Moves the Yankees Could Actually Pull off This Offseason

After failing to reach the playoffs for the second year in a row, the New York Yankees are bound to have a busy offseason ahead of them.

The hot stove is upon us and players are already starting to fall off big boards and wish lists across Major League Baseball. Thanks to a roster full of question marks and concerns, the Yanks have plenty of work to do if they hope to restore what seemed to be an annual tradition of playing October baseball.

So, just who should they be targeting as the winter begins?

Through his first 18 starts of 2014, as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Brandon McCarthy was having the worst season of his big league career. He was 3-10 with a 5.01 ERA. What team in their right mind would want a pitcher like that?

Well, the Yankees were desperate after losing four-fifths of their starting rotation to injury, and so they acquired McCarthy. No one, not even those who argued that McCarthy was better than his numbers, could have predicted what would happen next.

McCarthy would go on to have a spectacular second half with New York, going 7-5 with a 2.89 ERA. After losing Masahiro Tanaka and CC Sabathia, McCarthy stepped up as the team's ace.

Now the Yankees have the option to bring him back, but other teams are sure to be interested. Per ESPN's Jim Bowden, McCarthy should fetch a deal around two years and $20 million with the Rangers, Athletics and Mariners being in play.

With plenty of rotation issues, that is not a steep price to pay to have McCarthy back in pinstripes.

Another rotation option the Yankees could realistically pursue is free agent Jason Hammel.

Hammel is certainly not the flashiest starting pitcher on the open market, but the Yankees will reportedly avoid high-cost starters like Jon Lester, Max Scherzer and James Shields.

If that is true, Hammel provides a reasonably priced starter solid enough to be the fourth or fifth man on the Yankees staff. Pitching for both the Chicago Cubs and Oakland Athletics last season, the 32-year-old went 10-11 with a 3.87 ERA.

Another selling point on Hammel for the Yankees could be that he has experience in the American League East. He pitched for the Baltimore Orioles between 2012 and 2013.

If the Yankees fail to reel in a big fish, they could do a lot worse than Hammel.

The Yankees have no expectations for the disgraced Alex Rodriguez to play third base upon his return from a PED suspension, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports.

That means the hot corner is wide open on the Yankees roster.

The Bombers' top choice to fill that position should be none other than Chase Headley, who they acquired mid-season in a deal with the San Diego Padres.

Headley, while nothing extraordinary, gave the Yankees stability and consistency at third. His defense was phenomenal. His bat was average, hitting .262 with six homers and 17 RBI in 58 games for New York. He had hit  just .229 with San Diego.

Because the Yankees have the versatile Martin Prado on hand, they do not need to overpay for Headley. However, if he comes at the right price, say between $8-10 million, they would have to make a run at him.

What is most likely to happen is that Headley will wait and see what Pablo Sandoval, the top third baseman available, will do and go from there.

Derek Jeter has been the only Yankees shortstop for a generation of Yankees fans. That is going to change in 2015.

Following The Captain's retirement, there will be a new shortstop taking the field for the Yankees next season.

There are plenty of options available. Troy Tulowitzki seems like a fantasy idea. Hanley Ramirez and Elvis Andrus, while talented, will cost a fortune. Jed Lowrie and Asdrubal Cabrera are nice players but probably not at the top of the Yankees list. Stephen Drew was once a nice player, but he was dreadful after the Yankees acquired him from the Boston Red Sox (and before).

So why not trade for the Chicago White Sox's Alexei Ramirez? The Yankees have already shown interest in him, according to a report from Bruce Levine of CBSChicago.com. With a year left on his contract for $10 million, Ramirez is perhaps the best option for the Yankees when comparing his production against his cost.

If the Yankees traded for him, they would be getting a speedy runner on the bases, a balanced hitter and sharp defender. Ramirez is certainly worth the interest. 

All stats were obtained via Baseball-Reference.com.

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