Yankee fans, get excited!

Brian McCann hit his first Spring Training HR. As has been noted by pundits everywhere, Yankee catchers last year combined to hit a grand total of EIGHT! What's the over/ under on games til McCann has more than that? Factoring in Left Field and his protection from Beltran, Teixeira, and Soriano, I give it til June 17th or 73 games for his 9th HR. With Ellsbury getting on base in front of him, there is going to be a substantial increase in runs for the Yankees this year.

It feels good to finally be optimistic and not worry about hoping for comeback years. All three free agent batters had good years. We only expect continued production. As for Tanaka, I think he will adjust after the first month.

Do the Yanks still have holes? Absolutely. But name one team that doesn't! Name one team that is impenetrable from top to bottom. Even the teams with solid pitching like the Braves are still trying to build their lineup. And while the NL will have more interleague play, the Yankees will be competing with AL teams for the most part. In the East in particular, the Orioles are putting different pieces in to find the right formula. Some of their moves are respectable, but hardly formidable. And the Red Sox will have a near complete group returning from last year. But the onus is on them to prove that it wasn't a magical run. Will they continue their health? Will other teams adjust to their gameplans? Let the Sox fans worry about. For the next few weeks, all Yankee fans can unitedly agree, McCann was better than anything Girardi trotted out behind the plate for the last three years.

Before I close it out, just think of this: with Brett Gardner's signing, the Yanks will have the same outfield for at least the next three years, barring a trade or serious injury. Ponder that!

Mets Depth Chart and Preview

*Expected starters are in bold*

Starting Pitchers

Bartolo Colon: This guy will be 41 in May. He could be the father of a College World Series player right now. While Citi Field is no O.co stadium, don’t expect too much of a jump in HRs as Big Bart likes to throw pitches with movement to the side and down. While he will benefit from facing pitchers in the NL, you have to worry how he will handle the bat, as he has never had to bat regularly in the pro level excluding the stint with Expos. Even then, he struck out in over ½ his ABs and he was 12 years younger. He hasn’t had a hit in 9 years. Not that we expect him to hit, but more importantly, if he ever gets on base, how is he going to run?!?

Jon Niese: Niese is looking to stay healthy all year. We all would like to see a little more of the 2012 Niese when he threw for nearly 200 innings with a good WHIP. If he were able to get back to that level and perhaps improve, you are looking at a perfect #3 pitcher or decent #2 in the Mets case. He’s the same age as Dillon Gee, so it will be nice to see if they can enter their prime with some consistency and slight improvement.

Dillon Gee: Two words: innings eater. He should go past 200+. Considering he had a solid ERA last year and WHIP was maintained from previous year there’s no reason to believe he won’t maintain or improve on that.  Gee will be 28 in April. Don’t expect too much improvement, but some.

Zack Wheeler: For all the talk of wanting to be the ace of the staff this spring, Wheeler is going to have to improve on his control. He simply puts too many men on base with free passes. Has good stuff, but needs to pick his spots on when to throw and not put himself in a hole. With d’Arnaud catching, you’re hoping for a good game call from the bench and some chemistry to develop between the two.

Jenrry Mejia: Look for Jenrry to make the strongest push to start in place of Matt Harvey. Still has time on his side and should benefit from last year’s cup of tea in the majors. It would be a disappointment not to see Jenrry start the year in the 5^th spot.

Daisuke Matsuzaka: Dice-k? Really, Sandy?

John Lannan

Carlos Torres: Fans would much rather see him vie for Long Relief than a SP slot. He is decent in a spot start, but not going to last the full year.

Matt Harvey: Take your time. Don’t rush back to give the team hope only to injure yourself again.

Relief Pitchers

Jeurys Familia

Josh Edgin

Vic Black

Gonzalez Germen

Ryan Reid

Scott Rice: Had a decent showing in his rookie year. He likes to keep the ball on the ground, so you better hope the defense is up to the task. It would be a good story if he stuck around this year, but don’t put too much hope into a 33 year old sophomore.

Bobby Parnell (CL): The real bullpen story here is if Parnell will be healthy all year. While he has returned to throwing, it should be noted that he was dealing with a minor quad injury. Last year was his best and he should continue to improve. Let’s just hope he has more opportunities to save games this year instead of the 26 he has last.

Catchers

Travis d’Arnaud: It seems the Mets have committed their catching duties to d’Arnaud. And why not? He’s a career .286 in the minors. Granted his rookie year was not filled with too many hits, but remember he was coming off a broken foot. Look for him to regain his timing and put up decent numbers offensively. With a solid glove as well, d’Arnaud will probably be the Mets catcher long term.

Anthony Recker: I think Recker’s time has come and gone. He had his shot to be a suitable backup. With Centeno waiting, this is probably Recker’s last year, if he even makes it out of Spring Training.

Juan Centeno: I doubt the Mets use Centeno as the backup to begin the year. He will probably start in AAA for more seasoning. He has a solid .AVG but could really work on his plate discipline. Expect him to come up in September and stick around as the backup for a few years; unless, of course, Sandy trades him for a reliever.

1^st Base

Ike Davis: This poor kid doesn’t know which way is up or down. After a stellar start to 2011, the last two seasons have been the complete opposite. With a hole in his swing bigger than the Grand Canyon, he is too easy of an out. His slugging has dropped egregiously since 2011, with last year being even lower than his rookie campaign. An .OPS of .661 is not going to cut it. You just hope he can tighten up a little bit, draw a few more walks, and rebuild his confidence.

Lucas Duda: Is he a 1^st basemen with an OK bat, or an outfielder with a subpar glove? I am unsure of this as are the Mets. I want the Dude to stick around and figure out a position that maximizes his talent, but Terry Collins has to work that out. And soon.

Josh Satin

Zack Lutz

2^nd Base

Daniel Murphy: Expect some power increase as he enters age 29. Doubles should continue to be there in the 37 – 42 range. Again, this comes down to coaching and team philosophy, but he could definitely stand to improve with seeing more pitches. A .319 OBP was his lowest since 2009. If he can boost it back up to .350+ he is a solid 2^nd basemen.

Wilmer Flores: Either Wilmer or Omar will be the Utility infielder. Neither have significant bat impact, but the youth should win out.

Omar Quintanilla

3^rd Base

David Wright: Do you, David. Keep it real and keep shouldering this team.

Wilmer Flores

Josh Satin

Zach Lutz

Shortstop

Ruben Tejada: Again, really, Sandy? You’re going to let Tejada start at shortstop? Sure, he’s young, but the potential is starting to wear out and soon we’re going to be left with a soft hitting, confused 25 year old. 

Wilfredo Tovar

Omar Quintanilla

Left Field

Curtis Granderson: Do not, I repeat, do not get too hyped up about this guy! Is he better than Jason Bay? I remember when Bay was signed, fresh off a great year with the Red Sox. He got hurt and never panned out. Oh and Bay was younger than Granderson is. The Grandyman has not hit for a decent average in 2 years. His HR totals are impressive, but they were easily countered by his strikeout numbers. With more age, I doubt he puts on a stolen base clinic. I am not going to harp on his health; both injuries last year were absolute freak accidents and shouldn’t take away from whatever skills he has left.

Eric Young, Jr.: Solid 4^th outfielder, but no more. He has a decent glove and an OK bat. If Chris Young doesn’t pan out, expect EYJ to get more reps than planned.

Lucas Duda

Andre Brown

Center Field

Juan Lagares: Look for Lagares to build on a solid rookie year. The defensive presence of Granderson should help his shading and cheating out a little bit. Fans would love to see a jump in the stolen base department, seeing as he should be a little more ready and knowledgeable on pitchers.

Chris Young

Curtis Granderson

Matt den Dekker

Right Field

Chris Young: Sandy is investing in Young to have a Byrd type year. That’s the only logic I could see. He wasn’t particularly good platooning with the Oakland A’s last year. I doubt the Mets will platoon him to start the year, hoping rather for the consistent playing time help him get back to where he was a few years ago.

Andre Brown

Juan Lagares

Matt den Dekker

Realistically, Mets fans should expect nothing, please. Don’t even think of the words Wild Card. If everything fell together for a magical run, then so be it. But stow the optimism for one more year. This club has too many holes and weaknesses, primarily leadoff and shortstop. If only they had kept Jose around for a few more years. I would rather see Harvey come back late this year or next and be 110% than risk any more injury to the golden arm. If Wheeler improves, the rotation looks good, especially with Syndergaard in the minors. Will they be good enough for the playoffs next year? I don’t know for certain, but I would give them the benefit of the doubt in 2015. For now, sit back, relax, enjoy the cheap ticket prices, root for the underdogs, but don’t be full of optimism and hope just yet.

That's All Folks: USA loses in Semis to Canada

What a crushing loss for Team USA. For all the hubbub and buildup, we are left cheering for a Bronze medal. Sweden won earlier today and will face Canada on Sunday. USA will play Finland tomorrow.

The American team made several mistakes, the most costly of which was letting Jay Bouwmeester stay wide open near the blue line. He drove the puck towards Jamie Benn as he skated to the front for a deflection goal, the only goal of the game. Just before that goal, the Canadian offense looked as if they were on a power play. All of America's best were to the far left of Jonathan Quick with the Canadian forwards spread out around their perimeter. As soon as the pass went to Bouwmeester, who had slid just right of quick but out far, you could see the American defense shift to the middle. The lanes were not closed though, leaving a clear channel for Bouwmeester's pass to Benn.

Up until then, the game had been rather back and forth. The Canadian break was full of speed, whereas the Americans seemed to have cleaner passes. Crosby was limited in scoring again, but he made several plays throughout the game to remind everyone he is one of the best. After the goal, the Americans made a few rushes. But the game seemed to turn towards Canada's favor. At one point, you could hear the announcers saying how much confidence they were playing with as a defensemen was behind the goal line helping facilitate the offense.

Desperation called for Suter and McDonagh to stay on longer than planned. Suter in particular appeared to be on well over normal. For the next period and a half, the defense ruled supreme. America's potent offense, which had led the Olympics in goals scored, could not muster any sort of real threat, shooting again and again at Price's chest. Phil Kessel was limited as was Patrick Kane, leaving slapshots from the blue line as the main source of chances. Canada's defense was so fast and strong, limiting American rebounds quickly and efficiently. However, we should applaud Team USA for blocking so many shots, lying out on the ice to break up plays and taking a few pucks to the body.

If only someone had seen Bouwmeester and Benn. If only they had a little more firepower in the offense today. If only that extra man after the goalie was pulled had helped. It did not, by the way, as America only managed a feeble attempt to put the puck in the net, wasting precious seconds just trying to get it close.

America is out of the Gold Medal Match. All we can do is blame Canada.

A calamitous season: The New York Knicks

After watching last night's game, I am unsure what to feel about these Knicks. As they have always done, they took fans to the lowest lows, highest of highs, and then abruptly left them disappointed. Not only were they winning by 4 points with less than two minutes to go, but they even had a chance to tie later. Poor execution, overuse of certain players without rest, and a general lack of defense is what really did the Knicks in last night against the Memphis Grizzlies.

And you can definitely transpose that on to the whole season: poor execution, overusing players, lack of defense is what caused the Knicks to stink up this year.

Too often the offensive set breaks down because players are running into each other, throwing ridiculous cross court passes through traffic, no look passes when they should have looked, or general ball hogging. It is discouraging to watch and listen, especially when Clyde is continually nit picking what players should do. Nothing against Clyde, he is probably right, but shouldn't someone be held responsible?

The one to be held responsible is the same man who uses Carmelo Anthony for close to 40 minutes a game, often entirely through the 1st and 4th quarters. Last night in particular, Melo looked exhausted for some reason, absolutely gassed as the announcers called it. Yet, Coach Woodson kept riding him like Secretariat. Rather, like Willy Nilly in the 5th at Aqueduct; Secretariat was a winner. Felton sat the entire 4th quarter and Shumpert was out for most. I can understand wanting offense over defense, but it seems he simply forgot about those two. When Mike Miller hit that open 3 to take the lead, it was as if the team and coach collectively let the fans down in one moment.

The one person not to leave wide open behind the arc was Killer Miller. Yet, Prigioni was double teaming Zach Randolph at 15 feet out with Chandler. It was not like Z-Bo was killing the Knicks all game. Nor was he the one responsible for bringing the Grizz back into it. Whether this falls on Prigioni or Woodson it does not matter. Miller should not have been left alone. Personnel on the floor should have realized that. Coach should have had the right personnel on the floor. And that's what the Knicks have been struggling with all year.

Blow up the Knicks or fire Woodson, you decide. But this collective group is not the ones to win a championship.

Where Jeter ranks among the Greatest Yankees

I read a very nice article from another site the other day, wherein the author ranked Jeter as the very best Yankee. His argument made complete sense: if you were born in the late 80s or early 90s, basically 20 - 30 years old, you only remember the Yankees with Jeter. He has been the face of the franchise for nearly two decades and is always a class act.

In fact, the author put him above Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantly, and Yogi Berra. However, he pointed out that WAR (wins above replacement) only puts Jeter in 5th of 6th, just ahead of Yogi. As for myself, I believe Jeter is closer to 5th than 1st on this list.

Yes, I grew up with Jeter, too. I never saw Mickey play like my grandfather did; I do not remember the great 50s and 60s teams. But I definitely have a strong appreciation for what those Old Timers have done. Is Babe Ruth the greatest Yank? No. But the Sultan of Swat definitely did his part to bring baseball to prominence and boost the Yankee name by crushing 60 long balls in a season. Joe DiMaggio was a true superstar and a war veteran. His hitting prowess was undeniable, and his popularity, insurmountable. Then we come to the Mick. He could do anything and was loved by all. Jeter, in a similar way, is respected by all, and certainly has done everything to help his team win.

But to me, there is no greater Yankee than Lou Gehrig. The man was nearly unstoppable for years collecting MVP awards, the batters Triple Crown, and setting RBI records. His sad end was shared not just by Yankee fans but everyone in baseball. The living legend deteriorated in front of the public's eyes. Everyone knew they had seen possibly the best player ever have his life cut short so quickly. His iconic speech pervades baseball lore. It is this sad end to an amazing career and an amazing person that really strikes the observer. He gave everything he had to the Yankees until he literally had no more.

If I had to choose one person to represent the Yanks on a monument or placard, I would want it to be Henry Louis Gehrig.