This Season Is An Important One For Victor Cruz

Brad Penner USA Today Sports

October 12 2014, That is the last time Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz stepped on the field as a competitive football player. It seems like a lifetime has gone by since that fateful evening in Philadelphia, but he we stand on the precipice of his long awaited return. A lot has happened since then including the rise of Phenom wide out Odell Beckham Jr, the changing of the guard at head coach, and a new offensive system is in place. How this affects Cruz in the long run is yet to be seen, but there is both optimism and skepticism as to the potential end result.

Missing so much time could have a profound effect on Cruz's effectiveness on the field. That's not to say that he'd be completely ineffective because he's worked tirelessly to get back into playing form. However, one will have to be realistic as to how much we should expect to get out of him. The Giants were wise to provide extra help on offense by drafting WR Sterling Shepard to make up for any losses they could suffer if things don’t go as planned with Eli's former number one target. That being said, Cruz should probably expect that his touches will be far more limited this season as younger talent has stepped in. Thankfully, he doesn’t appear to have the same ego problems that plague most top receivers in the NFL and is willing to share (and even give away) the spotlight and allow them to shine or continue to shine (in the case of Beckham). That will play an enormous role in the comradery of the receiving core that will welcome Cruz’s leadership into the picture.

With so much on the line this season, the expectations for Victor Cruz are going to be pretty high. Whether or not he can meet them will be completely up what he accomplishes in between the lines. One things for certain, all of Giants nation will be watching with bated breath for the return of one of its favorite football sons.

Yankee Prospects With Bright Futures

Photo: Brad Penner USA Today Sports

Greg Bird

Bird made his debut in the final months of 2015 and quickly showed what he could bring to the table. Many were certain Bird had secured a spot on the Opening Day roster this season, but a shoulder issue and subsequent surgery shelved him for 2016. With Mark Teixeira calling it a career at season's end and Bird ahead of schedule in his rehabilitation, the Yankees will more than likely give him the nod as the new everyday first baseman.

Photo: Jim McIsaac

Gary Sanchez

He's been touted as the catcher of the future since the Yankees signed him 2009 and there is a lot about him that certainly backs up that sentiment. His big bat and game knowledge behind the plate is a match made in heaven for an organization that has built a fine reputation for grooming backstops. Once he gets a few seasons under his belt, there will be little doubt as to why the Yankees were willing to deal their former top catching prospect Jesus Montero to clear his way.

Aaron Judge

He has all the makings of a premier power hitter that will put up tremendous power numbers in his career. At 6'7"and 275 pounds, the defensive end sized outfielder has the potential to make an impact similar to that of Giancarlo Stanton and the recently retired Adam Dunn. After starting his career off with a bang (literally) It's definitely going to be exciting to watch Judge develop his game while building a reputation as legitimate threat in the middle of the order.

Clint Frazier

Frazier may not have been with the Yankees to start off, but after acquiring him in a trade with the Cleveland Indians he's now the team's new top prospect. One has to figure that once he gets settled in Scranton it will only be a matter of time until he proves he proves to be a valuable asset that will make an impact at the Major League level. 

Photo: Kim Klement USA Today Sports

Tyler Austin

A 13th round pick in 2010, Austin has had a solid minor league career hitting .287 with 61 home runs and 316 RBI in 5 years. Despite a minor setback in 2013 due to a wrist injury Austin's consistency was not fazed as he continued to improve his game, learning multiple positions along the way. He's certainly poised to make a run at a permanent spot on the roster in 2017.

Photo: Chris O'Meara

Jorge Mateo

Arguably one of the fastest players in the minors, Mateo has all the tools to be a stellar middle infielder in the years to come. His ability to be aggressive at the plate makes him an ideal leadoff hitter, but he does have a propensity to strike out and has made a few too many errors at short. If he can put it all together, he'll make a fast rise through Double-A and Triple-A, paving a path for to becoming the shortstop of the future.

Why We've Probably Have Seen the Last of A-Rod

Photo: Kevin Sousa/Icon Sportswire

Ever since the Yankees began selling at the deadline, there has been speculations swirling around that the team could release Alex Rodriguez before the season is out. Though some believe that removing him from the equation is simply not as feasible as it seems there may not be any other alternative, especially given the direction the franchise is headed. If that’s not enough incentive, here are some of the reasons parting ways with the aging DH make most sense.

The Yankees Simply Have No Use for Him

His diminished skills both on the field and at the plate have become very apparent, leaving the team no choice but to relegate him the bench. At this point it has become a mystery as to what his exact role is and with a little more than a month left in the season, there doesn't appear to be any answer coming.

He Hinders the Impending Youth Movement

Now that the Yankees have stockpiled a considerable amount of young talent (thanks to a lucrative deadline) the team can finally make the push to get younger. This puts Rodriguez in a tough spot since he is 41 years old and essentially taking up a potential roster spot for an up and comer. 

His 700th Home Run Won't Mean Much

Unfortunately for Rodriguez, his link to PED's will forever taint his career and image. There were high hopes that when he reached 700 home runs it would instantly place him among the immortals of the game. However, that is no longer the case and like his predecessors (Bonds, McGwire, Palmeiro and others) the league will seek to blackball him out of Cooperstown.

His Time Has Passed

Most professional athletes know when it's time to call it a career. With 20 years under his belt and most of the players linked to him out of baseball, it's safe to say that his days as a primetime athlete are numbered. It’s likely he was too encouraged by his performance last season and felt he could replicate it, but that has not gone nearly the way he'd hoped in 2016. This reality should be enough to convince Rodriguez that he's no longer capable of doing the things he and many others had become accustomed to his entire career.