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

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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.

These Are Certainly Not Last Years Knicks

The Knicks have surprised many with their improved play
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The Knicks are five games over their win total from last season and look to be on their way to a major turnaround. The sudden surge of good basketball is the sum of a carefully planned retooling implemented by Phil Jackson, who has preached patience from the moment he arrived in the Big Apple. Here are some of the factors that have lead to the Knicks:

The Rise of Kristaps Porzingis

It wasn't long ago that the New York faithful booed vociferously at the drafting of Kristaps Porzingis as if he were the second coming of Chris Dudley. 44 games in those books have turned to resounding cheers as Knick fans anxiously anticipate every move he makes. Porzingis may only be a rookie, but he has suddenly captivated one of the toughest fan bases in the nation in seemingly one fell swoop. Hopefully he will only get better from here.

Melo sharing the wealth

The days of the Carmelo Anthony total isolation have not quite gone away, but there is much more to it than what many have been accustomed to. at 3.9 assists per game, it may not look like he is accomplishing anything special, however if you've watched the games, Anthony has begun to trust his teammates more and more with each pass. This has lead him to become more of an on court leader, willing the Knicks to greater heights.

New Additions

Arron Afflalo (14.2 pts 3.7 reb 1.8 asts), Derrick Williams (9.0 pts 3.2 reb), Robin Lopez (8.9 pts 6.0 reb), and Kyle O'Quinn (4.7 pts 3.9 reb) have contributed nicely to the new dynamic of the Knicks. Although it did take a few games for them to get comfortable, each have shown the ability to confidently handle themselves on the court in a variety of situations. This has made things much easier for Anthony, who has had to shoulder the scoring load for much of his tenure with the Knickerbockers.

Bench Contributions

Much can be said about the contributions of players such as Lance Thomas, Langston Galloway and Jerian Grant. Their hard work and perseverance hasn't gone unnoticed by Derek Fisher as he continually gives them regular minutes off the bench. They say great teams have great benches. If they keep this up, the Knicks will be well on their way to having one of the more superior ones in the NBA.

Improving Eastern Conference

The last decade has not been kind to the East as most of the league's worst clubs have come out of the conference. The Knicks have been no stranger to this as they have found themselves in the doldrums far too often during this span. That is not the case this season as the East has quite a few improved teams who could vie for playoff position with .500 of better records. The increased the level of competition has given the Knicks the a better chance to measure where they are in respect to their opponents.

Stay or Go: The Future of Tom Coughlin and the Giants

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It has been a tough year to say the least for Giants head coach Tom Coughlin. From the the plethora of injuries to key players, scrutiny regarding his coaching style, and the lack of ability to finish winnable games. These troubles have lead many to call for his removal, arguing that it is time to put a new voice in the locker room. Those sentiments may have some merit as the Giants have failed to perform up their capabilities in the seasons that surround their two Super Bowl victories. However, Giants co-owner John Mara has said that the thin coaching market could leave the team no choice but to keep the second longest tenured coach around a little longer.

Why He Should Stay

Over the past twelve seasons, Tom Coughlin has brought stability to the head coaching position. He’s become a consummate figure of the team and has a great relationship with the front office and Eli Manning. The players have come to respect him as a person and are willing to work hard to earn his trust. What also stands out is the fact that the Giants have only lost ten games in a season twice since he began coaching (2004. 2014). That say a lot about the environment he has put in place, one that gives the team the belief that it can overcome any obstacle to achieve. Combined with two championships, there is reason to feel optimistic about what coughing can bring, despite the struggles Big blue has gone through the past three years.

Why He Should Go

It goes without saying that a team takes on the persona of their head coach, and that's certainly the case for the Giants and Tom Coughlin. When he first arrived Coughlin brought a strict, no nonsense attitude to the foreground. He demanded a disciplined locker room, holding players heavily accountable for even the smallest of infractions. When that style rubbed some people the wrong way, he made an effort to better connect with the roster, becoming a more open minded coach who could level with his players instead of alienating them. This yielded great results as the team claimed two division titles (2008, 2011) and two championships. Unfortunately, Coughlin has now become far too complacent with the way things are and as a result, the team has fallen short of expectations. From his rather stubborn and outdated running style, failure (until recently) to grasp a new offense concept, and the mismanagement of games in the 4th quarter there is real concern that 30+ year coaching veteran has finally lost his touch with the game.

New York Giants: Analyzing through the Bye

Now that the bye week has come and gone, the Giants find themselves with a small cushion the East and the toughest remaining schedule in the NFL. Matchups against some of the stingiest defenses in the league could prove to be more than a challenge for a team that has shown some inconsistency. However, should history repeat itself the tough loss to New England could be the stepping stone Big Blue needs to persevere and get back to the playoffs.

Pros

The defense showed a lot of fight against the Patriots as they were able to lay a few hits on Tom Brady, something they haven't done much of this season. That trend will need to continue over these next six weeks if they want any chance of winning those tough games. Hopefully the defensive line is emboldened by their performance

Perhaps the most impressive defensive statistic the team has is the 22 turnovers it has forced. Despite the various shortcomings they have gone through, the very fact that the Giants lead the NFL in this category definitely leaves room for optimism going forward.

Odell Beckham seems to be making the most of his second season, dispensing talk of the dreaded sophomore jinx that many believed would grab him. His 868 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns rank in the top 10 and with six weeks left, there is little doubt that he will place himself in the upper echelon of active wideouts by seasons end.

It's been a solid year thus far for Eli Manning as he has thrown for 2700 yards with 21 touchdowns and just 6 interceptions. Now that he has the jist of  Ben McAdoo's offense, he is poised to post even better numbers going forward. While there have been some hiccups along the way (mainly poor late game playcalling) things couldn't be better for Eli and company.

Cons

The injury bug has bit once again this season as the Giants have continually had to shuffle the deck in order to fill several roles (especially on defense). Many hopes that the team would be able to stave this off, However, that turned out to be mere wishful thinking.

The loss of Victor Cruz to calf surgery is a debilitating blow to the hopes of a Beckham-Cruz tandem that could have taken the NFL by storm. Including last season, Cruz will now miss a year and a half of football, which could be detrimental to his overall game if he cannot return to the form he once had. One can only hope for the best for the two-time pro bowler.

Yankees Hot Stove 2015

The Yankees began the offseason with the acquisition of Aaron Hicks from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for catcher John Ryan Murphy. Though the club is not expected to spend big in free agency, there are still some low key moves that could be made to improve the roster. Here are some of the positions they can improve and the players they could target.

Bench

The Yankee bench could use an upgrade after they watched it's strong start to 2015 tail off by the season's midpoint. With aging players such as Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, and Carlos Beltran it will be important to sure up the bench so they can stay fresh for the duration. There are young players like Heathcott, Bird, and Judge waiting in the wings, which gives the club some flexibility to make a less glamorous move.

Potential Targets: Will Venable, Alejandro De Aza, Matt Joyce, Munenori Kawasaki

Bullpen

Outside of the final month, the Yankees bullpen shined once again this season. The combination of Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller proved to be formidable, along with the development of Justin Wilson and Chasen Shreve (despite his late season struggles). Adding a third arm would be most beneficial as it would allow Girardi to cut down on the innings of a pitch like Betances whom lead has lead all relievers with 174 inning pitched out of the pen. There are rumors that Cashman could go after Craig Kimbrel of the Padres, a player he sought to acquires at the July trade deadline or Aroldis Chapman of the Reds. If those moves are too risky there are other options that could fit the need.

Potential Targets: Tyler Clippard, Jason Motte, Eric O'Flaherty, Joakim Soria, Mark Lowe

Starter

C.C. Sabathia's status on the team appears to be set for now. However, there is no guarantee he will come back and truly be effective after his stint in rehabilitation for alcohol abuse. That leaves the Yankees in a bit of a pickle as to what to do with that spot in the rotation. Should things not work out in enough time and Sabathia has to miss a period of time (or potentially the entire season) the Yankees will need to fill the void quickly. Preliminary talks of a Brett Gardner trade to Seattle could bring them a pitcher that can use, but nothing has happened on that front as of yet. 

Potential Targets: Brett Anderson, J.A. Happ, Tim Lincecum, Mike leake, Brandon Morrow

New York Giants: Analyzing through week 8

After exercising their Dallas Cowboy demons in week 7, the team found itself on the losing end of a historic offensive shootout in New Orleans. The Giants still sit atop the NFC East at 4-4, but things could get interesting as the team has matchups with Patriots, Panthers, and Jets in the coming weeks. This will certainly be a test of the teams merritt and resiliency, one that will either make or break the outcome of the season.

Pros

The offense struggled to get much going against Dallas, However it had no problems in the Big Easy as Eli and the Giants were able to move up and down the field seemingly at will. This is a great sign that the poor performance against their division foes were perhaps an abrupt aberration. If this torrid pace can continue and add a player like Victor Cruz, the sky is definitely the limit for Big Blue.

Dwayne Harris cam on strong in both weeks as he had a game breaking kickoff return score against his former team and two touchdown catches in New Orleans. He's done a nice job filling in the gaps for the offense and should see the ball a lot more gong forward.

Dominique Rodgers Cromartie has been the lone bright spot on a struggling defense. He's done everything he can to he;p, but just can't seem to get anyone else to step up with him. Cromartie is definitely earning his keep out there, so one con't help but imagine what the team would be like without him.

Cons

The Giants defense had a tumultuous two weeks as it surrendered 233 rushing yards against Dallas and 608 total yards to the Saints. With those kinds of numbers going against them, it's safe to say that the defense is completely broken. Jason Pierre-Paul is on his way back, but it's doubtful that his impact will mean anything if this ugly trend continues.

Though there has been improvement, the running game hasn't seen the boost it was supposed to get with the revamped offensive line. The Giants have only managed one 100 yard game this season and are averaging just 94.5 yard per game (27th in the league). Hopefully as the line begins gel the ground game will take off, but for now it's just not enough.