The future is in view

In all likelihood, El Capitan, Derek Jeter, will take his place at shortstop tonight in Tampa, and that's great for any Yankee fan to see.

But sadly, it also means no more Alberto Gonzalez patrolling the left side of the infield, and that's just sad.

If anything productive came from Jeter's six-day break from a quadriceps pull, it was witnessing the eventual successor at short, and what a sight it was to behold. Gonzalez is so sure-handed already that watching him play short for six games made me take out a mental pencil and scratch out in my head this imaginary 2009 lineup: Cabrera, cf; Jeter, lf; Cano, 2b; A-Rod, 3b; Abreu, rf; Matsui, dh; Posada, c; Duncan, 1b; Gonzalez, ss. (I have my flak jacket on, so fire away with your responses to that one...)

Is it too crazy to start spitballing which position Jeter might be playing in a year? Some have suggested left field; others first base. I think he's too athletic to waste at first base -- not that all first basemen should look and move like Kent Hrbek. What I mean is Jeter helps the ballclub more at a position where his athleticism might be more essential to fielding the position.

I know it is sacrilege, in some corners, to think about Jeter playing anywhere but in the six hole, but let's get real: No athlete cheats age, unless he's really cheating age. Teams, dynasties even, have suffered for years because they held onto sentiment and didn't want to do the prudent thing by asking an aging star to change his role. Some speculate that Jeter's ego will prohibit him from accepting any move, and that it will always be his call to make. I doubt that. I think Jeter always has the team in mind first.

(And if not, then Jeter ought to heed the Bernie Williams disaster. If WIlliams had spent one off-season learning how to play first base, he -- and not Andy Phillips -- might have been on the team last year.)

Whatever the timetable, Jeter will eventually be moved out (or move himself out) of the six hole. (I suspect it will be like this: Girardi approaching Jeter, then the move being announced as if it were Jeter's idea all along...) When that happens, there is no doubt that a terrific replacement will step in and keep the left side of the diamond secure.

We have seen the shortstop of the future, the shortstop of the new Yankee Stadium. It'll be Jeter, at least to start the season in the new ballpark. But will Jeter finish 2009 the way he starts it? When will Alberto Gonzalez finally step in full-time for the captain?