Yankees: Who's Hot Who's Not 3

Who's Hot:

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 Andrew Miller

It's been a good year thus far for Miller as he has seamlessly slid into the setup role after being the team's closer for all of 2015. Sporting a 1.13 ERA and 15 strikeouts to go with his stellar season numbers, it’s going to be very hard to even consider dealing Miller at the deadline if he continues to perform like this.

Photo: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Aroldis Chapman

Since returning from an early season suspension Chapman has been as good as advertised when the Yankees acquired him. He's made mincemeat of hitters with his 100+ mph fastball, providing an intimidation factor that is giving the Yankees back end trio marquee billing in any close game.

Photo: Adam Hunger USA Today Sports

Brett Gardner

For the first time this season Gardner has hit a sustained hot streak batting .556 over seven games and is stinging the ball with an improved swing to boot. This a more than pleasant sight as he had fallen on troubling times at the dish for the better part of two seasons. Hopefully he can keep this consistency which would give fans and Girardi a reason for optimism that the 32-year-old outfielders prolonged slumps are over for the time being.

Photo: Frank Franklin II/AP

Carlos Beltran

It continues to be a Renaissance season for Beltran as he poured in a .345 average with 4 homers this week. Whatever has gotten into the 40-year-old right fielder, the Yankees should hope that it does not leave him anytime soon

Photo: Noah K. Murray USA Today Sports

Jacoby Ellsbury

Having your leadoff man hitting well is always a plus for any offense so that Yankees are definitely pleased with the results Ellsbury has yielded this week. With a .360 average and .429 on base percentage over seven games, He is giving the offense the spark it needs to get going. 

Who's Not:

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Brian McCann

Despite the success of the Yankees hitting of late, things aren't going quite as well for McCann. Batting just .176 thus week it was difficult for him to capitalize on his teammates good fortunes. To be fair, he did have to deal with a hyperextended elbow for three days, however it would be hard to say if his slump wasn't still concerning to the overall picture.

Photo: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Dellin Betances

Perhaps the most shocking cold player of the team is the "D" in the newly named "No Runs DMC". He has a 7.36 ERA over seven games, a tremendously disappointing number for a pitcher of his caliber. It will important for the Yankees to get his confidence back up with a few strong outings without wearing him down too much. If the new nickname is to stick, it will be highly important get the first guy back into dominant form

Potential Free Agents the Islanders Should Consider

After ending a 23-year playoff series drought, the Islanders find themselves in position to make big moves towards becoming a Stanley cup contender. To do that, they will need to bring in one or more high level free agents that can not only make an impact on the ice, but infuse their skills within the growing team culture.

Photo: Chris Carlson AP

Milan Lucic LW (2015-16 20G 34A)

He has top line hockey IQ that would give immediate help to John Tavares however, it would take a lot to pry him away from Los Angeles more that perhaps the Isles are willing to go. That being said, it would be a gutsy and highly appealing move bringing a player like Lucic into the fold.

Photo Jonathan Daniel Getty Images

Andrew Ladd LW (2015-16: 25G 21A)

Here's a player that could fill the potential void left by Kyle Okposo. His numbers have been pretty steady over the past 5 seasons and there is reason to believe he would welcome the opportunity to play in Brooklyn. It'll be interesting to see how much he will command in the open market, but his consistency definitely should make him a more than attractive target.

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Troy Bouwer RW (2015-16: 18G 21A)

He played exceptionally well in the playoffs and should earn a lot of attention in the market. That being said the Islanders would greatly benefit from Brouwer’s scoring prowess. Money could be an issue if he looks to capitalize on postseason performance with a big pay day However this is a risk that the team must be willing to take if they are to take the next step.

Photo: Jared Silber Getty Images

Keith Yandle D (2015-16: 5G 42A)

If there is any place the Islanders could stand to improve it's the defenseman position. It will be important to add a smart playmaker as a counterpart the aggressive and physical Matt Martin. Yandle could be just the guy to fill that role.

Bob DeChiara USA Today Sports

John-Michael Liles D (2015-16: 6G 14A)

While Zidlicky did provide a veteran presence on the defensive side, the team would benefit from adding another vet like him to the roster. At 35 with 13 years of experience, Liles would make a great mentor for young nucleus the Islanders have carefully developed over the years.

James Guillory US 

David Backes C (2015-16: 21G 24A)

Though Frans Nielsen and Casey Cizikas has emerged as stellar middle men for the third and fourth lines, the second line still could use upgrade at center. Signing Backes would lighten the load for Tavares (whom often pulled double duty playing center for the one and two lines in games) giving much more stability for Capuano to shift players around without compromising their strengths. Backes has shown he can create good opportunities for himself and his teammates, something that's at a huge premium in today's NHL.

Yankees - Who's Hot, Who's Not 2

Who's Hot:

Nathan Eovaldi

Photo: Jim McIsaac Getty Images

After a shaky start, Eovaldi has put together some solid outings over the last two weeks earning victories in each of his last four starts while lowering his ERA from 5.46 to 3.95. It appears that he may have regained the confidence that propelled him last season before the untimely injury but with plenty of games left, the jury is still out. For now, the Yankees should be very pleased with his progression

CC Sabathia

Photo: Jim McIsaac Getty Images

In a shocking twist that not many saw coming, Sabathia has arguably been the team's best pitcher over the last two weeks as well as the month of May. In fact, he's surrendered just one earned run in his last three starts, which included a 15-day gap due to a stint on the disabled list for a hamstring strain. His ERA now sits at 2.83, nowhere near where anyone projected he'd be at this point, so this is definitely a pleasant surprise the Yankees will surely take.

Didi Gregorius

Photo: Adam Hunger Getty Images

With a blistering .444 average over the last 7 games, Gregorius finds himself as the team's hottest hitter. This is a great sign for the Yankees as it shows that the strong finish he had to last season was not an anomaly and he is ready to take on a bigger role with his bat. That doesn't mean he'll be hitting cleanup any time soon, but it does allow Girardi to tinker with lineup in order to capitalize on Didi's hot hitting.

Carlos Beltran

Photo: Rich Schultz Getty Images

Beltran has had a very productive month, belting 6 homers and driving in a team leading 20 runs. This has come in the nick of time for the Yankees, as he helped lead the club back to a .500 record earlier in the week (although the team has since dropped their last two). If this is to be Beltran's final year, he's certainly looking to go out with a bang.

Who's Not:

Starlin Castro

Photo: Anthony Gruppuso USA Today Sports

Castro has cooled of considerably this month hitting just .228 in May and .172 over the last week. Bad habits and impatience at the plate have been two major factors contributing to the steady decline of his hitting. He'll need to get back to basics in order to regain his April form or this could become more than just a month long slump, something the Yankees can't really afford at this juncture.

Brett Gardner

Photo: Peter Llewellyn USA Today Sports

Gardner is becoming a bit of an enigma for the Yankees. He has all of the tools to be a fine hitter, yet he can't seem to fully hone those tools and achieve his potential. In between the ups and downs he goes through week by week and his inconsistent contact at the plate (he often blindly fouls off good pitches to hit), it has to frustrating seeing yet another sub-par performance go by.

Mark Teixeira

Photo: Jesse Johnson USA Today Sports

Like Gardner, Mark Teixeira finds himself in a precarious spot on the team. Despite all of the efforts to correct his hitting, he continues to slump. With an .080 batting average over the past week coupled with nagging injuries, it appears that his best days are behind him. The Yankees have to hope that he can regain his top tier form, or it could be yet another disappointing season for the big money all-star.

What The Hiring of Jeff Hornacek Means for the Knicks

Photo: Mark J. Rebilas USA TODAY Sports

This past week, the New York Knicks announced that they will hire former Phoenix Suns coach Jeff Hornacek as the team’s new head coach. This came as a shock to many whom believed that Phil Jackson would give the job to Kurt Rambis due to his connection with Jackson and the triangle offense. This certainly is a major change of pace for a team that has struggled to find a true leader since the days of Jeff Van Gundy, but only time will tell how things will fair in the long run.

From the looks of it, most will feel that this is the end of triangle since Hornacek has no history of working with it and prefers an up-tempo pace. That may be, but one has to figure that Jackson will try to instill some forms of his offense to keep a steady system the team can fall back on during games. Does this mean Phil will distrust Hornacek's style? Not in the slightest. If you look at the success Steve Kerr has had in Golden State with an up-tempo style, there could be a lot to look forward to.

Looking at the big picture of this hire, you have to believe Carmelo Anthony had part in Jackson's decision. Anthony has claimed that he would like to see the team improve sooner rather than later, Hornacek's track record of turning a 25 win Suns team into a 48-win contender (only missing the playoff by 1 games in 2013-14) speaks volumes to that. This will definitely keep the Knicks star satisfied as the team continues to make larger improvements to the roster.  With his basketball knowledge and personable demeanor, the is no reason to believe that Hornacek will have any problems establishing a good relationship with Anthony.

Last but not least, there is sure to be a major shakeup at the point now that Hornacek will be around. With the accelerated play style, players like Jose Calderon could see their roles reduced in favor of quicker north-south point guards such as Jerian Grant, Langston Galloway, or a possible free agent pickup. Since the league is geared towards strong guard play, it's important that the Knicks adapt and build a strong foundation in this area so that they can consistently compete with the league's best.

Yankees: Who's Hot and Who's Not

Who's Hot:

Starlin Castro

           Photo: Kim Klement USA Today Sports

Castro has put decent stretch, hitting .320 over the past week. He's definitely making the most of his first year in pinstripes and stands to provide a solid answer to the second base dilemma that plagues the team post Robinson Cano.

Aaron Hicks

                Photo: Al Bello Getty Images

Things did not start off well for Hicks as he struggled to make any solid contact with the baseball. In fact, through May 5th he found himself batting just .091. However, since then the 26-year-old outfielder has made headway with a .333 average over seven games and even delivering some key hits along the way. Hopefully he's finally made the adjustment to the Bronx and will be the valuable asset the Yankees sorely need

Kirby Yates

         Photo: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports 

In a twist of fortunes, Yates is defying many predictions that he would be the odd man out in the bullpen once Aroldis Chapman debuted. That's not been the case as once thought castaway has been pretty steady in his 14 appearances. This has to be a pleasant surprise for Girardi and anyone else who believed he wouldn't factor much to this point.

Chase Headley

          Photo: Brad Penner USA TODAY Sports

It was a troubling start to year to say the least for Headley. His hitting was nowhere to be found and it appeared to be all in his head. Not to mention he just nabbed his first two extra base hits of the season, as surprise in and of itself. Nonetheless, his swing has come alive this week to the tune of .333 giving hope that he is finally coming out of his slump and is will be a steady contributor to the offense.

Who's Not:

Mark Teixeira

                  Photo: Jim McIsaac Getty Images

Things are not going well for the Yankees first baseman as his .148 average this week has only exacerbated his conflict. There were high hopes that Teixeira would find motivation to prove that his bat was not fading, but that hasn't been the case. In a year that could make or break his future with the Yankees, He isn't giving the team much of a reason to keep him around past 2016.

Brett Gardner

          Photo: Anthony Gruppuso USA Today Sports

Gardner seems to have found himself maligned in several slumps since the middle of last season (when he made the All Star team). The .167 average he’s sporting this week only serve as a reminder of how problematic the offense has been, especially when a player like him struggles to get on base. Between that and his nagging injuries, bursting out of this recent rough stretch could become quite the endeavor.

Luis Severino

                    Photo: Tony Gutierrez/AP

The red hot prospect has looked like anything but that this season posting a horrendous 7.46 ERA to go along with an 0-6 record. Until recent developments, no one could figure out what was wrong with the 22-year-old and there was contemplation of even sending him down to AAA. Now it appears that the root of his problems was a strained triceps muscle he has been pitching with for nearly a month, but hasn't really told anyone about the discomfort.  It's an unfortunate situation for a guy that was once thought of as the next big thing for the Yankees. 

Michael Pineda

 Photo: Tom Szczerbowski Getty Images

Like Severino, Pineda finds himself in an ugly stretch that has lasted for far too long. Many believed he was headed for a good season after struggling so mightily to end 2015, but he has carried the effects of those struggles right into this season, adding to the overall problems of the Yankees starting pitching. With a 1-4 record and a 6.28 ERA (and well document first inning struggles), it's beginning to look like the Yankees may have got the worse of the 2012 deal that brought to New York. Perhaps things can straighten out for him with the right tools and coaching, but right now that's looking like a long shot.

The New York Giants 2016 Draft Class

Now that the 2016 NFL Draft has come to a close, it's time to take a look at the newest members of Big Blue.

            Photo Credit: Jamie Sabau/Getty Images
Eli Apple CB Ohio State  

This pick came as a bit of a shock to both analysts and fans who expected to Giants to look for a pass rusher, linebacker, or offensive lineman at number 10. However, the Titans and Bears traded ahead of the Giants and subsequently took OT Jack Conklin and LB Leonard Floyd right out from under them. With that in mind, one could understand why Reese and company settled on taking Apple here, but it may have served better to trade down.

     Photo Credit: JP Wilson/Icon Sportswire
Sterling Shepard WR Oklahoma

There is no doubt this guy is a stud. He can make great catches, run routes effectively, and make defenders miss in the open field. Having proven to be a 1st round talent, landing him in the second could be a major steal for the already omnipotent Giants offense. 

      Photo Credit: Idaho Statesman
Darian Thompson S Boise State

The ball hawk extraordinaire and former defensive captain is a major upgrade at the safety position, giving the revamped secondary additional depth and a potential starter. If he can hone his football abilities and clean up some of the mistakes he made in college, he could one of the few great steals of the draft.

      Photo Credit: Kim Klement USA Today Sports
B.J. Goodson LB Clemson

Surely many wish the Giants would have filled this position earlier, but nevertheless the trigger was pulled in round 4. Like Thompson, he was the defensive captain of a stout Clemson defense which should serve him well at the pro level. If all goes well and he finds a true fit in Spagnuolo's schemes, Goodson could be one of the hidden gem draft finds of 2016.

Photo Credit: Mark J Terrell/AP
Paul Perkins RB UCLA

While many fans would have loved to land Ezekiel Elliott, Perkins is still a nice (though lesser) alternative. He has a skill set similar to Shane Vereen and is extremely elusive in the open field. It's likely he'll battle both Andre Williams and Orleans Darkwa for playing time, so we will have to wait to see exactly what he can contribute.

         Photo Credit: Stacey Revere/Getty Images
Jerell Adams TE South Carolina

The tight end position has been a revolving door for 6 years now as the Giants have yet to find a permanent starter. like others before him, Adams could slip into a prominent role if his game builds up to the level some believe he's capable of. However, as a later draft pick it will be a bit of climb for him to win over the coaching staff. 

3 Key Factors of the Yankees Recent Struggles

Photo Credit: Brad Penner USA Today Sports                       

The past week has not been kind to the Yankees as they have dropped 5 consecutive games and find themselves in last place in the division. Though many attribute it to typical early season struggles, others expected the team to get off to a much better start after the way things ended last year (a hapless 3-0 loss in the wild card game to Houston). Here are 3 problem areas that I feel are most glaring during this tough stretch.

RISP 

The Yankees have a dismal .197 batting average with runners in scoring position, a telling statistic when looking at the club's overall performance in April. To make matters worse, the Yankees have left an average of 15.36 runners on base per game. If the team's situational hitting does not improve drastically, there will be no choice but to make big changes to the line up to spice things up.

Inconsistent Starting Pitching

This may seem unfair when considering the struggles of the offense, however the Yankees starters have had difficulty going deep into games. In fact, the starters average innings per game have been among the lowest in baseball for the past three seasons. The Yankees can ill-afford to overwork their talented bullpen as it would spell disaster for them in the latter part of the season, so it is imperative that the get much more from the rotation than they are currently getting.

Poor Performance from the Heart of the Lineup

Teixeira (.170), Rodriguez (.156), and Headley (.189) are each having less than stellar start to 2016. The Yankees were really counting on them to be integral parts of the offense, but so far none of that has come to fruition. With $55.5 million between them this season, there is sure to be a growing level unrest that will fall upon them from if things continue to go this way.

SSnow's New York Giants Mock Draft

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Round 1: Vernon Hargreaves III CB Florida

The additions of Olivier Vernon and Damon Harrison, along with the re-signing of Jason Pierre-Paul will most likely alter the Giants first round plans, especially if a Defensive lineman comes off the board early. Hargreaves is a great alternate choice when considering the current state of the secondary. Adding his prowess as corner to the likes of Rodgers-Cromartie and Janoris Jenkins could really shake things up and create a more than formidable pass defense.

Alternatives: Deforest Buckner DE Oregon, Joey Bosa DE Ohio State, Ezekiel Elliott RB Ohio State

Round 2: Reggie Ragland LB Alabama

Despite signing two players in the offseason, the Giants still don't have a long term answer at linebacker. Ragland has great play recognition and big hit ability; qualities you want out of a skilled middle linebacker. Considering there has been a carousel of underwhelming LB's moving through the Giants for quite some time, it would be nice to finally get a player talented enough to hold down that spot for a few years.

Alternatives: Chris Jones DE Mississippi State, Tyler Boyd WR Pittsburgh, Noah Spence DE Easter Kentucky

Round 3: Landon Turner G North Carolina

The Giants still lack depth at guard so they'll need to make certain that they take care of it. Turner has a big body that can overpower smaller lineman pretty easily. Though there is concern about his lateral movement, which could make him vulnerable to pass rushers, I see no problem with Big Blue selecting him as insurance for an often injury prone position.

Alternatives: Christian Westerman G Arizona State, Deion Jones LB LSU, Vonn Bell S Ohio State

Round 4: C.J. Prosise RB Notre Dame

Andre Williams has been underwhelming as the backup running back and the Giants will need to find someone that will provide a little more pop behind Rashad Jennings. Prosise brings a skill set that is comparable to Shane Vereen, quick direction change, downhill speed, and excellent hands. Seeing the success Vereen had the offense last season, there is no doubt Prosise could have the same impact right alongside him.

Alternatives: Kevin Seymour CB USC, Austin Johnson DT Penn State, Scooby Wright LB Arizona

Round 5: Jayron Kearse S Clemson

This one is simple, there is a glaring hole at the safety position that need to be filled ASAP so the Giants should take the best player available to them. At 6'4" Kearse is pretty tall for a safety, which works in his favor when it comes to jumping and tackling, however there is a concern that with that length comes a lack of speed and motion. Despite this, he could be very versatile if given the right direction ad motivation.

Alternatives: DeAndre Houston-Carson S William & Mary, Connor McGovern G Missouri, Keanu Neal S Florida

Round 6: Kolby Listenbee WR TCU

Adding another receiver is something that has been talked about off and on for a few months now. It is likely the team will look into this earlier in the draft, but there is no guarantee a receiver will worth taking earlier will become available. With no 7th round pick to play with the Giants will have to take a chance on a potential diamond in the rough in Listenbee, who has the big play ability that has made both Beckham and Cruz famous in New York.

Alternatives: DeAndre Washington RB Texas Tech, Luther Maddy DT Virginia Tech, T.J. Green S Clemson