It's difficult to reach the World Series, let alone do it in three out of five seasons like the Giants have. How does their five-year streak stack up in baseball history?

When the term "dynasty" is used, certain teams come immediately to mind -- the Yankees, the 1970s Steelers, the Bulls during the Michael Jordan era. All shared a very common thread, the ability to not just reach the finals in their respective sports but to win, and to do so in consecutive years. As leagues grew in size and free agency made it more difficult to keep teams together, it's not as easy.

As long as sports exist, there will be people who use the word dynasty whenever a team makes the playoffs two years in a row. Having written that, by reaching the World Series for the third time in five years, the Giants have entered into the discussion. It's a curious team to add into the mix -- consider their past five "dynastic" years:

Not exactly the Murderer's Row Yankees teams, but they did it in a period far different than teams even 40 years ago had to face.

There are ways to determine dynasties, and Bill James developed one in the New Historical Baseball Abstract (pp229-232). These are his criteria:

*To receive 6 points a team needs to win the Series and win 100+ games, otherwise they receive five points

I made some slight modifications. For example, I changed 90 and 100 wins to win percent, since it's easier to win 90 games in a 162-game season as opposed to a 154-game one, which also smooths out strike years. I also made the Wild Card equivalent to winning the division, a minor difference for the three years it's been in existence. If we're looking at 5-year time spans, obviously the maximum points that can be earned is 30. This table shows the most dominant teams:

The 1949-1953 Yankees won the World Series every year and missed the .617 win percentage by one win in 1952. Using James' formula they earned 25 points, since they never won 100+ games in that span --  mine gives them 29.

Using the James criteria the Giants from 2010-2014 earned . . . 16 points, regardless of whether they win this year's Series. With more playoff slots, the strict wins-to-postseason relationship isn't as linear, since all teams need to do is win around 88 games and they'll make the Wild Card. So I made two adjustments -- I only went back to 1969 to reflect the expansion of the playoffs and awarded points solely on the basis on how far in the playoffs a team advanced:

"Just win, baby" -- in baseball it's as true as anything. Who remembers who won the most games in the regular season? Conversely, who remembers how many games the World Series winner won in the regular season? The 2006 Cardinals won 83 games and still have a World Series trophy in their possession.

These are the new "dynasties":

Still no Giants, since even if they win this year's Series they'll still only have 18 points. In addition, as the other teams are reviewed, it's easy to identify the Hall of Fame-caliber players, plus there was an element of stability in their lineups. The Giants have nine players still left from 2010, of which only three (Madison Bumgarner, Buster Posey and Pablo Sandoval) are making regular contributions. There are very good players on the Giants roster, but Hall of Fame -- it's a little early to be making the case for anyone.

I'll make more data available in this Google Docs spreadsheet, which shows the best and worst five-years stretches for every team and much, much more. Dig into it and see how your favorite teams have performed over time -- not every team can be the Yankees. Are the Giants an even-year phenomenon? Check. Dynasty? I'll do my best to defend the language and say, not so fast.

All data from Baseball-Reference. Any mistakes in compiling or amalgamating the data are the author's.

Scott Lindholm lives in Davenport, IA. Follow him on Twitter @ScottLindholm.

Pirela had a very good year with the bat and added to his versatility in the field.

Grade: A

2014 Statistics: (AAA): 130 games, .305/.351/.441, 10 HR, 15 SB, 117 wRC+

(MLB): 7 games, 333/.360/.542, 0 HR, 0 SB, 149 wRC+, 152 OPS+

2015 Contract Status: AAA/40-Man Roster

Jose Pirela got his first opportunity in the Major Leagues this season, and while it might have been for just seven games and 25 plate appearances, it was well-earned. He spent the bulk of the year at the Yankees Triple-A affiliate in Scranton where he was an International League All-Star; having had a solid season with at the plate and playing six different positions in the field, in addition to seeing time as a designated hitter. In his career, Pirela has played every position except pitcher and catcher, adding to his versatility this season when he saw 12 games at first base.

The promotion was more than a reward for good performance, or even cover for an injured Martin Prado, as Pirela would have been eligible for minor league free agency had he not been added to the 40-man roster. He is a valuable asset to have kept within the organisation, with positional flexibility to cover multiple roles and a bat that would play at any of those positions, at least at the minor league level. Pirela profiles as a solid contact hitter with some speed on the basepaths. He has also grown into a little power, having hit 10 home runs this season in Scranton.

Pirela came in as the ninth-highest rated Yankee position player in the August Newsday rankings, a relatively low rating considering how close he was to major league promotion at the time. While versatile, he isn't regarded as a strong defender and may not have a clear primary position. He played mostly shortstop until 2011 since when the Yankees have had him play more second base and the outfield. Second base might be his clearest path to a starting role with the Yankees in the short-term, but he is usually regarded as less of a prospect there than Robert Refsnyder for whom he was moved off second base in Triple-A. Pirela could also potentially see significant time in right field, but his true value down the line might well be in a super-utility role similar to Prado, the player he replaced on the big-league roster this season.

It is telling that when moved to first to make room for Refsnyder's promotion to Triple-A, Brian Cashman specifically mentioned the struggles the Yankees have had finding a backup to Mark Teixeira. A player like Jose Pirela carries more value than ever in the days of 12-man bullpens where bench spots are a scarce resource and expensive to spend on players who have just a single position. A key part of the value Prado provided this season was the ability to move around spelling multiple older veterans as they had off-days or played designated hitter. Having Pirela around to provide similar versatility could well prove an asset over the 162 game slog that is the regular season. He might start the season at Triple-A on the shuttle over to the Bronx for injury cover, or be given an opportunity to win a major league bench spot outright in spring training. Either way, expect to see him in the big leagues at some point in 2015.

Is the next captain currently on the roster?

Being named captain of the New York Yankees is a prestigious honor granted to very few players in franchise history.  Only 11 people have had the honor to officially serve the team in that capacity.  The Yankee captain encompasses everything that baseball’s most prestigious franchise stands for hard work, pride and tradition among other things.  Here’s a brief look at some of those that have served as Yankee captains.

Hal Chase 1910-1912

Drafted from the minor league Angels in 1905, Chase became the Highlanders' first homegrown star.  He was widely considered the best defensive first baseman of his time by colleagues using his quickness and smooth glove work.  Chase was also no slouch with the bat, as he was among the league leaders in runs batted in and batting average.  Unfortunately, his last seasons were spent in turmoil with teammates and allegations of gambling and other shady dealings.

Roger Peckinpaugh 1914-1922

Peckinpaugh was acquired via trade in 1913 and spent a total of eight and a half years in New York until being traded to the Red Sox in 1922.  Known as a premium defensive shortstop, he offered a strong throwing arm and great range.  He was a leader of men both on and off the field using his calm and steady demeanor to stabilize a clubhouse in disarray.

Babe Ruth 1922

As a player, Babe Ruth is the gold standard in the Yankees universe.  The greatest player in history to don the pinstripes, he also served the shortest captain term in history.  Named captain before the 1922 season began; he was only able to last six days in the position. During a game on May 25, Ruth threw dust in an umpire's face and confronted a heckler in the stands.  After the game, he was stripped of his captaincy.

Lou Gehrig 1935-1941

After a span of 10 years without the team having a captain, Gehrig was named captain in 1935. Gehrig was everything that you could ever want in a baseball player.  The "Iron Horse" was a durable player, breaking former Yankee Everrett Scott’s consecutive games played record, a mark that wouldn’t be broken until Cal Ripken Jr. surpassed the feat in 1995.  He took great pride in everything that he did on the field giving it his all, whether he was fielding, hitting or base running.  Even in the face of his ALS death sentence, he handled it with class and dignity, saying goodbye with his "luckiest man" speech.

Thurman Munson 1976-1979

The tough as nails, gritty catcher was the "heart and soul," of the Yankee teams of the 1970s.  He lead the team to three consecutive World Series from 1976-1978, winning titles in two of those three seasons.  Munson was an outstanding defender and offensive player. With two World Series and an MVP award to his credit, he, Bill Dickey, and Yogi Berra are the standard to which past, present and future catchers will be judged.  Unfortunately, we will never know how much more he could have accomplished due to the tragic plane crash.

Graig Nettles 1982-1984

Graig Nettles was a gifted defensive third baseman possessing a strong, accurate arm, quick reactions and tremendous range.  Nettles, was a solid offensive player as well and was a driving offensive force on the 1977 World Series club putting up his career best season.  He led by example on the field, with a hard-nosed style that owner George Steinbrenner liked to see in his players.

Don Mattingly 1991-1995

After Nettles left, Willie Randolph and Ron Guidry served as co-captains from 1986 until the end of their tenures in '88 and '89. "Donnie Baseball" later became the first sole captain since Nettles, and he was the one mainstay of the Yankees during the tumultuous time of the late '80s and early '90s. He is another in a line of greats that played hard with Yankee pride.  In his prime he was able to get on base, drive in runs along with hitting for power and average.  Don Mattingly was a Gold Glove winner, AL MVP and a fan favorite.  It’s unfortunate that his back injury prevented him from capitalizing on his potential.

Derek Jeter 2003-2014

The best shortstop in Yankee history was also their longest-serving captain.  Derek Jeter’s legacy of hard work, dedication, professionalism and overall excellence has left him in rare company.  He spent most of his career of as the face of Major League Baseball, something that very few players ever accomplish. The greatest demonstration of mutual respect for Jeter is observed in how many current shortstops wear the number two because they want to be like him.

Conclusion

The Yankees have been blessed with some amazing talent and leaders. It appears that ownership and the front office are in no rush to name a new captain, nor should they be. The closest players to fitting the mold would be Brett Gardner and Brian McCann. Players such as Derek Jeter, Lou Gehrig and Don Mattingly had to pay their dues before they were rewarded and the new leadership should have to as well.

October baseball in the Bronx is the best baseball.

The 2014 World Series is underway, and with that, I thought it would be nice to look back at the Yankees' five most recent World Series championships and figure out which World Series was the most exciting to watch. Every one of them had different reasons to be one's favorite, and each of them have plays that stand out in Yankees fans' minds.

1996 your favorite? Wouldn't be surprising as that was the World Series that involved the Yankees, an underdog at the time, coming back from an 0-2 deficit, after losing the first two games at home, and going on to take the next four, three of which were in Atlanta. Some highlights included a huge game-tying home run from Jim Leyritz that saw the Yankees come back to tie the game after being down by six, a fantastic pitchers' duel between Andy Pettitte and John Smoltz, that ended with a great catch by Paul O'Neill, and a Game 6 triple by Joe Girardi that put the Yankees ahead for good. Let's not forget Charlie Hayes jumping up with joy after making the final catch, and Wade Boggs riding on a horse.

1998 of course was a magical year, but the World Series is probably most remembered for Tino Martinez's seventh inning grand slam, a grand slam that pretty much extinguished the Padres' chances, even though it was just Game 1. Scott Brosius was MVP, and he had a big time home run off Padres' closer, Trevor Hoffman. The Yankees went on to sweep the series and cemented themselves as one of the greatest teams ever. Martinez's grand slam is still talked about to this day, and many say it is the loudest they have ever heard the stadium... the old stadium that is.

1999 featured a rematch of the 1996 World Series, but this one wasn't as exciting as the 1996 one. The Braves didn't give the Yankees as much fits as before, and the Yankees went on to sweep the series, giving them the title of "team of the decade." The most memorable highlight is probably Chad Curtis' game winning home run in Game 3, his second home run of the game. Curtis also made the final out that wrapped up the series. Although Chad Curtis is a name that the Yankees would rather not have associated with them anymore for obvious reasons.

While 2000 was one of the lowest-rated World Series ever, it was huge in NYC as the Yankees and Mets met up. Game 1 didn't disappoint as it involved a classic at-bat by O'Neill against everyone's favorite, Armando Benitez, and a walk-off hit by Jose Vizcaino. Derek Jeter of course played a huge part in the series, winning MVP and becoming the first Yankee to ever win MVP of the All-Star Game and World Series in the same year. We can't forget Roger Clemens throwing a broken bat at Mike Piazza, and we also can't forget the very loud, final out off of Piazza's bat that looked like a game-tying home run, but found its way into Bernie Williams' glove as the Yankees took it in five games.

And then there is 2009, the last time the Yankees were in the World Series. This series wasn't a borefest at all, as it took the Yankees six games to win it all against the Phillies. Hideki Matsui was the MVP, and the Yankees beat Pedro Martinez twice in the series. Game 4 featured the Yankees giving up a lead, and regaining it on a ninth inning double by Alex Rodriguez, an inning that also saw Johnny Damon steal second and third base on one play. Matsui had six RBI in the series-clinching game too.

Of the five most recent championships, which is your favorite World Series?

Long wasn't out of a job for ... an extended period of time.

The New York Mets hired Kevin Long as their new hitting coach, the team announced on Thursday.

Long previously served as hitting coach for the New York Yankees from 2007 until he was fired on Oct. 11 of this year. The 47-year-old Arizona native takes the place of interim hitting coach Lamar Johnson, who has been reassigned to a minor league role. Johnson took over in May for Dave Hudgens, who was let go after a loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Under Long in 2014, the Yankees finished with collective OPS+ of 94 and ranked in the bottom five of the American League in most offensive categories. Still, the Yankees performed slightly better than the Mets, who ended the season with a 93 OPS+.

"Kevin's experience, success and wealth of knowledge make him the perfect fit as our hitting instructor," Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said in a press release. "This is a very positive step for the Mets."

Long takes over an offense that includes a 30-home run hitter in Lucas Duda and capable veterans David Wright and Curtis Granderson, but not one player on the club finished with an on-base percentage of .350 or better.

Greg Bird is dominating the Arizona Fall League; No Yankee Gold Glove finalists this year.

NJ.com | Brendan Kuty: No Gold Gloves for any Yankees this year.

Newsday | Cody Derespina: Prospect Greg Bird has been on quite a hot streak in the Arizona Fall League.

ESPN New York | Adam Rubin: The Mets have hired Yankees' former hitting coach Kevin Long.

New York Post | Ken Davidoff: Comparing the San Francisco Giants to the dynasty Yankees.

LoHud Yankees Blog | Chad Jennings: Looking at the number of starts by position for players during the 2014 season shows the defensive weaknesses.

Thanks for the memories, #Plangervis.

Grade: C

2014 Statistics: With Yankees: 75 G, .254/.337/.381 (104 wRC+), 1.1 fWAR; with Padres: 56 G, .267/.336/.355 (101 wRC+), 0.4 fWAR

2015 Contract Status: Traded to the San Diego Padres, currently Pre-Arbitration.

With the infield situation in total flux after the loss of Robinson Cano, I had no idea how the organization would fix the problem. Third base was a question mark, Derek Jeter could easily get hurt after coming off his lost 2013, and Brian Roberts was Brian Roberts. The Yankees had their back up option in 2013, and that was Eduardo Nunez. You all know how I felt about Eduardo Nunez (many felt the same), and it was time for a new direction. Coming into Spring Training there was a clear competition for the back up infielder position between Nunez, "Most Underrated Player In Baseball History" Dean Anna, and, of course, Yangervis Solarte.

Solarte was signed out of Venezuela as an amateur free agent by the Minnesota Twins way back in 2005, and he spent six years in the Twins' system before being released. He then spent two seasons with the Texas Rangers' Triple-A affiliate in Round Rock, and was once again released after the 2013 season. He then came to the Yankees' camp as a non-roster invitee, where Yankees scout Jay Darnell took notice, especially after seeing him in the previous season. He said the following to the Daily News:

"They had a lot of top end prospects – (Jurickson) Profar, (Mike) Olt," Darnell said. "Solarte was trying to find his spot there. When I saw him with Triple-A, it was early. He was playing second and Olt was at third and Profar was at shortstop. I had never seen him before, but liked the versatility, overall baseball acumen. With our need for infielders, I thought he’d be good."

He was certainly right. Solarte was certainly overlooked given the organizational depth of the Rangers, and the Yankees practically had to give him a shot given the state of their infield. We at Pinstripe Alley dubbed it "Plan Yangervis", or "Plangervis". And to everyone's disbelief, Solarte won a roster spot over Eduardo Nunez. Just on that alone, he was certainly worth it.

And then in the first month of the season, he shocked all Yankees fans and the baseball world by going on tear: in his first 92 PA he hit 145 wRC+ with nine doubles and a home run. And not only was he producing, but he was playing adequate defense around the infield and provided a versatility the team had lacked for a long time. But, of course, the gravy train had to run out.

From the beginning of May until the All-Star break, Solarte hit just 85 wRC+with just five doubles and five home runs in 199 PA; his performance even earned him a trip back to Triple-A. And as Brian Cashman saw his value plummeting, he had to capitalize on it as the Yankees' season began to slip away. At the trade deadline, the Yankees sent both Solarte and Rafael De Paula to the San Diego Padres in exchange for Chase Headley. After heading over to San Diego, Solarte hit a respectable 101 wRC+ and has five more years of team control left. The Padres gave up a great player with an expiring contract that they did not want and got a versatile and cost-controlled utility man in return. No one on either side of the deal was dissatisfied.

Yangervis Solarte was an unknown minor league journeyman, and the Yankees scooped him up for pennies on the dollar, extracted about one win out of him, and then flipped him on the trade market for nearly three wins in return. For a team that was tapped out financially and needed infield options, I think that constitutes a resounding success for the Yankees' front office. His time in the Bronx was mediocre overall, but his stint of brilliance and trade returns were great positives in a year of many negatives.

The World Series between the Royals and the Giants will resume tonight in San Francisco.

Comments of the Day

Once again, there were no comments truly worthy of the coveted COTD award. Our highly skilled team of aardvarks simply could not find anything. Sorry.

GIF of the Day

Shaun posted this GIF in response to an embed tweet about Greg Bird. Whatever you do, do NOT focus on the eyes.

Honorable Mod Mention

The mods looked at some fanposts last night. That's about as honorable as it gets really.

• Kevin Long was let go by the Yankees and hired by the Mets. How much of an impact do you think he will have on the Mets offense?
• Favorite basic grocery store cookies? (Chips Ahoy, Oreo, etc)

I mean, they are in San Francisco after all. As always, link us your song of the day!

Jeremy Guthrie will take the mound against Tim Hudson as the World Series between the Royals and the Giants continues tonight. The two teams are all tied up. The Giants are in front of the home AT&T Park crowd for the next three games, but the Royals speedy players could use the stadium to their advantage. There are some big gaps in that outfield.

Go World Series Go Baseball

The dynamic pitching prospect once again struggled with injuries. Stunner.

Grade: D+

2014 MLB Statistics: 8 G, 10 IP, 10 K, 7 BB, 5.40 ERA, 6.43 FIP, 1.80 WHIP

2014 AAA Statistics: 9 G, 12 1/3 IP, 16 K, 10 BB, 1.46 ERA, 3.44 FIP, 1.86 WHIP

2015 Contract Status: Pre-arbitration

Over the past decade, there have been few arms in the Yankees' minor league system that are as electric as the right on 24-year-old Jose Ramirez. Since being signed as an amateur in 2007, he's flashed brilliance across multiple levels, even if his hard statistics didn't always back up his potential. Even going into this year, Baseball Prospectus prospect writer Jason Parks (since hired by the Cubs) ranked him the second-best player in the Yankees' system, behind only Gary Sanchez. Pitch sequences like the one below are why people like him so much:

Nasty. Unfortunately, Ramirez's downfall has always been his complete inability to stay healthy. In his six years prior to 2014, he never topped the 115 innings or 21 starts he made in 2011 with Low-A Charleston, and while he finally made it past A-ball in 2013, he was limited to just 16 starts and 73 2/3 innings between Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Scranton. Thus, even though Ramirez had the potential for greatness in the rotation, the Yankees felt that they could no longer wait for Ramirez to have a full, healthy season in the minor league rotation. In spring training of 2014, they said that they would shift the righty to the bullpen in an effort to maximize his potential and hopefully decrease his risk of injury.

While it was an understandable effort, the move did not pay off at all in 2014. Ramirez was one of the first cuts in camp because his back locked up during February work-outs, and the setback was revealed to be an oblique problem. (This was not the first time Ramirez's oblique wreaked havoc on his season.) He made his 2014 debut with the Scranton bullpen on May 7th, and he demonstrated why he could still be an intriguing option. Although he demonstrated some control problems, he did fan quite his share of batters in Triple-A, striking out 16 men in just 12 1/3 innings, a stretch highlighted by three innings of shutout ball with four strikeouts on June 1st against the Pirates' Triple-A club.

With the Yankees seeking some bullpen help, they called Ramirez up for him major league debut just a few days later. He had a tough assignment trying to hold the red-hot Athletics at bay, so while he pitched two innings of one-run ball in his debut, he was tagged with the loss. Of Ramirez's eight games in the pros though, he pitched well in about five of them. There were some games where his inexperience showed, but despite the overall ugly numbers in the small sample size, he seemed like he could be a fit if he could ever stop walking people. His control was his downfall, as a 6.3 BB/9 just isn't going to cut it, and he was sent back down to the minors after a two-out walk led to an extra-innings loss to the Rays on June 30th. He only made two more appearances there before going down with an undisclosed injury that ended his season. Surprise, surprise.

If he somehow manages to get through spring training next year completely healthy, Ramirez might have a shot at a bullpen spot, although it seems more likely that the Yankees would send him back to Scranton to work on his control a little bit more. He's still new to the bullpen, and a little more experience there couldn't hurt. Moreover, he has to figure out a way to stay healthy. The story's the same as it's always been for Ramirez. Until he can actually keep the injuries to a minimum over the course of a full season, I can't be too excited by him.

The Yankees are a big family, so there are a lot more grades to go around to non-players for their 2014 performances.

Since it's report card season here at Pinstripe Alley, I thought it would only be fair to give grades out to other members of the Yankees (or those at least tangentially related to them) for their performances during the 2014 season. Unlike the other grades in our series that were well-thought out and striving for accuracy, these grades will be silly and based solely on the whims of the writer. If you have any issues with the grades feel free to take it up with your local member of Congress. With that being said, let's begin with these highly dubious grades.

John Sterling - Radio Announcer

Grade: D

2015 Status: "Voice of the Yankees"

Another year, another season of strange and occasionally embarrassing home run calls. Stephen Drew's beer-related...thing may have been his worst yet. Also, you never know what the hell is going on. If radio is the theater of the mind listening to John Sterling is like watching a stage version of "The Room".

David Cone - Television Announcer

Grade: A+

2015 Status: PSA Hero

He professed his love for this very site. Also said he would sooner die than not be able to read PSA again.* It doesn't get more perfect grade worthy than that. He's also pretty good at that announcing stuff, if that's your thing.

Dramatization. May not have happened.

Rookie - Trenton Thunder Mascot

Grade: B-

2015 Status: Adorable bat dog

Yes, he's a preposterously cute doggie that fetches bats. But he failed to win the Minor League mascot competition. And when I saw the Thunder this year, he was only out there for about three innings. Needs more grit and determination.

Bob Sheppard - PA Announcer

Grade: A

2015 Status: "Retired"

The legendary voice of Yankee Stadium finished up his final season announcing the at bats of the great Derek Jeter. If there is a rule against giving grades to deceased Yankee legends I'm not aware of it, and if such a thing exists I don't care.

Jerks Who Robbed Yogi Berra's Museum

Grade: F-

2015 Status: Burning in the pits of Hell

I'm not usually one for corporal punishment but surely a public flogging is in order in this case. Seriously, what the hell? Hopefully it gets late early...for criminals.

Yankee Stadium Concessions

Grade: C-

2015 Status: Crummy and expensive

The beer choice still stinks; Heineken is not a craft beer. And surely you could do better than trying to feed the poor people the reformed gruel that is Papa John's. Points added for the lovely garlic fries.

Rob Thomson

Grade: D-

2015 Status: Somehow not fired as third base coach

Thomson was so bad at his job that SABR-nerds will need to develop a formula for win probability decreased by assistant coaches. He would wave Brian McCann home in a suit of armor. I would have failed him but he gets points for his Twinkee-like survival ability.

Brian Cashman

Grade: Umm...well...

On second thought, let's not open that can of worms.

PSA Members

Grade: C

2015 Status: Hopefully not checking out some other Yankees-centric site

Not bad, but you can do better. I suggest starting off on the right foot by clicking the little green icon at the bottom of this post.

Prospects impressing in Venezuela; could Joe Maddon go to the Dodgers and help bring Don Mattingly back to the Bronx?

NJ.com | Brendan Kuty: Four Yankee prospects are tearing up the Venezuelan league so far.

It's About the Money | Brad Vietrogoski: The Yankees should avoid re-signing Ichiro or Chris Young and look elsewhere for better options to round out the bench.

LoHud Yankees Blog | Chad Jennings: The Yankees need a better plan for what to do if Mark Teixeira goes down with injuries again in 2015 - are the catchers, a prospect, or even A-Rod the best option to back Tex up?

ESPN New York | Andrew Marchand: Just because Yankee pitching was a pleasant surprise in 2014 doesn't mean they should rest on their laurels and count on everyone being healthy next season. Signing Max Scherzer might make the Yankees the favorites in the AL East, and while it won't be cheap, it might be just what it takes to make it back to October.

NJ.com | Mike Vorkunov: Now that Joe Maddon has left Tampa Bay behind, could he join Andrew Friedman in Los Angeles and perhaps, in doing so, push Don Mattingly back to the Yankees?

If Sori's career is indeed over, he probably didn't want to end it in such a brutal fashion.

Alfonso Soriano

Grade: F

2014 Statistics: 67 Games, 238 PA, 226/244/367, 6 HR, 23 RBI, -1.4 WAR

2014 Contract Status: Free Agent

After the Yankees acquired Alfonso Soriano last year for a second half run, he completely put the team on his back with a ridiculous run. In 58 games, Soriano hit 17 home runs and drove in 58 RBI, and almost single-handedly kept the Yankees in playoff contention. But that was then, and this is now, and 2014 was a complete nightmare for Soriano; so much of a nightmare that the Yankees had to finally bite the bullet and release him. It was a move that even they should admit took a lot longer than it should have.

Coming into 2014, Soriano was of course a year older, but the Yankees were hoping he could continue what he did in the second half of 2013 and provide some pop in the lineup. Soriano was expected to mainly be at DH with the occasional stint at right field. From the start, Soriano just didn't look like the guy who carried the team the past year and he looked like he was lost at the plate, swinging at anything and everything that came his way. It was actually quite difficult to watch Soriano, a major league player, take the hacks he did.

Beltran eventually injured his elbow which forced him into the DH role, which pushed Soriano into a part-time player role with Ichiro Suzuki, the much better defensive player, stepping into right field. Perhaps Soriano wasn't comfortable with that role and perhaps it attributed to his abysmal season, or maybe Soriano just was on the brink of retirement.

In 226 plate appearances, Soriano only managed to hit six home runs with 23 RBI. Soriano, since he managed to hack at anything, only managed six walks which "helped" push his OBP to just .244. Since Soriano wasn't hitting, and since he wasn't seeing much time in the field, Soriano just became a guy who couldn't hit, field, run, and couldn't do much of anything, so the Yankees had to make a decision.

As the trade deadline loomed, the Yankees acquired Brandon McCarthy from the Diamondbacks for everyone's favorite Vidal Nuno, but this would prompt another move as well. The Yankees decided to select the contract of Bruce Billings and cut ties with the once very popular player. Soriano was released and other teams were then given a chance to pick him up but unfortunately no team ever did, and so Soriano found himself without a job.

Regardless of the awful season Soriano put up, he will always be a popular Yankee who was very liked in the clubhouse, especially by Derek Jeter. Soriano had some huge hits in the World Series including a game winning single in Game 5 of the 2001 World Series that gave the Yankees a 3-2 lead over the Diamondbacks, and a go ahead 8th inning home run in Game 7 of that series which would have been the series clincher if the Yankees were able to hold on.

Moving forward, I don't see any team taking a chance on Soriano, and I don't see Soriano wanting to further his career a bit longer. If Soriano decides to hang it up, he should be proud of a fantastic career.

The Royals took Game 3 from the Giants yesterday. Timely hitting, decent starting pitching, and a spectacular bullpen is what lead to their 3-2 win last night. Game 4 is tonight.

Comments of the Day

YanksNetsDevils described why his favorite Yankees' World Series victory was in 1996. It's easy to see from this why it was.

Michael Brown gave Rookie a B- in his article. Matt P & Shaun disagreed with this grade.

GIF of the Day

River Ave U wins the GOTD award with this GIF of a dog posting stuff online. We'll assume he's posting on Pinstripe Alley.

Honorable Mod Mention

Shaun posted a picture with a cat wearing Batman's cape & cowl. This is honorable!

• Between the Royals and the Giants, which team has the better mascot?
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As always, link us your song of the day!

The Royals won Game 3 last night. They defeated the Giants in every which way. Good starting pitching, fantastic outfield defense, timely hitting, and a really good bullpen. Seeing the Royals pen in action makes me hope that the Yankees will lock up David Robertson as soon as possible. Tonight, in Game 4, the Royals will send Jason Vargas to the mound to face Ryan Vogelsong.

Go World Series Go Baseball

Has Refsnyder done enough to give the Yankees confidence in promoting him to the big leagues early in 2015?

Grade: A

2014 Statistics: .342/.385/.548 6 HR w/ Double-A Trenton, .300/.389/.456 8 HR w/ Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre

2014 Level/Roster Status: Triple-A/Non 40-man

Rob Refsnyder really started making noise in the Yankees' system in 2013 when he batted .370/.452/.481 with Low-A Charleston at the beginning of the season. The outfielder turned second baseman was promoted to Tampa to finish out the year before starting off 2014 with the Trenton Thunder. Picking up right where he left off a season ago, Refsnyder dominated at Double-A with a .933 OPS in 60 games. The Yankees felt like he was ready for the next level when they bumped him up to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, and Refsnyder repaid their confidence by finishing out the season with 86 hits in 77 games.

It seemed to most people (myself included) that Refsnyder should have been considered for a big league spot in 2014 when the disappointing duo of Brian Roberts and Stephen Drew proved wholly ineffective. With neither being under contract for the next season, it probably wouldn't have hurt the team to see what Refsnyder could provide at the major league level before entering the offseason with both middle infield spots up for grabs. Defense, however, seemed to be where the team's hesitance with Refsnyder resided. The second baseman was an outfielder with the Arizona Wildcats in college before the team felt his bat played more as a second baseman professionally. Refsnyder threw the ball around a bit in 2013, committing 25 errors on the season. He trimmed that down quite a bit in 2014 with only 12 between the two levels.

You can bet that Refsnyder will get a very long look from the Yankees in spring training this year, regardless of the offseason moves they make. The team could go into spring training with a competition for the second base job between Refsnyder and some scrap heap pickup since the free agent options at the position aren't exactly inspiring. If Refsnyder doesn't start the season in the Bronx, it certainly shouldn't be long before he makes it to the majors. He's proven he can hit at every level he's been to so far. If questions about his defense can fade into the background then there is little doubt that he's pretty much ready for the big leagues today.

Refsnyder represents what we have waited quite some time for: a Yankees position player that is knocking on the door. It's exciting to watch one of them just dominate each level of the minors on their way to New York, and Refsnyder has done just that. If the farm system is actually going to make a turnaround and start producing big league talent, it's very possible that Refsnyder making it is Step 1 of that progress.

Do you think the Yankees should go into 2015 with Refsnyder as Plan A at second base, or should they go with a more established player? Do you think he's ready for the big leagues?

New Yankee Stadium offers some opportunities as a home field that the Yankees are not taking full advantage of yet.

Ever since the original Yankee Stadium opened in 1923 the Yankees have made a habit of acquiring and developing powerful left-handed batters to take advantage of its short right field fence. The strategy has worked well, as most successful Yankee teams over the years have been built on a foundation of great southpaw swingers. Another aspect of the old stadium that the Yankees have historically looked to take advantage of is the vast real estate in left-center field. The franchise pitching leaderboard is littered with left-handed pitchers that routinely saw promising fly balls get gobbled up by speedy left and center fielders in what was affectionately known as Death Valley.

Alterations over the years, both minor and major, slowly normalized the playing field by drawing in the left and center field fences and pushing out the right field fences to the point that it nearly resembled a cookie cutter stadium. These changes culminated with the 2009 completion of the new Yankee Stadium which made it easier than ever before for right-handed hitters to leave the yard in the Bronx. For instance, in 2014 Yankee Stadium was the most home run friendly park in the league for left-handers but was also the fourth home run friendliest park for right-handers behind only Coors Field, the Rogers Centre, and Citizen's Bank Park.

The reduction in park size has also had the effect of suppressing the number of balls put into play in the outfield by lefties and righties alike. With all of those line drives and fly balls going over the wall, there are less to remain in play and either bounce around for extra bases or turn into outs at the hands of speedy outfielders. In 2014, Yankee Stadium was a below average doubles environment and triples were a rarity regardless of batter handedness (check these fancy park factors for the splits) which naturally created less chances for Yankee outfielders compared to an average ballpark. Based on these facts, the Yankees might want to re-think what it means to play to the strengths of Yankee Stadium when targeting potential acquisitions.

That's not to say they should abandon the old strategy of going after left-handed sluggers and speed in the outfield entirely. As Jacoby Ellsbury proved this year, those types of players will absolutely be productive in Yankee Stadium. However, they should be cognizant of the fact that the ridiculous range of Ellsbury and his partner in crime Brett Gardner can often be a wasted asset when they're watching catchable fly balls sail over the wall where Death Valley used to be. On the flip side, they shouldn't have any qualms about acquiring a right-handed slugger, as they can now benefit nearly as much as left-handed ones do in The House that Jeter Built, Alfonso Soriano notwithstanding.

Perhaps the best way the team can take advantage of their home field, though, is to limit fly balls hit against them by employing more groundball pitchers with a complementary infield behind them. This past year Yankee pitchers induced groundballs 43.7% of the time which ranked just 22nd out of 30 major league teams. A sound strategy heading into 2015 would be to fill out the rotation and bullpen with extreme groundball pitchers to get that rate to 45% or above and into the top half of the league (another reason to bring back Brandon McCarthy). If that can be accomplished, it would only make sense to also improve the gloves fielding all those grounders, but before we get to that, let's take a look at what some advanced defensive metrics have to say about the Yankees infield in 2014. (DRS - Defensive Runs Saved, UZR - Ultimate Zone Rating, TZ - Total Zone. Data courtesy of Baseball Reference and Fangraphs)

All three systems seem to agree that the Yankees were fine at first, second and third base while shortstop was a major liability. Therefore, the key to improving this unit should be pretty simple, keep up the good work at the former three and get some help at the latter. At first base, Mark Teixeira has proven that his glove can remain strong even as his bat rapidly deteriorates, so they can expect more of the same in 2015. Martin Prado should see most of the work at second base next year and he has held his own at the position for the Braves and Diamondbacks over the past few years, no worries there. If the Yankees make the smart decision of re-signing Chase Headley and give him regular time at third base where he was sublime last year, they'll be in great shape. At shortstop just about any competent infielder would be an improvement, no disRE2PECT, but an above average fielder there would make this one of the best defensive infields in the league. More groundballs plus an elite infield could equal a lot less heartbreak for Yankees fans in 2015.

So while unconventional, there's certainly an opportunity for the Yankees to improve in 2015 by taking advantage of their surroundings. It might not be pretty but this team is sure to struggle scoring runs again next year so the key to any success will have to be run prevention. The dimensions of Yankee Stadium suggest that the best way to achieve that is through the ground.

With Andrew Friedman and Joe Maddon gone, Rays ownership has reportedly discussed shipping the team out of the Tampa Bay area to Montreal.

Tampa Bay Rays owner Stu Sternberg has discussed moving the club out of the Tampa Bay area to Montreal, according to a report in the New York Daily News.

Sternberg has long been outspoken about the team's need for a new ballpark, with the Rays struggling to generate enough revenue and attendance in Tropicana Field to compete financially with their AL East rivals. The organization's current stadium lease runs through 2027, and Sternberg has been frustrated in his attempts to build a new ballpark for the Rays in the Tampa Bay area.

That has reportedly led the Rays owner to discuss moving the club elsewhere, specifically to Montreal, which, of course, has been without an MLB franchise since the Expos left the city in 2005. The news of Sternberg's potential desire to move the club elsewhere comes at the end of a tumultuous week for the Rays, with general manager Andrew Friedman departing for the Dodgers and manager Joe Maddon deciding to opt out of his contract with the club.

But Tampa Bay's stadium issues have persisted for years. The Rays ranked last in MLB in per-game attendance in 2014 and frequently play in a home stadium that is half-empty every night. Such a reality has greatly contributed to the club's financial woes, with the Rays also consistently having one of the lowest payrolls in baseball.

In regards to whether Montreal is a viable option for the Rays, one MLB official told the Daily News: "Say what you will about Montreal, but the Expos drew well over two million fans four times there in their heyday, while the Rays did that only once, their first year."

Whether the Rays end up deciding to leave the Tampa area remains to be seen. There is no denying that competing against the likes of the Yankees and Red Sox on an annual basis while playing at Tropicana Field is a near-impossible task. But whether a new stadium would fix the club's financial problems — and whether Sternberg can convince local officials to help fund a new ballpark — is an open question.

Regardless, Sternberg appears to be eyeing Montreal as a potential landing spot if the club's financial fortunes don't improve in Tampa Bay.

The Yankee's roster has changed a lot since 2009; 2014 draft report cards.

NY Daily News | Mark Feinsand, Bill Madden: The Yankees have brought back Greg Colbrunn as hitting coach of Class-A Charleston.

Yanks Go Yard | Billy Brost: A look back to October 24th, 2000 and the end of the Yankees World Series win streak.

NY Post | Joel Sherman: A-Rod should learn a lesson from Manny Ramirez's happy return. Word is talks between Yankees officials and Rodriguez have been upbeat.

LoHud Yankees Blog | Chad Jennings: The Yankees have undergone drastic roster changes since winning the World Series in 2009.

Baseball America | Clint Longenecker: Baseball America hands out report cards for the 2014 draft, along with CBA notes and spending trends around MLB.

Tanaka proved himself to be the Yankees' ace before an elbow injury sidelined him. Can he stay healthy in 2015?

Grade: A

2014 Statistics: 13-5, 136.1 IP, 9.31 K/9, 2.77 ERA, 3.2 WAR

2015 Contract Status: Signed to seven-year deal through 2020

The Yankees invested $155 million in Masahiro Tanaka with a seven-year contract before the Japanese right-hander even threw a pitch as a big leaguer. After getting badly burned on the Kei Igawa deal the Yankees finally got their money's worth when Tanaka was easily a Cy Young award candidate over the first few months of his stateside career.

Tanaka's starts were one of the few bright spots on a fairly lackluster Yankees team. Unfortunately, the injury bug that the team has faced over the last two seasons did not leave the new ace unscathed. Tanaka was diagosed with a partially torn UCL with a recommended treatment of rest and a PRP injection. Many people wondered why the Yankees did not just send Tanaka for Tommy John surgery instead of risking that his compromised UCL would tear sooner rather than later upon his return. The doctors who evaluated Tanaka all suggested the PRP and rest treatment for a tear that was said to be less than 10% of the tendon. Given that any surgery is risky, it's understandable that the team and likely Tanaka himself would prefer to avoid going under the knife if there was hope for recovery without such extreme measures.

The injury caused Tanaka to miss from July 9th until his return on September 21st against the Blue Jays. Although he lasted only 5.1 innings, the results of five hits and one run were very promising. Rust from the long lay off might have not totally been a thing of the past after Tanaka was roughed up in his final start of the year against the Red Sox. He gave up seven runs in under two innings before departing. Results at that stage were not nearly as important as his health, and it seems like Tanaka was fortunately able to come away with that.

If the Yankees are to be competitive in 2015 they will need Tanaka to be healthy. He has undoubtedly become the ace of the pitching staff and his dominance gives the team that stopper that every team needs. It's possible that the worst happens and Tanaka has to undergo Tommy John surgery, but being able to return at the end of this season for two starts at least gives some hope that surgery won't be necessary the minute he exerts himself in a start. Resting for an entire offseason to continue to let the minor tear in his UCL heal can't hurt either.

Even despite missing time with the injury, Tanaka gave the Yankees everything they could have wanted in the first year of his contract. It's easy to wonder what if about Rookie of the Year and Cy Young awards and what might have been if he stayed healthy, but hopefully 2014 won't be the last time he is in consideration for big awards at the end of the season. Tanaka is vital to the outlook on next season in the Bronx, and having him on the mound and healthy will go a long way in making the team postseason contenders in a year where they would be trying to avoid sitting home in October for the third year in a row.

On a scale of 1-10, how worried are you about the durability of Tanaka's elbow heading into 2015?

Will Nick Rumbelow become the latest bullpen success story?

Grade: A

2014 Statistics: 58.1 IP, 2.62 ERA, 0.51 FIP, 12.5 K/9, 2.8 BB/9

2014 Level/Roster Status: Triple-A/Non 40-man

Nick Rumbelow was picked in the seventh round of the 2013 draft as a junior out of LSU. Coming out of college, the right-hander was projected to be a high strikeout reliever with a straight mid-90’s fastball and a potential plus but inconsistent power curve.  He is exactly the type of power arm that the Yankees have drafted and developed into late inning bullpen pieces such as David Robertson.

Last season with Low-A Staten Island he was a solid bullpen arm, pitching to a 2.70 FIP, with 20 strikeouts in 23 innings of work. Rumbelow began this year with a brief stay at Class-A affiliate Charleston.  In just eight appearances, he racked up 18 strikeouts and issued only four walks over nine innings of work.  As impressive as the strikeouts were, his batting average against of .121 and zero earned runs allowed were equally as dominant.

In May, he was promoted to the Advanced-A affiliate Tampa Yankees of the Florida State League.  During his 19 game stay, he once again impressed striking out 29 while walking only eight in 26.1 innings.  His batting average against remained relatively unchanged as opposing batters could manage just a meager .208.  It was during his time in Tampa where he ultimately gave up his first runs of the season; however, his FIP was still an excellent 2.21.

After dominating his first two stops, Double-A Trenton came calling in July where it was Rumbelow’s shortest stop of the season.  Prospects usually begin to separate themselves at this level as competition gets tougher and Rumbelow rose to the occasion by continuing his dominance.  He overpowered opposing batters striking out 15, while issuing only one walk. Batters stood very little chance of hitting him as they only were able to manage a paltry .148 batting average against in 7.1 innings pitched.

The Yankees continued their continued aggressive promotion of Rumbelow by sending him to Triple-A affiliate Scranton in August. It was there where he finally had a bad outing, giving up four runs in a third of an inning against Rochester, causing his Triple-A FIP to rise to a respectable 3.55.  He was also hittable as well, as his opponent batting average jumped to .270, while allowing 17 hits in 15.2 innings.

Rumbelow tore through the farm system this season and is now on the fast track to the Bronx.  While Jacob Lindgren may be garnering all of the media attention, Nick Rumbelow climbed four levels in his first full season and deserves just as much press coverage. He’s right on the cusp of being another bullpen success story for the team next season.  There’s a very good chance that the Yankees will give him a shot in spring training to make the big league bullpen and for the $100,000 that they spent on his signing bonus, it would be quite the return on their investment if he pitches well.

Tragedy strikes St. Louis, as Oscar Taveras passes away in an auto accident.

USA Today | Paul White & Jorge L. Ortiz: Tragedy has struck the St. Louis Cardinals, as Oscar Taveras has passed away.

Bronx Baseball Daily | Delia Enriquez: A look at the Yankees second base organizational depth.

Rant Sports | Christopher Gamble: The New York Yankees have a building block in Aaron Judge.

Yanks Go Yard | Brendan Fitzgerald: Gauging the Yankees' 2015 Steamer projections .

Yanks Go Yard | Jason Evans: Victor Martinez shouldn't be in the Yankees plans.