5 Players to Watch as Yankees Camp Opens

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Masahiro Tanaka

After offseason elbow surgery, Tanaka may not be ready to go by the start of the season. Despite that, it will be interesting to see how he progresses during rehabilitation. His numbers haven't been terrible in his first two years in the MLB (12-7 3.51 ERA) but when you consider how dominant he was for the first three months of his career, those number look alarmingly pedestrian. Hopefully the procedure will do wonders for his pitching and bring about the return of the phenomenal pitching he displayed in 2014.

C.C. Sabathia

It was a tough end to the year to say the least for the former leading man of the rotation. Not only did his numbers fall off for the fourth consecutive season, the former ace found himself battling his own personal demons when he entered rehabilitation for alcohol abuse. It's been made public that Sabathia will have to compete for the final rotation spot in spring training, so it will be interesting to see what he'll bring to the table knowing that so much is on the line.

Rob Refsnyder

He now has a few major league games under his belt which gives him the chance to earn a spot on the team (though most likely as a backup). It won't be an easy spot to secure as the 24 year old infielder will have to beat out the likes of Pete Kozma, Dustin Ackley, Donovan Solano, and Jonathan Diaz, each of whom have more experience than Refsnyder. If he can carry the momentum he gained from last season, he should be able to win a full time gig. If not, his name could possibly come up in trade talks.

Aaron Judge

He's probably not going to be in the big leagues this season (at least until the 40-man roster call ups in September), but he still has a huge opportunity to show off his skills to Girardi and company. There is no doubt that the Yankees want him to take over the right field duties from Carlos Beltran, who may be retiring at season's end. The 6'7" slugger is sure to have coaches and fans salivating over his prospective talent. 

Gary Sanchez

For six years, Yankee fans have been hearing about this top prospect, and now it looks like they'll finally get to see him in action. With the backup role now open, Sanchez is set to fill that spot as the catcher of the future. It also helps that he will have a veteran backstop like Brian McCann around to teach him the ropes. Brian Cashman has set the edict that the team will rely on its youth to build the future, and Sanchez will certainly be the next big test of that plan.

New York Giants: Top Free Agency Targets for 2016

 Photo Credit: Steve Mitchell USA Today Sports 

Photo Credit: Christian Petersen Getty Images

                                                   

Photo Credit: Chris Humphreys USA Today Sports 

Photo Credit: Kirby Lee USA Today Sports

                    

After making three more roster cuts this week, the Giants are expected to have nearly $60 million in caps space by the start of free agency. This gives them a great chance to upgrade needed areas with top flight talent at almost any expense (emphasis on almost). Who they look to get is up to them, but if Jerry Reese wants to earn back the respect of Giants Nation he will need to make an immediate impact come March. Here are some of the players that could do just that:

Von Miller

The Super Bowl MVP is most likely looking at a franchise tag from the Broncos, but that doesn't mean that he's not looking to cash in on his rising status. For the right price, the Giants could lure him to New York and give an instant upgrade to a position that has been depleted for quite some time.

Muhammad Wilkerson

The lack of pass rushing options was all too prevalent this season and the Giants are desperate for any help they can get. Wilkerson would provide a spark at defensive end with his ability to get to the quarterback. Like Miller, acquiring his services could be a bit pricy, but well worth the effort if he can bring a little noise to the defensive line.

Eric Berry

What a revelation Eric Berry was as he went from fighting cancer to the pro bowl in a little under a year. He could certainly be a big help to a injury prone and lacking secondary that ranked near the bottom of the league. It's obvious Rodgers-Cromartie need all the help he can get and Berry is more than capable of playing on his opposite side.

Bruce Irvin 

Another impact player that would be a staunch addition to the defense. His aggressive style and playmaking ability would certainly give new motivation for Steve Spagnuolo who would jump at the chance to coach him. If he's willing to take the money, the Giants should do all they can to reel him in

Eric Weddle 

He may be on the wrong side of 30 for and athlete but that doesn't mean he's still not one of the better safeties in the NFL. Signing him would be a nice addition to the teams most depleted position in the secondary and give Landon Collins a veteran leader to learn from. He'll be an easier signing since he's most likely just looking for a fresh start, but the team will need to act fast if they want to get him since they won't be the only ones vying for the three time Pro Bowler.

Olivier Vernon

As a power rusher who can disrupt his fair share of plays, Vernon is yet another chance for the Giants to upgrade the defensive line. If they strike out with Wilkerson or Irvin, he could easily step in as the best option. 

Are The Yankees Doing The Right Thing?

Girardi and Cashman have bet on the Yankees future.
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The offseason is almost at its end and the Yankees remain the only team to have not signed a major free agent on the open market. A far cry from their free agency techniques of the past 15 years. There are some who will believe that this is a sign the the team is fully committed to Brian Cashman's plan of building from within. However, doubters will not share these same sentiments, feeling that the lack of initiative will doom the club in the long run. Whichever side one chooses to pick seems to be of little concern to the Yankees brass as they plan how they can compete for a championship in 2016 and beyond.

Despite their firm stance on their payroll ($210 Million for 2016), the Yankees haven't been completely stagnant this winter as they acquired the services of Starlin Castro, Aroldis Chapman and Aaron Hicks in offseason trades. In addition, the club signed veteran pitchers Anthony Swarzak and Kirby Yates to minor league contracts. These moves give the club both stability and options in areas that were a bit problematic last season.

Unfortunately the one area that is probably most concerning to the Yankees and fans alike is starting pitching. There have been talks of having a 6 man rotation to compensate for the potential lack of innings that may come out of the group (considering the health of the staff). While that could be a viable solution, there is no guarantee that if will help each pitcher in the long run. It's understandable that the Yankees did not want to risk putting loads of money into a top or even second tier pitcher whom may or may not work out, especially since they really haven't had one live up to their expectations since Mike Mussina (though one could argue Sabathia's first for years).

Now that it's known that top prospect Greg Bird will miss the season with shoulder surgery (despite the fact that he was set be in minors for the duration of it), things could change on the free agent front. Whether they reach out the Pedro Alvarez or go a completely different route, one has to believe the Yankees will do whatever is deemed necessary to have a successful 2016 season without jeopardizing the future.