MLB

What about Juan Uribe for Yankees’ open Greg Bird spot?

Even in the aftermath of Greg Bird’s injury, the Yankees only are focusing on non-roster invitations to round out the competition in their spring camp. Players such as Pedro Alvarez and Justin Morneau seek major league deals. Also, those veterans would want to know they could play, and with Mark Teixeira at first base and Alex Rodriguez at DH, neither would have a set role without injury.

I had a different thought: Juan Uribe.

Two things: The Yankees have not been negotiating at all with Uribe. And according to Buster Olney of ESPN, the Indians have been trying to finalize a deal to make Uribe their regular third baseman. That likely means a major league deal and guaranteed playing time.

For the Yankees, Uribe would be Chase Headley’s backup. Right now, the Yankees plan to see if Starlin Castro can do that. But Castro already is playing a relatively new position (second) and coming to a new team. It seems a lot to ask him to learn a position he has never previously played. Headley was overplayed last year at third and needs a legitimate backup. Uribe is still a fine defender, professional hitter and – as the Mets could attest – a positive clubhouse presence.

Having Uribe also would allow the Yanks to have Headley play first should Teixeira need a day off – or more. The plan right now is for Dustin Ackley to do that, and his bat is intriguing. But his defense at the position looked lacking in a few outings there last year. Ackley also is the primary backup second baseman and not a terrific fielder there either. Uribe still can play second base adequately.

The Yankees want to have position players with options just in case they need to support their fragile rotation by going to 13 pitchers and just 12 position players, which is an additional reason they do not want another guaranteed contract for a position player, as they almost certainly would have to give Uribe. It also underscores how much it hurts the Yankees’ roster flexibility that Alex Rodriguez is no longer being considered to play first or third base.

“He just can’t do it [play the field], so I see no sense in belaboring it,” Cashman said of A-Rod. “He is not capable of being anything but a bat at this stage of his career. So I will not worry about what I can’t control. He is a DH.”