, would he come to New York to try and get both on a minor league deal? 

There are so many good outfielders out there, but the Yankees don't have room for any right now.  With Nady and Swisher still on the roster and Melky out of options, there is no point in discussing them.  If they manage to trade someone in the next few weeks, they could look to this market too.