The Yankees' chances in 2015 rest heavily on the right elbow of Masahiro Tanaka.

The New York Yankees had nothing but positive things to share on the status of Masahiro Tanaka's right elbow Monday. Speaking to reporters, Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild indicated everything has gone according to plan for Tanaka this offseason.

"So far, he's felt good," Rothschild said Monday. "He's had a good winter."

Tanaka was dominant in his rookie season for the Yankees in 2014 but missed more than two months after the club found a partial tear in the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow last July. Such an injury often leads to Tommy John surgery, though the Yankees decided to have Tanaka rest and rehab the tear rather than go under the knife. The right-hander returned for two starts in September and couldn't escape the second inning in his final outing against the Red Sox.

"The last start [against Boston] he didn't pitch well, but he didn't feel bad." Rothschild said. "We've got to manage a few guys in spring training and try and get them through healthy, and he's one of them."

Prior to the injury, Tanaka was one of the bright spots of a non-playoff season for the Yankees, posting a 2.51 ERA in his first 18 starts with 135 strikeouts and just 19 walks; he finished with a 2.77 ERA overall. Perhaps most telling, the Yankees went 14-6 in Tanaka's 20 starts and just 70-72 in all other contests.

Coming off back-to-back seasons of missing the postseason, it goes without saying that Tanaka is an essential part of the team's hopes to play in October once again. However, the team's rotation is full of question marks. Beyond Tanaka, Michael Pineda is the only returning starter to have much success in 2014, and he hasn't stayed healthy for a full season since the 2011 campaign. C.C. Sabathia is coming off season-ending knee surgery and is 34 years old. Ivan Nova, meanwhile, is still recovering from Tommy John surgery and likely won't be healthy until June.

That leaves a lot of potential for headache next season in the Bronx, though how you view the Yankees' outlook largely depends on Tanaka's health. On one hand, the Yankees do have the right ingredients for a solid rotation if Tanaka's elbow holds up, Pineda continues his success and newcomer Nathan Eovaldi joins a healthy Sabathia and Nova. But another scenario, in which Tanaka, Pineda and Sabathia all struggle to stay on the field, is equally as plausible.

For now, the Yankees can take solace in the fact Tanaka has yet to experience any setbacks.

On the verge of destruction, DBJ has revived his prospect existence.

Background

Dante Bichette Jr. is the son of former major leaguer Dante Bichette, and the Yankees selected him as the 51st overall pick in the 2011 draft. I think there were a decent amount of people who thought he was an over-draft, but many, including the Yankees, believed that his raw power and decent peripheral tools justified the placement. In his first professional year, he tore up Rookie ball. He only played 52 games, but he hit an enormous .342/.446/.505 (172 wRC+).

Of course, that wasn't full season ball, and he hit a wall almost immediately. And as everyone knows, that wall just stood there as an obstacle for the next two years. In nearly 1000 PA, Bichette hit ~83 wRC+ with just 14 home runs at Low-A Charleston. The power never showed itself, and his defense is not at all good enough to justify continuing to play him at third base. After the 2013 season, his prospect life was nearly dead.

2014 Results

Tampa (A+): 109 G, .271/.352/.410 (120 wRC+), 9 HR, 27 2B, 0.7 WARP

Trenton (AA): 18 G, .224/.297/.313 (73 wRC+), 1 HR, 3 2B, 0.2 WARP

But, this past season, he turned it around. Bichette apparently worked on his approach at the plate with his father, and he worked to better his approach with two strikes. The result was cutting down on his strikeout rate by about 6%, increasing his walk rate by about 2%, and boosting his wRC+ by nearly 40 points.

The one thing to note is that his power still has not shown up to the party, but I'm much less worried about that considering he hit well overall. And while his .139 ISO is not great, at least his BABIP of .325 at least shows a modicum of improvement in terms of making hard contact. He did struggle a bit at Double-A Trenton, but it was 74 PA, so I wouldn't read too much into it.

2015 Outlook

After his revival in 2014, I would imagine that Bichette begins his season with Double-A Trenton, with a possible promotion to Triple-A depending on how well he performs. He's still a 22 year-old, remember, so there's no reason to rush him at all. The key to this season is adjusting to a much higher talent level, and also tapping into his raw power. Scouts still believe decent tools are there, but he'll certainly need a bit more refinement to bring them out. Bichette did an excellent job of preventing a slow fade into obscurity, and now he has a golden opportunity to ascend to the big league level. If 2014 was important, 2015 is arguably more so.

The Yankees signed Kyle Davies to a minor league deal yesterday. That is all they did. Oh well. Holy Cow, pitchers and catchers report in Phil "The Scooter" Rizzuto days.

While the baseball world was waking up to find out that James Shields was now a member of the San Diego Padres, the Yankees and their fans were revealing in their decision to give right-handed pitcher Kyle Davies a minor league contract. Can you say "Championship?" In all seriousness, it's unlikely that Davies makes it out of Scranton. Only time will tell. Meanwhile, pitchers and catchers report in ten days. Holy cow!

Comments of the Day

The Yankees are gonna pick the next Mike Trout and Derek Jeter with this upcoming draft. Callin' it.

Too many Becks? Personally, I really liked Morning Phase and I'm happy it won the Grammy. Also relevant...

PizzaStripe Alley? Pizza Sauce Alley? Keep em' coming, folks!

Even though the PSA Game Threads are pretty incredible, we could also take this as a sign as to why the YES booth really needs to just be Singleton and Cone.

Get the presents ready, PSAers.

GIF of the Day

I guess the Simpsons Grammy GIF, cause there were no other GIFs yesterday.

Honorable Mod Mention

Waffles got two COTD awards, so she'll take the HMM award home today.

• If money were no object, where in the world would you like to fly for a vacation of romance with your significant other?
• Name some of your favorite Italian dishes.

I've mentioned before how Peter Gabriel's So is one of my all time favorite albums. This song is one of the reasons why. As always, please link us your Song of the Day.

Feel free to use this as your open thread for the day. I'm not going to lie, the photo I used of the Scooter for this thread is one of the best I've ever found.

And all my instincts, they return.

Bird continues to be the word, showing up on everyone's prospect lists these days.

Background

The Yankees selected Greg Bird in the fifth round of the 2011 draft out of Grandview High School in Aurora, Colorado, where he was serving as Orioles pitcher Kevin Gausman's battery mate. The chances of Bird sticking as a catcher as a professional were slim, and a back injury ultimately moved him permanently over to first base. Bird's bat, however, has always been where his promise lies. He has a powerful left-handed swing that allows him to hit homers to all fields and tremendous plate discipline that keeps him from being an all-or-nothing hitter.

Bird's early professional career was hampered by injuries, but he's managed to turn in two nearly full seasons in 2013 and 2014 that have put him firmly on the top prospect radar. His breakout performance with the Low-A Charleston RiverDogs in 2013 raised his stock quite a bit, and he managed to keep up that momentum with another strong season between High-A Tampa and Double-A Trenton last season before going on an absolute hitting rampage through the Arizona Fall League where he was named MVP this offseason.

2014 Results

Tampa (High-A) 75 games, .277/.375/.442, 7 home runs, 22 doubles

Trenton (Double-A) 27 games, .253/.379/.558, 7 home runs, 8 doubles

A back injury caused Bird to miss the first bit of the 2014 season, but he returned to put up an .817 OPS in the Florida State League over the course of 75 games before being promoted to Double-A. His 14 home runs across two levels were down from the 20 he hit the season before, which may have come from needing time to get back into a groove after healing from a back injury. He matched the seven home runs he hit with Tampa in just 27 games with the Thunder, showing that the power was obviously still there even in a more pitcher-friendly ballpark like the one in Trenton.

Bird went on to the Arizona Fall League after finishing up the minor league season. He led the league in home runs and runs scored while finishing second in RBI and total bases with an overall batting line of .313/.391/.556 with the Scottsdale Scorpions. Bird was ultimately named MVP of the AFL after crushing a monster home run in the Fall Stars game that went up into the batter's eye in center field.

Prospect evaluators have taken note of Bird's success, ranking him among the best prospects in the game. He's appeared alongside Aaron Judge and Luis Severino as Yankee representatives on nearly every top 100 list that has been compiled this offseason. Bird was also ranked as the third-best first base prospect in the game. That's all very high praise for a prospect that plays a position that is sort of looked down upon by those who cover prospects. It means that they think his bat is very legit with a good chance of playing at the big league level.

2015 Outlook

Bird's stock will only continue to rise with another season like the previous two. He should start the season off at Double-A Trenton before hopefully being ready to move up to Triple-A in the second half of the year. His proximity to the big leagues and Mark Teixeira's injury history make him an intriguing option going forward, but it's unlikely that he sees any big league time in 2015. Staying healthy and productive in the upper levels of the minors would be a great accomplishment in its own right.

As a non-roster invitee to big league camp, Bird will also get a chance to show his skills off against tougher competition in spring training. That should give the team (and fans) a chance to see how he performs on a slightly bigger stage. If the bat is everything we think and hope it is as he continues to climb up the minor league ladder, having just another year or so to see Bird in the Bronx will be more than worth the wait.

The hard-throwing left hander hit a wall in 2014, but don't jump ship just yet. Brothers is poised to bounce back and be a big part of the future.

Coming off of an outstanding campaign in 2013, Rex Brothers was going to be lights out in 2014. Or so was the plan. Instead, the southpaw finished the year with an unfortunate 5.59 ERA, going 0-6 in save opportunities. In a season where a lot went wrong for many of the Rockies, It doesn’t seem to be any one issue that broke Rex Brothers, but there’s plenty of reason to believe it’s not too late to fix him.

★★★

Brothers may have been trying to do too much in 2014. In addition to his bread-and-butter four seam fastball and hard slider, we saw more of his change-up and sinker than he had thrown in years passed. This change to his arsenal might be responsible for many of the differences over the past two seasons. The pitches appear to work to each other's detriment, with the change-up offering little in compensation for the heavily depleted fastball and slider.

Four seam fastball

Slider

Change-up

The sinker project has been marginal to this point; poor results over low exposure suggest that it won't hold a permanent place in Brothers' repertoire. He reintroduced the pitch in the final two months of last season, so we may still see it again this spring.

Brothers increased the use of his third and fourth pitches in the final months of the season. In the 11 games he appeared in August, Brothers posted an unsightly 13.40 ERA.

Given his role as a high leverage reliever, Brothers doesn’t need much beyond the fastball-slider combination. His changeup’s relative success in a small sample size could be something to build on eventually, but he has yet to put together a season showing the three work well together. Rehabilitation of his slider is key moving forward. His fastball is strong, but a good season from his slider is a good season for Rex. The pitch has accounted for 160 strikeouts, only two home runs, and a career batting average against of just .185. This is the pitch that kept left handed batters quiet in the past--they see it about 40% of the time--while he currently only for uses his change-up against righties. If adding other pitches to his arsenal is going to detract from the dominance of his original stock, Brothers might see more success by keeping things simple from here on out.

A down year from Brothers may have come at an inconvenient time for an already struggling bullpen, but that's not to say it came as a total surprise. To say the least, the Rockies have made things interesting for Rex Brothers over the course of his career. A first round pick in the 2009 draft, Brothers made his first major league appearance less than two years after signing. He never spent more than 33 games at any one minor league level, bypassing any opportunity to really settle in and experience the highs and lows of a season.

Since they profile similarly, consider Yankees reliever David Carpenter’s time in the minor leagues. Carpenter spent the better part of seven seasons in the minors, bouncing between four organizations by the time he broke onto the big stage. What you'd see from Carpenter is a lot of the same ERAs in the mid-threes that Brothers demonstrated, but with seasons that reach up into the 4.20 range, with walks sometimes totaling near 40 on the year in not that many more innings.

Rockies fans have seen minor league trials lead to positive results. The case of rookie Tyler Matzek is the most recent example. His bumpy years in Asheville and Modesto eventually smoothed into consistency.

The trial by fire approach that was supposed to deliver an unbeatable late-inning talent to the Rockies’ bullpen instead may have catalyzed the lefty’s stumble. In time and with patience, Rex Brothers will work through the same examination others have faced, but unfortunately he will do so under much more scrutiny and many more eyes than most.

Projections for Brothers in 2015 expect a better performance this season, though still not back up to par with his 2013 numbers. PECOTA placed him with a 3.83 ERA over 65 innings (If you haven’t already checked out Eric Garcia McKinley’s PECOTA projections article, do so.) and the same kind of high strikeout numbers we expect from the 27-year old. The Rockies front office isn’t showing much in terms of skepticism either, agreeing to a one year, $1.4 million contract, in Brothers’s first year of arbitration eligibility. The club has added most heavily this offseason to their bullpen depth, but a re-adapted Rex Brothers is still among the organization's best relievers.

The problems that surfaced for Rex Brothers don’t appear to be anything deeply rooted. He’s not overthrowing, putting himself at risk of injury, he’s not lost all command or total control of his game. He’s just working things out. Even if it takes another season to establish his strength and return to his comfort zone, the lefty should be primed and ready for some high-heat baseball into the club's expected window of contention.There’s certainly room to improve and decisions to be made, but if Brothers can settle in for the long haul, the Rockies have in him potential for late-inning greatness.

One of Casey Stengel's platoon favorites became quite a valuable player for the Yankees during their '50s dynasty years.

Name: Gene Woodling
Position: Left field
Born: August 22, 1922 (Akron, OH)
Died: June 2, 2001 (Barberton, OH)
Yankee Years: 1949-54
Primary number: 14
Yankee statistics: 698 G, .285/.388/.434, 105 2B, 40 3B, 51 HR, 118 wRC+, 16.0 rWAR, 15.7 fWAR (as of 1/18/2015)

Biography

The pantheon of Yankees championship players is led by some of the greatest players the game has ever seen. All Yankees fans know about the Babe Ruths and the Mickey Mantles. Most are aware of some of the slightly lesser players too, the Willie Randolphs and the Andy Pettittes of the world. However, on all of those 27 World Series winning teams, there were numerous other key players whose names are not nearly as well-known. One such player was Gene Woodling.

The outfielder was one of 12 Yankees who played a part on all five squads of the amazing 1949-53 Yankees, who set a record that will likely never be broken with five World Series titles in a row. Woodling was one of the more underrated players of that dynasty, and his steadiness was pivotal in each of those years helping the Yankees annually lock down pennants and championships.

Long rise to the top

Eugene Richard Woodling was born on August 16, 1922 in Ohio to a family that had sports talent running through their veins. Woodling's older brother Red was a nationally recognized swimmer at Ohio State University, and Gene sought to follow in his footsteps. So at Akron East High School, he swam in a competitive conference while also earning high regard for his football and basketball abilities. His parents Harvey and Alvada clearly recognized that they had another talented athlete on their hands, and before long, baseball was added to Woodling's repetoire.

Interestingly, Woodling did not in fact play any baseball for Akron East until his senior year. When he finally put on the spikes though, local scouts quickly noticed his natural abilities despite the state's limited baseball schedule. The Cleveland Indians signed him just barely after he graduated and he headed an hour west, where he spent the 1940 season with the Class-D Mansfield Braves. At age 17, he tore up the Ohio State League by winning the batting crown with a .398 average and a .557 slugging percentage.

Woodling continued his ascent in the Indians' system, though he hit a wall in 1942 where he broke his ankle with the Wilkes-Barre Barons and played just 39 games. He rebounded the next year with a .344 average and a .479 slugging percentage, earning his major league debut late that year. Alas, he spent only eight games for Cleveland before Uncle Sam came calling; it was wartime after all. Woodling thus spent the next two years in the U.S. Navy, albeit mostly playing baseball for military teams skippered by Hall of Famers.

When Woodling returned stateside in 1946, the Indians didn't like how he looked in spring training, but they kept him with the team for the season. The 23-year-old didn't hit a lick, as he struggled to a .188/.280/.256 triple slash. The Indians gave up on Woodling, sending him to the Pirates in the off-season in a deal for veteran Al Lopez. The move did not pay off at all, as Lopez only played 61 more subpar games in his career while Woodling went on to appear in almost 1,800 games. You keep being you, Cleveland.

Nonetheless, Pittsburgh GM Roy Hamey did not seem to truly respect Woodling's talents either. Hell, he gave the Yankees a free look at him by optioning him to the Yankees' highly regarded Triple-A affiliate, the Newark Bears. (Such practices were odd, but not unheard of back in the '40s.) Woodling hit .289/.398/.413 for Newark, which was enough to merit another cup of coffee--22 September games for the Pirates. He was okay, but the Pirates sold him to the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League at the end of the season. Little did Woodling know that this apparent demotion would be the gateway to a much more permanent stay in the majors.

Platooning for the "Perfesser"

Now 25 years old and in the PCL, Woodling was determined to prove that he no longer belonged in the minors. He went on to bat .385/.483/.603 with 202 hits, 55 of them for extra-bases. Against one manager in particular, he really stood out:

"I think I hit about .900 against [Casey's] club," Woodling said, chuckling. "Yeah, Casey got a good view of me. He probably had a lot to do with me coming to the Yankees." - SABR bio

Indeed, Casey Stengel was impressed by what he saw as manager of the rival Oakland Oaks. So when the Yankees tabbed him as their surprising hire for the 1949 season, it was not long before the Yankees arranged for a trade to bring Woodling aboard. Stengel found a spot for him in a platoon role of sorts with the more experienced Johnny Lindell and Charlie Keller. Woodling impressed Stengel and appeared in more games in left field than 114 wRC+ in 112 games. The Yankees won the American League pennant, and they triumphed in a five-game World Series victory over the crosstown rival Brooklyn Dodgers. Woodling was up to the task in the Fall Classic, going 4-for-10 with three doubles in the three games he played. A decade which saw him take quite some time to find a regular role in the majors ended in the greatest triumph of them all.

The lefty Woodling found himself splitting time with righty Hank Bauer, another terrific Yankee during that period. (In retirement, Woodling would later serve as a coach on the Orioles squads that Bauer managed, one of which would win a World Series , too.) Bauer often played right field, but sometimes, Stengel would switch it up and give Woodling some time off. He did this in '51 in particular when some hotshot rookie centerfielder named Mickey Mantle hit the pros and deferred to the legendary Joe DiMaggio by mostly playing right field. Whatever the method was, it worked, as Woodling remained a very productive hitter for the Ol' Perfesser. Like the majority of the squad, he certainly would have preferred to regularly appear in more than the 125 games per season he typically played for Stengel, but he grudgingly admitted that platooning probably did help his career.

Woodling was remarkably productive, regularly taking more than his share of walks while posting on-base percentages in the high .380s. He didn't have Mantle power per se, but he was no slouch, either. Woodling averaged 38 extra-base hits per season from 1950-53, all while regularly posting wRC+s easily over 100. Opponents around the league held him high regard, and Hall of Famer Ted Williams even called him "one of the best players [he] ever faced in the eighth or ninth inning." Pressure did not bother Woodling, and his 26 World Series games can attest to his reputation. In those five Fall Classics, Woodling hit .318/.442/.529 with 10 extra-base hits as the Yankees won the World Series year after year. Highlights included 1950, when he hit .429 in the four-game sweep over the Phillies and 1952, when he notched a 1.032 OPS during a hard-fought seven-game victory over Brooklyn. He even got to catch the last out of their fourth straight title, matching the record of the 1936-39 squads.

In the final year of that stretch, Woodling had his best season in pinstripes by leading the AL with an excellent .429 OBP as the Yankees won their fifth World Series in a row to officially set the record. I seriously doubt any team ever even approaches five straight titles again. All great runs had to come to an end though, and '54 was the breaking point. Although the Yankees had their best regular season in the Stengel era with 103 victories, Woodling's old Indians teammates topped them with 111, which was an AL record at the time. The '54 season was a rough one for Woodling as well, who slumped to a .250/.358/.352 triple slash in 97 games. It was still productive, but it was also shortened by injury.

So at the end of the season, Woodling was dealt to the Orioles in a massive 17-player trade, the largest in baseball history. Most notably, Don Larsen and Bob Turley headed to the Yankees, where they helped the Yankees add more titles to their decade of excellence. The remainder of Woodling's career was fine in his own regard. In seven years with the O's, Indians, Senators, and Mets, he batted .287/.390/.438 with 147 doubles, 95 homers, and a 126 OPS+. Stengel named him to the 1959 All-Star team as well when he had a career year with the Orioles (a team which later named him to their team Hall of Fame) and as evidenced by his stint with the '62 Mets, thought highly enough of him to bring him aboard the comically young and shaky expansion team.

When Woodling criticized the Mets' executives for the way they were treating some of the younger players, he was let go and his major league career ended at age 39. He went on to coach for Bauer's Orioles and also had a pivotal role in improving retired players' pension plans. Just to add one more bonus to his Yankees career, Woodling was the Ohio scout who encouraged them to draft and sign future captain Thurman Munson out of Kent State with the fourth overall pick in the 1970 Draft, helping the Yankees build another iconic team.

Woodling lived a long, eventful life and was one of just six Yankees still living from the full 1949-53 dynasty when he passed away in 2001. History might overlook Woodling's contributions, but he deserves far better than that. Woodling was a hell of a player, and he was one of many reasons why those '50s Yankees teams were so special.

Andrew's rank: 68
Tanya's rank: 76
Community rank: 83.1
WAR rank: 78.5

Season Stats

Stats from Baseball-Reference and FanGraphs

References

Appel, Marty. Pinstripe Empire: The New York Yankeesfrom Before the Babe to After the Boss. New York: Bloomsbury, 2012.

BR Bullpen

Sargent, Jim. SABR bio

Other Top 100 Yankees

• #77 Jack Quinn
• #78 Mark Teixeira
• #79 Sparky Lyle
• #80 Orlando Hernandez
• #81 Kid Elberfeld

Alex Rodriguez will return to the New York Yankees in 2015 after a suspension that kept him out for all of 2014. On Tuesday, more than two weeks before he's scheduled to report to spring training, Rodriguez and the team released a joint statement that he apologized to the organization.

"Today we held a meeting at Yankee Stadium between Hal Steinbrenner, Randy Levine, Brian Cashman, Jean Afterman, Alex Rodriguez and Jim Sharp," the statement read. "Alex initiated the meeting and apologized to the organization for his actions over the past several years.

"There was an honest and frank discussion on all of the issues. As far as the Yankees are concerned, the next step is to play baseball in spring training."

Rodriguez, now 39, hit .244/.348/.423 with seven home runs in 44 games when he last played in 2013, a season shortened by hip surgery. He was suspended in August 2013 for all of 2014 for "his use and possession of numerous forms of prohibited performance-enhancing substances" and "for attempting to cover-up his violations of the program."

The suspension was upheld by arbitrator Frederic Horowitz in January 2014.

Rodriguez has three years and $63 million remaining on his contract, and returns to a Yankees infield that has newcomers Chase Headley at third base and Didi Gregorius at shortstop in addition to incumbent Mark Teixeira at first base.

Pitchers and catchers report to Yankees camp at spring training in Tampa, Fla., on Feb. 20, with position players scheduled to report on Feb. 25.

NJ.com | Ryan Hatch:Alex Rodriguez met with members of the Yankees' front office to clear the air ahead of spring training. Unfortunately, this isn't the first time that Rodriguez has needed to apologize to the team.

New York Post | Ken Davidoff: Even though A-Rod has apologized to the Yankees for all the turmoil he's caused as of late, the relationship between the two sides will almost certainly turn ugly before it's all over with.

ESPN New York | Wallace Matthews: There is an obvious best-case scenario and worst-case scenario for the 2015 Yankees. In the best case, health is on their side and struggling hitters from last season hit more in line with what is expected. On the flip side, none of their gambles could pay off, health could fail them again, and it could all be the beginning of another dry period for the franchise.

It's About the Money | Brad Vietrogoski:Nathan Eovaldi comes with a lot of potential as he joins the Yankees' rotation after coming over in an offseason trade. Could work on his changeup be the key to him realizing that potential?

Danny Burawa might have the best raw stuff in the Yankees system, but his command leaves a lot to be desired. Could 2015 be the year he finally puts it all together?

Background

The Yankees drafted Danny Burawa in the 12th round back in 2010 out of St. John's, where he served as the team's closer. Unlike most arms taken in the 12th rounder, Burawa sat in the mid-90's with his fastball, but fell to the Yankees due to questions about his makeup and command. It also didn't help that he went to St. John's, which isn't exactly known as a baseball powerhouse. Burawa's command didn't get much better as he climbed the minor league ladder, but his raw stuff allowed him to miss enough batters to make it work. His development was stunted when a torn oblique forced him to miss the entire 2012 season, but he looked as good as ever upon returning to the mound in 2013. In 66 Double-A innings that year, he posted a 2.59 ERA despite walking an unsightly 15% of opposing hitters.

2014 Results

Burawa took his act to Triple-A Scranton in 2014, but struggled mightily despite his electric stuff. After an impressive Spring Training, the hard-thrower was lights out in five scoreless April appearances before missing a month with an undisclosed injury. His command wasn't quite the same after returning, which lead to a 13% BB% and a 7.64 ERA over the next two months, and a demotion to Double-A Trenton. To his credit, Burawa pitched markedly better following his demotion, putting up a 1.59 ERA and 2.30 FIP over 17 innings.

KATOH, my prospect projection system, hates Burawa. It gives him just a 55% chance of throwing a pitch in the majors over the next three seasons, and a mere 1% chance of reaching 4 fWAR over this time. Its not hard to see why. Statistically speaking, Burawa looks pretty un-enticing -- 26-year old relievers who haven't mastered Triple-A pitching rarely amount to much. But KATOH also doesn't know that Burawa's raw stuff is something close to excellent. Here's a look at Burawa's odds of reaching certain WAR thresholds through age 28:

2015 Outlook

Burawa showed flashes of dominance last year, but those flashes were overshadowed by injuries and ineffectiveness. And at 26, Burawa's more than a little old to still be struggling in the minors. With a fastball that sometimes approaches triple digits and nasty slider, the potential to be a dominant reliever is certainly there, but it's starting to look like his spotty command may prevent him from ever reaching that ceiling. The Yankees added Burawa to their 40-man roster this winter to protect him from the rule 5 draft, so there's a very good chance we'll see him in the Bronx in 2015 -- even if it's only to eat up a few garbage innings in September. Even with the command problems, Burawa's just about major league ready. If he's able to reign in his command just a little bit, he could be a real force out of the pen as soon as this year.

Yesterday, the Yankees announced that Alex Rodriguez met with the hire ups and issued a formal apology for his conduct for the past few years. I guess that's that. Spring Training should be boring. Pitchers and catchers report in Roger Maris days.

Pitchers and catchers report in nine days. Soon after that, Spring Training begins. There are times when I think Spring Training is not going to be a big deal, and then I'm reminded of the absolute circus it's going to be with Alex Rodriguez there. Yesterday, A-Rod met with Hal, Cashman, Levine, and other high ranking members of the Empire to apologize about his past transgressions.

"There was an honest and frank discussion on all of the issues. As far as the Yankees are concerned, the next step is to play baseball in Spring Training."

Comments of the Day

Oh have you not heard?

It was my understanding that everyone had heard.

Hopefully those picks will be as good as Andy Pettitte's pick off move to first, which should easily be picked as the best pick off move ever.

GIF of the Day

We're starting to lack in the GIFs again. Sadness rising.

Honorable Mod Mention

There was no honor to be found among the mods yesterday.

• If you were Alex Rodri You know what, I think I'm going to avoid those takes for now. Name three of your favorite birds!
• Most romantic mood lighting: Candle lights, regular lights, no lights, just the light from the TV, neon lights, or strobe lights?

I love this song, and you should as well. That's really all I have to say about this. As always, please link us your Song of the Day.

Feel free to use this as your open thread for the day. I imagine the photo I used for this thread is what a lot of Yankee fans are thinking right now. Okay, not a lot. Just the more nerdier Yankee fans among the masses.

You're asking me will my love grow?

2014 Gold Glove winner DJ LeMahieu will be the undisputed starter after the departure of Josh Rutledge.

In the lead up to the 2014 season, second base looked to be a position that would be closely contested by DJ LeMahieu and Josh Rutledge. The latter hit .269/.323/.405 in a touch over 100 games, but never did enough with the bat to justify his shortcomings with the glove. Hitting only four home runs in 342 plate appearances, while striking out at a rate of 24.3 percent and drawing walks only 5.8 percent of the time, culminated in a disastrous finish to the 2014 season. A first half slash line of .280/.347/.430 tumbled to .262/.311/.391 in a second half of the season that also saw his first half wRC+ of 104 fall to 79 over the second half. Thirteen errors in 105 games combined with decreasing production at the plate saw Rutledge shipped out to Anaheim for Jairo Diaz.

Incumbent Starter

DJ LeMahieu will be manning second base after a defensively superb season, albeit one that was lackluster offensively. He was absolutely sensational in the field, finishing the year with an UZR/150 of 11.0 while at second — good for first in the NL and third in the league, behind only Ian Kinsler and Dustin Pedroia— and credited with a 16 defensive runs saved, which was again third in the league behind Kinsler and Pedroia. You don't need fancy stats to appreciate just how good LeMahieu was in the field; his defensive prowess was on full display every time he took the field. Watch this. Watch it again. And again.

I mean, how good is this guy? He and Tulo are one of the best double play duos in baseball and, combined with outstanding defense from Nolan Arenado and solid play from Justin Morneau, constitute one of the best infields in all of baseball.

LeMahieu's offensive struggles are well known, but here's a look at his numbers for easy viewing.

Although the Rockies don't get much offensive production from LeMahieu at second, they don't really need to given their lineup. When healthy, LeMahieu is likely buried in the lineup hitting seventh or eighth behind sluggers like Tulowitzki, Morneau, Arenado, Carlos Gonzalez and Corey Dickerson. Add Charlie Blackmon and whoever happens to be behind the plate to that list and you get a lineup that's capable of putting up huge numbers, as it has often done in the past. As scoring is one of the Rockies' least concerns, it sort of mitigates LeMahieu's struggles at the plate. It'd be nice to see some development, of course, and based on Steamer and ZiPS projections for 2015 it seems some progress is anticipated.

Finally, LeMahieu deserves a standing ovation for simply playing in 149 games for the Rockies in a season that saw countless players miss time. His ability to stay on the field and provide the Rockies some consistency at a position at which they've really never had it makes up for his hitting woes.

MLB-quality depth

Former St. Louis Cardinal Daniel Descalso will be the Rockies' utility infielder for the 2015 season. His ability to play third, shortstop, second, and even a bit of first makes him a versatile addition, though he's not going to impress on any front. A career line of .243/.313/.341 leaves much to be desired, as do his defensive numbers. Regardless, Descalso will be a decent option to fill in at second and can be counted on to be OK doing so.

Charlie Culberson is another option for the Rockies. Like Descalso, Culberson is versatile enough to play just anywhere, but that's where the positives stop. He's a dreadful hitter and a below-average fielder who's prone to mistakes. He lays claim to an almost unbelievably low wRC+ of 33 in 2014, as well as negative defensive numbers pretty much across the board. Now, this isn't meant to be a bash Culberson bit, even though his performances leave much to be desired. For a team that struggles with injury as much as the Rockies, a guy like Culberson who can play a number of positions is a valuable asset to have as backup. Furthermore, there's some reason to believe there's room for improvement. While he hit only .195/.253/.290 in 233 PAs during a 95-game stint with the club, his 2013 numbers in Triple-A were drastically different: .310/.338/.524 with at wRC+ of 122 through 419 PA, knocking home 64 runs and going yard 14 times. For what it's worth, he'll also be turning 26 in early April. It's not too late for him to figure out hitting at the highest level, especially when he's played less than a season's worth of games -- just 148 across three years -- in his big league career.

Finally, there's another pair of possibilities in Cristhian Adames and Rafael Ynoa. While I'm not sure where they'll start the season, both will likely see a decent amount of time when the inevitable injury bug strikes. Adames is regarded as a typical all-glove, no-bat guy. Scouts love his ability in the field, and he represents a solid defensive backup should he be needed at either second or short. Although he projects as a below-average hitter, he did hit in Triple-A last year, finishing with a wRC+ of 122. He's never going to be a power guy, but he could end up being a very useful utility player who isn't a complete liability at the plate and has a tremendous glove. His glove is MLB-ready and his ability to make decent contact could see him get more time in the Show than some people think.

Ynoa hit .343/.380/.463 in 71 PAs spanning 19 games with the Rockies. Through 233 innings with the club, Ynoa showed that he can be a decent option in the field, as his versatility allows him to play third, short, and second. He hit well in a limited sample, and I think he'll see more games than his Steamer projection of 12.

On the farm

The Rockies top prospect at the position is Forrest Wall, who was taken 35th overall in the 2014 draft. Wall was largely regarded as one of the best high school hitters available in the draft. Although second baseman may typically go later in the draft, Wall justifies the high pick with a hit tool that projects as something potentially special. At rookie-level Grand Junction, Wall raked to the tune of a .318/.416/.490 line while posting a wRC+ of 136 against guys who were nearly three years older. His draft stock took a hit due to an arm injury that limited him to second base, but there are reports that his injury was overstated and that he could gain the arm strength to move elsewhere, if needed. In addition to his fantastic ability to make good, hard contact, Wall could develop above average power, which would be a huge asset to a team that's received little in the way of offensive production from second base in the past. Add his bat to plus speed and good range in the field and you have a guy who could become a stud for the Rockies. He's at least a couple years out, but Forrest Wall looks like he could be the real deal.

Another Rockies prospect working his way through the minors is Trevor Story. He once projected as a five-tool player at shortstop, but his lackluster pitch recognition has some scouts profiling him as no more than a utility player. Story, however, has a good glove at a premium position and can play at second in addition to shortstop. He needs work on pitch recognition, as his 34 percent strikeout rate is discouraging, but Story still profiles as a defensively sound player with a potentially solid bat.

Emergency contacts

Although Jed Lowrie just signed with the Astros, he could be available for trade if they call up Carlos Correa to the majors to play shortstop -- an unlikely scenario, but we've seen crazier. Similarly, Kelly Johnson has signed a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training with the Braves, but could be had on the cheap. Stephen Drew of the Yankees is another potential candidate for a trade, especially if either Jose Pirela or Robert Refsnyder make their case to play at second.

Just try to kill them with kindness, A-Rod.

Yankee Stadium, Tuesday Afternoon.  Hal Steinbrenner, Randy Levine and Yankees Assistant GM Jean Afterman are sitting at a conference table. They are awaiting the arrival of maligned third baseman Alex Rodriguez for a meeting, of sorts.

Randy Levine: Alex sent me a text that he's outside. Should I invite him on in?

Brian Cashman: You haven't blocked his number yet? He kept sending me his workout videos and cat pictures. I couldn't take it anymore. Yeah, send him on in.

After a few moments, Rodriguez bounds in with his lawyer, Jim Sharp

Alex Rodriguez: Hiiiii guys! I'm so glad you agreed to meet me. Before we begin, I brought presents!

Jean Afterman: That's really not...

Jim Sharp: Mr. Rodriguez insisted. You each get an "I'm Sorry Teddy Bear" and Alex baked macaroons. The bouquet of posies is for Mr. Steinbrenner.

Hal Steinbrenner: Thanks?

Rodriguez: You're welcome. I just felt so sorry about all those little fibs I told, I knew I had to get you guys something. Let bygones, be bygones, right?

Cashman: Alex, we're still planning on trying to void your six million dollar milestone bonus.

Rodriguez: Don't be such a sourpuss. I bet once you try one of those macaroons you'll think differently.

Levine: A couple a meaningless presents isn't going to erase all that you did. Let me remind you, on top of all the lies and steroid use you tried to sue the team for malpractice.

Rodriguez: Hey, my hip really hurt. You know how pain can make you cranky. It's not THAT big a deal.

Cashman: You made us and the organization look really bad.

Rodriguez: Sure, but what about all those sweet dingers I hit? Those were good times, right? Hey, who wants to see my last batting practice session!?

Cashman: Alex, could at least try to pay attention? This relationship is irreparably damaged. If you don't play well, we might just choose to release you.

Rodriguez: That's crazy. What team would be stupid enough to release their starting third baseman?

Levine: ...you know we resigned Chase Headley, right?

Rodriguez: That dude from the Phillies? Fine, shortstop it is. Now that you finally got that poseur out of here you can see how a real shortstop plays!

Rodriguez stretches and his hips crack like fireworks

Cashman: Yeah...we're not doing that. Listen, how about you just give us your official apology and try to focus on training to hit exclusively before Spring Training kicks off. The more time you spend away from here, the better.

Rodriguez: Alrighty then. Jim, hand me my guitar!

Levine: Oh no!

Rodriguez begins strumming on an acoustic guitar, making foreign, ear-piercing sounds.

Rodriguez: This isn't an original work, but I thought the words summed up perfectly how I felt.

A-Rod begins singing the lyrics to Extreme's "More Than Words"

Rodriguez: "What would you do if my heart was torn in twooo?"

Cashman: Alright, alright, that's enough! We get it, you're sorry. Just for the love of all that is good just stop singing!

Rodriguez: I'm glad to see we could all come together as friends again. I can't wait to be back at third base!

Steinbrenner: Just go home. And try not to do anything stupid until April, okay?

In order to compete for the postseason, the Marlins' starting rotation must be able to pitch deep into games and produce quality starts. Miami's bullpen had the 6th most innings pitched in baseball in 2014, and this trend cannot continue if the team is serious about playing deep into October.

Overall, the bullpen was a strength for the Marlins last season. However, it was way overused due to the inconsistency of the rotation. This is the main reason why the front office set out to acquire starting pitching this offseason, which they achieved by adding veterans Mat Latos and Dan Haren to an otherwise young rotation. Although James Shields slipped through the net (even though the Marlins reportedly offered more money than San Diego), the Marlins' rotation has been greatly improved from 2014.

Henderson Alvarez produced an All-Star campaign last season and he will be heavily relied upon to produce similar results this year. This shouldn't phase him as he spent most of 2014 as the team's ace and stepped-up accordingly. Alvarez projects to be the opening day starter, and if he can produce anything near his impressive 1.60 home ERA in 2015, he can lead by example and the Marlins will be moving in the right direction. Predictably, Henderson Alvarez'sZiPS projections have his numbers regressing back towards his career averages, but there is no reason not believe that he will continue to improve in his third season with the Marlins.

If Mat Latos recaptures his 2013 form, he could form a formidable 1-2 duo with Alvarez and then the Marlins would arguably have two ace-caliber pitchers in their rotation. While Latos' 2014 season wasn't too bad statistically, it was an injury-filled campaign, and the Marlins cannot afford any setbacks if they want to keep up with the rest of the National League. The Marlins traded for him because of the durability he was known for before last year, and they are banking that he can pitch over 180 innings again in 2015 and bring consistency to the rotation.

A recent article on Marlin Maniac stated that Jarred Cosart is a very important arm with regard to how the Marlins fare this year, and this is true. The team got more than they could have hoped for when they received Cosart in a trade from the Astros last summer, as he posted a 4-4 record and a 2.39 ERA with Miami. Although not all of his performances were impressive, if he can improve this season at the rate he did over the course of 2014, then the Marlins should have a solid number three starter.

Dan Haren is the big question mark hanging over the starting rotation. He has now committed to pitching for the Marlins this season, but is his heart in it? Is he playing because he still believes he can perform at a high level, or is he just wanting to earn his $10 million dollars? If he is on board with the team's aspirations and is determined to make an impact, then Haren should be able to log some significant innings for the Marlins while hopefully posting a sub-4.00 ERA and providing some vital wins.

Based on his dependable performances last season, Tom Koehler should be called upon to round-out the rotation. He threw the most innings out of all Marlins pitchers last season (191.1) and the team will need similar numbers from the starting pitchers this season if they want to remain competitive. If Koehler's 2014 numbers are anything to go by, then the Marlins should have an above-average fifth starting option.

For the Marlins, 2015 will be a tale of (roughly) two halves. The first half will be trying to remain in the hunt before June 15th;  the second will be aiming to play late-October baseball. This will be made possible by the best midseason acquisition of 2015 (if things go accordingly) - Jose Fernandez. June 15th is when the Yankees come to town and you can bet that if Jose is ready, he will pitch in that game. The rotation must hold up until that date though, otherwise the playoffs could already be out of reach. The only way the rotation can have success is if the starters pitch deep into games. June 15th will be a big day if Jose Fernandez returns for the Marlins. It will signify new beginnings, and a new chapter in the book of the 2015 season, a book that hopefully ends with the Fish on top.

The backup catcher competition, A-Rod's apology, and the rest of this morning's Yankees news.

LoHud Yankees Blog | Chad Jennings: Jennings breaks down the upcoming battle for the role of Yankees' backup catcher. Spoiler alert: the competition is thin, and the favorite is John Ryan Murphy.

ESPN NY | Wallace Matthews: Spring training 2015 is getting closer. How can you tell? Well, because it appears that the inevitable perpetual onslaught of A-Rod-related news, quotes, speculations, reactions, think pieces, polls, and updates has already begun. Wally Matthews has his take on why, despite Rodriguez's personal apology to the organization, things are far from smoothed over between he and the team.

NJ.com | Ryan Hatch: The second basemen of the AL East are ranked. As Hatch points out, "There's Dustin Pedroia, and then there's everybody else, really." He goes under the assumption that Drew will enter the season starting at second for the Yanks, which is probably the safe bet even if one of the two younger guys is the more exciting option.

New York Post | Dan Martin: The Yankees are hoping Nathan Eovaldi takes a play out of Brandon McCarthy's playbook and finally lives up to his potential.

After missing most of his first pro season, Clarkin had an impressive debut season.

Background

The Yankees in recent drafts have tended to draft advanced college hitters like Eric Jagielo and Aaron Judge, but boy do they love high school pitchers. Even in their best draft and with a change in philosophy, the Yankees chose Ian Clarkin as the 33rd overall pick in their much-lauded 2013 draft. And even though high school pitchers certainly have more volatility, Clarkin was the right high school pitcher to choose, and he has definitely advanced enough to justify the pick.

Clarkin is a decently sized left-handed pitcher at six feet and two inches tall and 190 pounds, and his repertoire features a fastball, sweeping curve, and changeup. The fastball is easily his best pitch, which is currently seen as average but flashes plus,  and he generally operates between 90 and 93 mph, sometimes reaching as high as 95. His sweeping curve and changeup are currently seen as below average, but they both have the possibility of becoming average in the future. His mechanics can appear to be funky at first glance as he utilizes a large leg-kick to push his body forward, but he maintains enough balance that I don't see it becoming problematic. Overall, most scouts believe his realistic outlook is as a mid-rotation arm, but he's obviously a decent distance away from the big leagues at just 19 years-old, so I wouldn't start falling in love with him just yet.

After an undisclosed injury struck in 2013, the draftee only had three starts in his premiere season. But nonetheless, he came into 2014 raring to go, and he was able to throw 75 innings.

2014 Results

Charleston (A-): 70 IP, 3.21 ERA, 3.74 FIP, 9.13 K/9, 2.83 BB/9, 0.9 WARP

Tampa (A+): 5 IP, 1.80 ERA, 2.39 FIP, 7.2 K/9, 1.8 BB/9, 0.1 WARP

Considering he missed a full year of development, Clarkin had an excellent debut season. He struck out more than nine batters per nine, walked fewer than three per nine, and his ERA and FIP were good enough considering his stage of development and level. Of course, Charleston is a bit of a pitcher's park, but it seems that not only were his numbers good, but scouts also saw 45-50 Future Value potential.

Even though his walk rate was pretty low, there were still concerns about his control; he was simply "catching too much of [the plate]", as Ryan Parker of Baseball Prospectus wrote. If he develops a more advanced command of the outside corners of the strike zone, you're looking at a young arm with three major league caliber pitches and decent velocity. That's the dream of any scouting director.

2015 Outlook

Because he will enter the 2015 season as a 20 year-old, there is no rush to speed Clarkin along the development track. He had a very good year with Charleston to start his first full season as a pro, and the Yankees will probably look to start him at High-A Tampa and see how he does. If he advances at an extremely accelerated rate, then he could get a call up to Double-A Trenton by July or August.

However, they'll probably stick to the script. The coaches will continue working on developing Clarkin's three possibly quality offerings, as well as hoping to upgrade his command from just a fringe tool to a decent one. They will probably try to limit his innings like they did last year, so I would imagine there would be a soft cap of about 100 innings. Clarkin is an interesting prospect to watch, and he could be hanging around the upper echelons of the minors before we twist and turn.

2014 was amazing. We're asking people what they thought of it. Today: Joe Posnanski

For the Kansas City Royals, 2014 was as magical as it gets.  From a broken 29-year playoff drought to a stunning walk-off Wild Card win to the AL Pennant to 90 feet from a world championship at Kauffman Stadium, the Royals' season was extraordinarily memorable.

In this weekly series, I will interview a fan, writer, or member of the Kansas City community about their thoughts regarding the Royals' 2014 and their place in it.  So far, I have interviewed:

Chris Kamler, Twitter personality, blogger, and author

Sam Mellinger, sports columnist for the Kansas City Star

Bryan Busby, Chief Meteorologist for KMBC

Sung Woo, Korean superfan, Twitter personality, and selfie master

Rany Jazayerli, Twitter personality, blogger, and writer

Today's interviewee is Joe Posnanski, aka @jposnanski. Posnanski was a sports columnist at the Kansas City Star during the Royals' dark year as well as the Kansas City Chiefs during their most recent previous streak of legitimacy, the Dick Vermeil/Trent Green years.  Posnanski graduated from the Kansas City Star in 2009, moving on to Sports Illustrated as a Senior Writer.  Posnanski is now a national columnist for NBC Sports.  In addition to his journalistic endeavors, Posnanski maintains his own blog, Joe Blogs, and has authored books, most famously the 2012 biography of late Penn State coach Joe Paterno.

***

1.How did you become interested in the Royals?

I became columnist at the Kansas City Star in 1996. That is when my interest began. I, of course, grew up during a time when the Royals were annually one of baseball’s best teams and I was powerfully aware of George Brett and Frank White and Hal McRae and the rest. I rooted for them to beat the Yankees, but this was because as a Clevelander I despised the Yankees. It wasn’t until 1996 that I really dived into the Royals baseball world.

2.What was it like covering the Royals during the 29 year playoff drought?

It was generally entertaining, sometimes frustrating, usually interesting. There were some very good players to write about during that time — Carlos Beltran, Mike Sweeney, Zack Greinke, Alex Gordon, Jermaine Dye, Johnny Damon to name a few. And there were a lot of good people in and around the organization. All in all, I loved it.

Of course, there were some drawbacks. There were really bad from 2004-2006. I mean, not the normal kind of bad but deliriously terrible. That did get old. Allard Baird, a good baseball man, really got swallowed up and so did some managers and scouts and players. The clubhouse became this depressed place. During their epic 19-game losing streak I got this idea to write these "columnist held hostage" columns where I promised to stay with the team until the won a game. That joke turned on me pretty quickly.

3.What did the AL pennant and World Series appearance mean to you?

Well, what I thought about a lot was how happy I was for Kansas City. I love Kansas City, a part of my heart will always be there. And I know what the long, long, long drought did to baseball fans in town. Summers in Kansas City are hot and muggy and hard enough without having a hopeless baseball team — and for most of those 29 years the Royals were hopeless. So seeing the team play well enough to get into the postseason and then seeing all the bad karma turn and give the city those magical three weeks — I just loved it for Kansas City.

4.From a national perspective, how has 2014 changed the way reporters and fans have looked at Kansas City and the Royals?

I think 2014 reminded a lot of people around the country that Kansas City even HAS a baseball team, and that the city really has a baseball town’s soul. There’s a certain storyline that builds around baseball teams, and for so long the storyline of the Royals was: They can’t do anything right. The Royals honestly brought this on themselves by doing so many things wrong, but the narrative was that they couldn’t do ANYTHING right, and that’s wasn’t true. The Royals caught some bad breaks too. They made some smart decisions that were overshadowed by their losing.

Now, the storyline has shifted somewhat. I suspect that many people think 2014 was a fluke and that the Royals will go back to mediocrity now — and maybe they will, who really knows? But the Royals did a lot of things right and they caught quite a few breaks. That has led to a different story being told about them now.

5.Which player did you enjoy watching most on the 2014 AL Champion Kansas City Royals?

To be honest, there were quite a few players I really enjoyed. I can’t tell you I enjoyed Lo Cain’s outfield defense more or less than I enjoyed Wade Davis blowing hitters away or Yordano Ventura reaching back and throwing an easy 102 mile per hour. There were so many exciting players, especially in October. But if I had to pick one, I’d pick Alex Gordon because I was there when it began for him. I was there when it looked like he would be a bust. I was there when the Royals, somewhat in desperation, moved him out to left field. He’s now one of the really good players in the American League, a defensive wizard, a good hitter, and he worked for all of it. I enjoyed seeing him get his World Series.

6.Do you think the Royals can sustain this energy going into 2015?

Well, they will definitely sustain the energy. The crowds will be good. The city will be excited. Can they keep winning? I don’t know. They have quite a few good young players — like Eric Hosmer and Salvy Perez and Ventura and Danny Duffy and, to a lesser extent, Lo Cain (who will turn 30) —who could emerge even more than they have. They also havequestions and I wasn’t crazy about their offseason moves. The Royals are a good team; I don’t believe they will fall off the map the way some believe. But will they make another World Series run? Look forward to seeing them try.

The takes on Alex Rodriguez are hotter than ever. Also, Foul Territory with Mark Teixeira is up for an Emmy Award. Pitchers and catchers report in Yogi Berra days.

As Spring Training approaches, we are just beginning to see signs of the drama that is about to ensue with the Yankees and Alex Rodriguez. Pretty much everything he says or does is going to be looked at under a strong microscope. The best thing to do would be for him to keep quiet, but he's not going to. It probably doesn't matter if he does or not anyway. In more important news, the YES network had a lot of Emmy nominations yesterday, one of which was Foul Territory with Mark Teixeira. This is just further proof that we need more of it in our lives.

Comments of the Day

Excellent choice of birds and lighting.

You can never go wrong with penguins or Greg Bird.

I don't care if this photo was a fake. My idea still needs to happen.

GIF of the Day

Victor. Soon we shall be seeing more of you. Wait for us.

Honorable Mod Mention

The honor goes to me for that Captain Needa/A-Rod pic I used in yesterday's COTD thread.

• Do you like or dislike Valentine's Day?
• Who's the first guest you want to see interviewed on Foul Territory with Mark Teixeira this year?

One of Disney's most beautiful songs. A definite must for Love Week. As always, please link us your Song of the Day.

Feel free to use this as your open thread for the day. Seriously, Foul Territory with Mark Teixeira better win the Emmy or else someone will have to answer to us!

It's enough for this restless warrior.

The Cuban prospect has several more workouts scheduled, and his agent is hopeful a decision can be made by the end of the month.

After officially becoming a free agent, Cuban prospect Yoan Moncada has continued to workout for several major league clubs. David Hastings, Moncada's agent, told ESPN's Jerry Crasnick he is hoping to have all of the input he needs in order for Moncada to make a decision by February 23.

Moncada is expected to field offers over the next two weeks, with Hastings hoping for a clearer picture of where Moncada will ultimately end up. Moncada would like to report to a club's spring training camp as soon as possible, with pitchers and catchers preparing to report over the next ten days. If the two week time line is followed, Moncada would be able to join a club right when or soon after positions players are due to report.

MLB Trade Rumors notes Moncada could receive a signing bonus between $30 and $40 million, with the Yankees, Dodgers, Padres, and Red Sox all reportedly interested. Moncada could cost close to $70 or $80 million when the 100 percent tax on each dollar spent in the international bonus pool is taken into consideration.

Since the Dodgers are a large market team, Los Angeles could make sense for Moncada. According to Dylan Hernandez of The Los Angeles Times, the Dodgers are not as concerned about what Moncada would cost as they are about what future financial limitations would follow if they signed him. The Dodgers' new front office is hoping to restock the club's minor league system, and by signing Moncada, the organization would be restricted from signing an international player for more than $300,000 in each of the subsequent signing periods, according to Trade Rumors. Ken Davidoff of the New York Post spoke to a National League official who said the Dodgers "are going to go crazy" for Moncada.

After adding James Shields, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal believes the Padres may not have the financial stability to pay Moncada. The club has also been linked to Cole Hamels, and San Diego's front office may not be able to produce such a large amount of cash immediately.

The Yankees have consistently had interest in Moncada, Davidoff adds, but they may be outbid by a National League team.

Boston has been active this offseason, signing free agent infielders Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval. The Red Sox are confident in their infield depth, and as a result, do not seem enthusiastic about their pursuit of Moncada, according to Davidoff.

Moncada has been compared to Chase Utley and Robinson Cano, and is considered a five-tool prospect. He is the most recent Cuban prospect seeking to join a major league club, and is hoping to be ready for the start of the season.

The most exciting starter drafted in 2014, DeCarr will seek to prove that he's worthy of the praise he received on draft day.

IBackground

One of the Yankees' youngest pitching prospects, Austin DeCarr was drafted in 2014 and he will have only just turned 20 by the end of spring training. A third round pick, he was considered the top overall talent acquired by the Yankees in last year's draft. The Massachusetts native actually graduated high school in 2013, but due to elbow issues in his senior year, he decided to do a post-graduate year at Salisbury Prep in Connecticut.

The move worked wonders, as when DeCarr returned, he was throwing harder than ever. As noted by Bryan Hoch, his fastball typically reaches 92-93 mph, but he has been known to amp it up to the mid-90s when necessary. DeCarr also has a hard curveball in his repertoire, which Baseball Prospectus said had "good downward bite and bat-missing potential," and he's working on a changeup as well, though that pitch is in the early stages of development.

2014 Results

Gulf Coast (Rk): 11 G, 8 GS, 23 1/3 IP, 4.63 ERA, 3.68 FIP, 9.3 K/9, 2.7 BB/9

After being ranked by MLB.com and Baseball America in the Top 100 Pre-Draft Prospects, DeCarr was selected by the Yankees 91st overall. He had a commitment to Clemson, but the Yankees decided that he was worth going way over slot to sign, earning DeCarr a cool $1 million bonus. Shortly thereafter, DeCarr reported to one of the Yankees' Rookie ball teams in the Gulf Coast League. He held his own at age 19, striking out just over a batter per inning while flashing some of the potential he showed as a draft prospect. A greater challenge likely awaits him in 2015 at a level higher than just Rookie ball.

2015 Outlook

Depending on what the Yankees think of him at the end of minor league spring training, DeCarr seems likely to report to either the Staten Island Yankees or the new Pulaski Yankees, both of which begin their shortened seasons in mid-June. Staten Island would be a bit more potent since the New York-Penn League is considered to be higher than the Appalachian League, which is almost a middle ground between Short-Season-A and Rookie ball.

DeCarr has the ceiling of a #3 caliber starter, but as previously mentioned he will have to work on expanding his pitch selection beyond just a fastball and curve. Otherwise, he might be merely another relief prospect. The 2015 season will be a fine opportunity for him to demonstrate that he's more than just that. DeCarr has a couple nice pitches already, so it would be excellent for him to become yet another starting option for the Yankees a few years down the road.

Here with DeCarr
I feel safest of all
He can outpitch his floor
It's the only way to live
DeCarr

Just because the Yankees already announced their non-roster invitees doesn't mean they can't still add more pieces. We learned that when the team signed Kyle Davies to a minor league deal and gave him an invitation to spring training. If they're still willing to give uninteresting pieces like Davies a shot then they have to be willing to offer similar deals to players who can actually be of some use in the future. That is why it still makes sense for them to pursue shortstop Everth Cabrera.

Not many teams are very high on Cabrera at the moment, which is likely the reason why he is still out on the free agent market after being designated for assignment by the San Diego Padres in December. After a few seasons of mediocre offense and poor defense, the switch-hitting shortstop exploded on the scene in 2013, hitting .283/.355/.381 with 37 stolen bases in 95 games, earning himself an All-Star appearance and, unfortunately, a 50-game suspension as part of the Biogenesis group. He returned a year later, but could only manage to hit .232/.272/.300 with 18 stolen bases before his season fell apart in July because of a hamstring injury.

Believing that his abilities had eroded and with the PED stigma now surrounding him, the Padres cut ties with him and so far other teams, not even the Mets with their black hole at shortstop, have shown interest in picking him up. The Yankees need to change that. He's not going to be anything close to a savior, but at 28 years old he's still too young to completely give up on. Whether it was chemically fueled or not, he's shown All-Star talent in the past and offers solid speed on the base paths after stealing 37 bases in 2013 and 44 the year before that.

He's also shown the ability to hit lefties at a minimal of at least league-average, which doesn't say much, but is more than what Didi Gregorius has shown over his career. For his career, the Yankees' new shortstop has a 33 wRC+ against lefties, while Cabrera has shown the ability to reach a 94 wRC+ mark against them and even reaching 169 in his 2013 season. Compare that to Stephen Drew's 70 wRC+ and Brendan Ryan's 75 wRC+ and Cabrera could be the organization's best option at shortstop when facing a left-handed pitcher. His poor defense might not make him much of a regular in the field, but if he can hit decently against southpaws, there's no reason he can't be useful as a utility infielder off the bench at some point during the season.

I would advise the Yankees to extend him a minor league deal with an invite to spring training. Get him into camp and see what he can and cannot do at this point and if they decide to carry all of Gregorius, Drew, and Ryan, then let him play shortstop at Triple-A. Right now it's expected that Ali Castillo will be Scranton's everyday shortstop, so it's not like he would be getting in the way of anyone useful down there. Maybe he performs better than expected and earns a shot or maybe he doesn't and we forget all about him. If things work out for the best, he still has two years of arbitration eligibility and he might be an improvement over Brendan Ryan.

Even with the Yankees serious about giving Rob Refsnyder and maybe even Jose Pirela a shot, there's still room for Everth Cabrera. If they decide to pass up on him, it'll be because of the steroids issue. They already have to deal with Alex Rodriguez, so there's no way they would go out of their way to bring in another Biogenesis guy, especially after they just got rid of another one in Francisco Cervelli. If they end up looking past him it'll be more for PR reasons than anything else, because, from a pure baseball perspective, there's no reason not to sign him at this point.