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2016 AL East Rankings by Position: Shortstop

By Nate Wardle

Jun 10, 2015; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy (2) tags out Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) at second base during the second inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 10, 2015; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy (2) tags out Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) at second base during the second inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 6, 2015; Bronx, NY, USA; Houston Astros pinch runner Jonathan Villar (2) steals second base against New York Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius (18) in the American League Wild Card playoff baseball game at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 6, 2015; Bronx, NY, USA; Houston Astros pinch runner Jonathan Villar (2) steals second base against New York Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius (18) in the American League Wild Card playoff baseball game at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /

3. New York Yankees – Didi Gregorius, Dustin Ackley, Donovan Solano, Pete Kozma

There were some questions last year after the Yankees traded for Didi Gregorius as the replacement for Derek Jeter. Like, would he live up to his potential, which he didn’t in Arizona? How would he survive the bright lights of the Yankee media, especially replacing number 2? To start the year, it didn’t look pretty.

Gregorius was absolutely horrendous to start off the year defensively.  He was doing alright with the bat though, and the Yankees let him play through it. That was a good decision. Gregorius finished the year hitting .265/.318/.370 with 9 HRs, 24 2Bs, 56 RBIs and 57 runs. Gregorius isn’t a major running threat, with only eight career steals.

By the end of the season, Didi started 147 games at SS and finished with 13 errors, which is not bad at all. In fact, he finished up with a 1.5 dWAR. In comparison, Derek Jeter’s best dWAR was 1.0, and for his career it was a negative 9.4.

Ackley, who may end up being a super sub for the Yanks, is the backup at short stop, like he is at both second and first base.

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