When Will Stephen Drew's Time as a Starter Run Out?

Yankees fans are well aware of the Yankees lack of offense over the past two seasons. Even if Stephen Drew provides a boost on the defensive side, it's time to stop starting him in the every day lineup.

Image Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Bryan Hoch of Yankees.com reports that 25-year-old Jose Pirela, after suffering a concussion during spring training, has resumed baseball activities. Pirela would be a front-runner to replace Drew in the starting lineup. 

In his 24 major league at-bats last season, Pirela hit .333. Meanwhile, in Drew's 46 at-bats with the Yankees last year, he hit a mere .150 (while also hitting .111 in this shortt season). 

Meanwhile, on the defensive side of the ball last season, Drew had a .970 fielding percentage, while Pirela had a .917 fielding percentage. Even if Drew has the defensive edge, the difference in offense is just too big to ignore. Even in spring training, Pirela hit .370 and Drew hit .259, which actually isn't a low number for him. Also in 2014, Drew's OBP was only .237, while Pirela had a .351 OBP. It's clear as day that on the offensive end, Pirela has a much higher value than Drew.

Pirela is not the only option to replace Drew. Fellow minor-league infielder Rob Refsnyder was one of the final cuts in this past spring training. In his 2014 season in the minors, Refsnyder hit for a .300 average and an OBP of .389. The downfall with Refsnyder is on the defensive side of the ball, as Cashman is noted as saying that the defensive side of the game was why Refsnyder did not make the big leagues out of camp. Along with Refsnyder being a final cut, Nick Noonan was also among them. Noonan's 2014 offensive season was average, hitting .237, while his OBP was just .282. While Pirela seems like the best replacement for the struggling Drew, Refsnyder and Noonan are not far behind.

On a team that struggles terribly with their offense, the Yankees could use someone like Pirela or Refsnyder to help pick up the slack, even if that does compromise some defensive skill. 

Christine O'Connor

@christineeeeO

José Pirela Injury, Stephen Drew Still Struggles, and Roy Halladay Isn't a Fan of A-Rod

One of the New York Yankees' top prospects José Pirela sustained a concussion after crashing into the center-field wall on a play in the first inning that ended up an inside-the-park home run for the New York Mets' Juan Lagares.

Image Credit: (John Bazemore | AP)

Pirela, who complained of dizziness, was taken by ambulance from the complex to Tradition Medical Center, where a brain CT scan and a cervical MRI both came back negative and he was released from the hospital. But he does have a concussion, the Yankees tweeted. He will be out an indefinite period.

With manager Joe Girardi looking on earlier Sunday, a Yankees trainer examined Pirela, a versatile 25-year-old who has played several positions this spring. Pirela was able to walk and was helped into a golf cart.

Pirela had been hot this spring, hitting .370 (10-for-27) with three doubles and two triples; he was appearing to play himself into the lineup, especially with the Yankees' Jacoby Ellsbury out with an abdominal injury.

Pirela played briefly with the Yankees last year after being called up. He collected eight hits in 24 at-bats.

"You just don't know. Some guys respond quicker than others. You wouldn't think a second baseman has had a significant number [of concussions] like a catcher, so sometimes the response is quicker. We have to wait and see. I hope not," he said.

He also went on to say how valuable Pirela is and what he could provide for the Yankees. 

"He provides excitement with his speed, and we're moving him all around. We think he could possibly help us in a lot of different spots," Girardi said. "That makes a player very valuable when he can play four or five different spots on a field. That flexibility is a great thing to have."

José Pirela clearly seems to be a way better option than the current situation at second base Stephen Drew. 

Image Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Drew, who batted .162 last year for Boston and the Yankees, is hitting .161 this spring, after going 0 for 3 and striking out twice on Sunday.

Image ​Credit: baseball-reference.com

The Yanks have made clear that Drew is not competing for the second base job. He will be the Opening Day second baseman. But with the experts seeing a slow bat and wondering if the 32-year-old Drew is shot, you wonder if we’ll see Jose Pirela or Rob Refsnyder before summer.

"We signed him to be our second baseman," Girardi said. "Our plan for it is to be Stephen." 

He asked to play second base, a position he had never played much, having been a shortstop all of his career. In the first home game last week in spring Drew booted the first ball hit to him. He said afterwards he's still learning the right angles to take to the ball and that he's still getting comfortable playing the position. 

In the view of most scouts, Pirela is already far more deserving -- although the buzz on him accumulated before Sunday’s ugly concussion, which makes his immediate future uncertain. As for Refsnyder, expect defense closer to Daniel Murphy levels: Competent, but not exactly smooth. Pirela is more nimble and versatile.

One player that surprisingly has not been a disappointment this spring training is Alex Rodriguez, who is currently fighting for a spot on the Yankees as a DH. He has been having a decent spring training for a guy who didn't play at all during the 2014 season.

Image Credit: baseball-reference.com

But while many people have been pleasantly surprised with A-Rod, some people have not forgotten what he has done and continue to take jabs at him. You would like to say this little tweet by retired former Cy Young winner Roy Halladay was all in fun, but it was a needless, direct shot. Anyway, even with Alex Rodriguez on his best behavior, Halladay chose to take a dig at No. 13.

Image Credit: twitter.com/RoyHalladay

Then he followed that up with another Tweet:

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Seems like someone was getting feisty on social media in their retirement. 

Christine O'Connor

@christineeeeO