Looking at the third base options for the Yanks if A-Rod is suspended

The Yankees still don't know if Alex Rodriguez will be allowed to take the field next season, or if he'll be suspended for most or all of 2014, but right now, all signs point to Frederick Horowitz upholding at least some of his 211-game suspension.

If that's the case, and A-Rod isn't on the team this upcoming season, the Yankees are going to need someone to play third base -- or even if A-Rod is on the team, they still might need a third baseman.

We've been hearing all winter that the Yankees have been interested in bringing back Mark Reynolds, who the team signed in August and hit 6 homeruns while driving in 19 RBIs in 36 games. But, for the moment, no deal is reportedly close to happening.

The Yankees like Reynolds because he can not only play third base, but can also serve as a back up to Mark Teixeira, who is coming off wrist surgery, and we all know how tricky wrist injuries can be.

Reynolds also gives the Yankees another right-handed power bat in the lineup, which would be key in helping level out the line of lefties the Yanks already have -- Derek Jeter and Alfonso Soriano project to be the only righties in the lineup, if you're not counting both of the switch-hitter, Teixeira and Carlos Beltran.

His defense isn't great, but one would be a better option than A-Rod at second base, with his two hip surgeries and limited range slowing him down.

one of the more talked about free-agents this offseason has been Stephen Drew, whose market could start heating up now that Shin-Soo Choo has signed a seven-year, $130 million deal with the Texas Rangers, leaving Drew as the top position player left on the market.

We're all aware of the questions and concern surrounding Jeter after playing just 17 games last season because of various injuries, including the ankle injury the ended his season -- the same ankles that he had surgery on in October of 2012.

Drew could play shortstop, but also third base if he is willing to moves around the infield for the Yankees. It's seemed like Drew would want to change his postion just to suit the needs of one team, but we're just a couple days away from Christmas, and he still hasn't signed, so he might be willing to come to New York.

Peter Gammons tweeted Saturday that Drew is waiting for some more clarity with the Yankees, likely meaning that he's waiting for a decision to come down on A-Rod to see of the Yankees will need him to come in and play third base. The arbitrator's decision isn't expected to be announced until the first couple weeks of January.

If the Yankees are looking to go with someone already on the roster, they could see Eduardo Nunez as an option. They had spend some time at third base during games last season, but at the same time, he's been such a disappointment in the field and at the plate over the past couple of seasons, it's starting to look like he might not even be on the team next season.

The team signed Kelly Johnson a couple weeks ago, and he's capable of playing third base if needed. Brian Roberts was signed last week, and it's possible that we could see the Yankees using Roberts at second base and Johnson at third base. That might not be the best option, but it would certainly be the most convenient, and wouldn't cost them another penny on the free-agent market.

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