Yankees Second Baseman

As Spring Training approaches (pitchers and catchers report in mid-February) LeRoy will begin its preseason analysis of the Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, and the hated New York Yankees.  We will continue with the second basemen and go on with the New York Yankees.

No one ever knew what the ramifications of acquiring 3B Aaron Boone in 2003 would accomplish.  When he blew out his knee playing pickup basketball and was lost for the season in 2004 the Yankees acquired IF Alex Rodriguez from the Texas Rangers.  In order to complete the deal they had to pick up a hefty amount of A-Rod's salary, and they had to deal All-Star 2B Alfonso Soriano.  It seemed as if the Yankees would be lost at second base, but wound up getting good production from 2B Miguel Cairo in the interim and eventually handed the job over to the farm system in 2005.

1.  Robinson Cano:  Cano came on the scene as a top prospect in 2003, though, remarkably, he was unknown to most Yankees fans, primarily because he wasn't a top draft pick and didn't command a six or seven figure signing bonus when signed out of the Dominican Republic.  Since then, he has blossomed into an All-Star, batting .319 with 29 homers, 109 runs batted in and three stolen bases.  There's no chance of him losing the job at second.

2.  Ramiro Pena:  Pena will begin his third season as the team's utility player.  He's a natural shortstop and hasn't played much second base thus far.  Last season he played primarily third base and will continue to back up at short with the aging Derek Jeter.  Cano will start most of the time, but Pena will be his understudy and spell him when he needs a day off.  Pena's a suitable utility man but don't expect anything extra from him, he only batted .227 last season.

3.  Eduardo Nunez:  Nunez is a top shortstop prospect who was named by LeRoy as an up-and-comer in the Yankees organization.  He has a chance to battle Pena in Spring Training for the role of utility player but is probably better suited getting regular at-bats in the Minors.  It's too bad that he's blocked by Cano, A-Rod, and Jeter on the Yankee infield because he's ready to step up and contribute at the Major League level.  He could be used as trade bait midseason when the Yankees run out of pitching.

4.  Reegie Corona:  Corona is not a top prospect in the Yankees organization.  Rather, he's a guy that they added to the 40-man roster to protect from the Rule V Draft - and for good reason; Corona was taken in the Rule V Draft by the mariners in 2008.  They returned him when they cut him from their active roster in Spring Training, but the Yankees learned their lesson.  Corona spent all of last season at AAA and only batted .238.  He's probably better suited for a role as a utility player and at this point in time could probably handle that role mentally better than Nunez.  If Pena is ineffective or suffers an injury he could be replaced by Corona.

With Cano available to play full-time the Yankees appear to be strong at second base.  Barring an injury, they should be.  Cano's numbers have skyrocketed since moving into tiny new Yankee Stadium, but the runs all count the same during the course of the regular season.  Ramiro Pena is a suitable backup and their depth is pretty good with top-prospect Nunez in the fold and Corona slumming at AAA.

Here's how the Red Sox, Mets, and Yankees rank at second base:

1.  Yankees:  Cano's a bona fide star.
2.  Red Sox:  Pedroia's good but coming off an injury-riddled season.
3.  Mets:  What a mess.