Views: 105293
Comments: 199

08:30 AM ET 03.29 | Whether Derek Jeter realizes it or not, Joe Girardi's proposed move to bat him leadoff may well be a prelude to a much more dramatic switch in the not-so-distant future. Jeter's decreased range at shortstop, especially to his left, has been an increasingly hot topic around baseball - which the Yankee high command has pointedly chosen to ignore, because there didn't appear to be any bona fide prospects in the system. That, however, all changed this spring with the emergence of 23-year-old Ramiro Pena, whose dazzling glovework has made him the frontrunner to win the utility infielder's job until Alex Rodriguez comes back in May. So assuming Pena is the real deal, it would seem that with another year of Triple-A apprenticeship, presumably mixed with stints at the big league level, he'll be ready for regular duty with the Yankees. Jeter will be 35 next season, the last year of his contract, and, his pride aside, he can't expect to extend his career as a shortstop. He doesn't hit for enough power to be a DH and, so, a move to center field seems inevitable.