New 3B option emerges

And no, I’m not talking about Scott Rolen.

With the steroid allegations hovering around the Miami complex that supposedly involves Gio Gonzalez, Nelson Cruz and Bartolo Colon, the Yankees are looking at trying to void Alex Rodriguez‘s contract as his name was also included in the list of players supposedly receiving performance enhancing drugs.

Oct 18, 2012;  Mandatory Credit: William Perlman/THE STAR-LEDGER via USA TODAY Sports

One has to wonder if the Dodgers are even interested in A-Rod given his multiple links to steroids over the past few years. His numbers are easily tainted and it appears unlikely that he would get voted into the hall of fame given the unlikelihood that other players with similar resumes have fared thus far in the hall of fame vote, including Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Mike Piazza, and Jeff Bagwell.

But do the Dodgers even need a third baseman? There are question marks at the position for 2013. It appears that Ned Colletti is content to let Luis Cruz start the season as his everyday third baseman. He definitely has the glove to stick there throughout the season, but there are definitely question marks about his bat. Sure he had a nice 6 weeks to end the season last year. So did Juan Rivera in 2011, so did Jay Gibbons in 2010, and Ronnie Belliard in 2009.

May 18, 2011; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder

(31) before the game against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

This is the same organization that has stuck with Angel Berroa, Delwyn Young, Andy Laroche, Pablo Ozuna, Juan Pierre, Ryan Theriot, Garret Anderson, Scott Podsednik, Dioner Navarro, and current whipping boy Juan Uribe (among others). I, like most, fell in love with Luis Cruz last year at his coming out party. My hope is that he doesn’t have a sophomore hangover and the Dodgers are left with Juan Uribe starting at 3B the majority of the season.

Sept. 11, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA: Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Luis Cruz against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Signing ARod might not be the answer to our problems at the hot corner since he will miss most of, if not all of, 2013. Given his age, health, contract demands, and steroid allegations, I’d hope that the Dodgers stay away from Alex Rodriguez should the Yankees make him a free agent.

It would appear that we have half of the left side of the infield covered by Corey Seager, weather he play SS or 3B. Its hard to imagine that Dee Gordon will be with the organization much past 2013 unless he significantly improves his contact and defense. Lets not forget that we still have Hanley Ramirez through 2014. Hanley’s skills have declined in recent years, but he is still an above average contributor. At 29 years old, he may be reaching the end of his days as a regular short stop and may one day need to move to 3B or even the outfield to accommodate his health.

The Dodgers have 1B (Adrian Gonzalez), CF (Kemp), LF (Crawford) and RF (Ethier) locked up through 2016. I imagine Seager takes over in the IF sometime in 2014 as a full time regular. That leaves us without long term solutions at 2B, Catcher, and wherever Seager isn’t playing on the left side of the infield.

Signs with Dodgers Photo: Ben Platt/MLB.com

The depth the organization has shown in the pitching staff is not mimicked in the infield. It would be nice to see Stan Kasten continue to fill holes through the draft and international free agency as he has been doing. The Dodgers are spending money at an unheard of pace including at the international level. Lets hope they don’t waste money on a possible free agent like Alex Rodriguez.