The Yankees, maintaining their resolve to move on without Alex Rodriguez, have begun to explore alternative options at third base, General Manager Brian Cashman confirmed yesterday. "It's time to start scoping out all our needs, period," Cashman said at the general managers' meetings. "And third base is one of them. That's not going to develop all that quickly." That means Joe Crede likely won't replace A-Rod. The White Sox have resolved to deal him soon, and the Yankees are aiming higher than Crede, an official familiar with their thinking said. The Yankees have targeted free agent Mike Lowell and, as trade possibilities, Seattle's Adrian Beltre and Florida's Miguel Cabrera. St. Louis' Scott Rolen is a dark-horse candidate.