The Blue Jays visit beautiful George Steinbenner Park (now if they could just do something about the name) to play the Yankees. The park does look just like a miniature Yankees Stadium.

The Jays have birthday boy Mark Buehrle starting. Happy 35th Mark. Hope it's your best year ever.

Yankees have Michael Pineda starting. He is looking for the 5th starter spot for the Yankees. He's had a nice spring, 9 innings, 8 hits, 1 walk, 14 strikeouts and no earned runs.

The game is on MLB.tv, unfortunately not on Sportsnet.

The latest updates on pitching, the backup catcher role, the lineup, and the injuries to Ellsbury and Ryan.

With spring training winding down, there are a lot of announcements and other things happening, so here's a general news roundup.

Pitching

Joe Girardi has said that the Yankees will probably announce their decision about the fifth spot in the rotation on Tuesday. They're waiting until after Michael Pineda's outing against the Blue Jays today to start discussing it. Based on our poll, PSA readers think that Pineda will win the role by a landslide, with David Phelps coming in a distant second.

The bullpen decisions are not expected to come before the end of the week, though Girardi said that they'll have to decide before Saturday because that's when the team will leave Florida.

CC Sabathia has officially been named the Opening Day starter. No one is surprised. He's pegged to get an extra day of rest this week, then pitch a short start on Thursday. His last two outings have been great, so hopefully he brings that stuff with him to Texas. Girardi also said that he's decided when Tanaka will be pitching, but he doesn't want to disclose that information just yet.

Backup Catcher

Girardi has all but officially named Francisco Cervelli (or Saravelli, if you're the Twins announcers) the backup catcher. "We’re continuing to evaluate," Girardi said. "[Cervelli's] had a great spring. He has the most experience of any of these guys, so he looks really really good." Whoa, two "really"s? Sorry to those of you holding out hope for John Ryan Murphy or Austin Romine.

Lineup

A couple of weeks ago, Girardi said that Mark Teixeira would be batting lower in the lineup than the number three spot. Did anyone interpret that to mean that he would be batting cleanup? I sure didn't. When asked if Tex was going to hit in the cleanup spot, like he did in Friday's spring training game, Girardi said "It’s a possibility that we could have...I’m not saying that’s what we’re going to do, but it’s a possibility that we could have." Uh, okay. It's a possibility that Eduardo Nunez will earn the triple crown, too.

Injuries

Jacoby Ellsbury had an MRI on his calf on Thursday, which came back clean. He went through hitting, fielding and running drills on Saturday and Girardi expects him to be back into games on Tuesday. The plan would be to get him into four more games before the regular season starts (in nine days!).

Brendan Ryan has a pinched nerve in his back and will likely be out of commission when the season opens. According to Chad Jennings, "Girardi indicated that if Ryan’s not ready to open the season, the Yankees will likely take two from the group of Eduardo Nunez, Dean Anna, Yangervis Solarte and Scott Sizemore." The injury is unfortunate, but it would be really nice for someone who is not Nunez (and who could possibly out-perform Nunez and steal his utility spot) to be given a look.

Ehhh.

Michael Pineda once again looked pretty good in a spring training start. While this start featured the first runs Pineda has allowed all spring, some of them can be charged to some mistakes by the Yankee defense. It was a fairly good game for Yankee pitching in general. It was not a good game for the Yankee offense. The lineup managed just one run on eight hits as the Blue Jays picked up a 3-1 win.

Toronto scored the game's first run in the top of the second. After an easy 1-2-3 inning, Pineda looked like he was going to get another ground ball out to start the second. Unfortunately, our friend Eduardo Nunez's throw to first was off and Edwin Encarnacion reached on a throwing error. Adam Lind and Dioner Navarro then hit back-to-back singles, the second of which scored Encarnacion to make it 1-0. After striking out Colby Rasmus, Pineda hit Brett Lawrie with pitch, loading the bases with just one out. Pineda then got Ryan Goins to ground into a double play to escape the inning with just one run on the board.

In the top of the fifth, the Blue Jays added a few more runs, thanks partly to some more Yankee mistakes. Rasmus and Lawrie led off the inning with two straight singles. Goins then came up and laid down a bunt. Pineda fielded it, but his throw to first hit Goins and allowed Rasmus to score and Lawrie to move to third. After Goins was caught stealing second, Pineda got Chris Getz to ground out. Melky Cabrera then came to the plate and during his at bat a wild pitch allowed Lawrie to score. Pineda got out of the inning with no further damage, but the score was now 3-0.

The Yankees finally got on the board in the bottom of the sixth. Ichiro Suzuki led off the inning with a double and then moved to third when Brett Gardner singled. Derek Jeter came up next, and while he grounded into a double play, Ichiro was able to score. Carlos Beltran also doubled in the inning, but the one run was was all the Yankees could get.

The bullpen got in a bit of trouble in the top of the seventh. Cesar Cabral loaded the bases with one out, only for Dellin Betances to come in and get out of it with no damage done.

Danny Burawa and Jim Miller each pitched an inning without much trouble. Overall, the Yankee pitching had a pretty decent day. However, the Blue Jay pitching had an even better one. The Yankees could only manage the one run off Mark Buehrle. The Blue Jay bullpen also had a relatively easy time going through the Yankee lineup. Until the ninth inning.

Zelous Wheeler and Antoan Richardson both reached base in the ninth to put the winning run at the plate with just one out. Russ Canzler just missed a walk-off home run as Moises Sierra made a catch on the warning track. Yangervis Solarte then struck out to end the game as the Blue Jays finished off a 3-1 win.

After getting the day off tomorrow, the Yankees return to the field Tuesday night at 7:05 eastern to take on the Phillies.

Box score.

Blue Jays 3 Yankees 1

I like beating the Yankees. Even in spring training.

Happy Thoughts:

• Excellent start for Mark Burhrle. 6.1 innings, 7 hits, 1 earned, no walks, no strikeouts. Lots of ground outs. Worked quick, like always. Looks like he is ready.
• Sergio Santos got 2 outs, with a k.
• Brett Cecil pitched a clean inning with a k. He looked good.
• We got enough offense, not lots but enough. 8 hits and 2 walks. The Yankees' starter Michael Pineda was pretty good too.
• Melky Cabrera was 1 for 3, double and a walk. .429.
• Adam Lind was 2 for 4 with a double. .386.
• Maicer Izturis was 2 for 2. .276.
• Munenori Kawasaki made a wow play, hard hit ball off Brett Lawrie's glove, bounces towards Kawasaki at short, and he threw out the batter at first.

Less Happy Thoughts:

• Dioner Navarro let two Santos pitches get past him, one was called a wild pitch and one a passed ball, but both he should have blocked.
• Chris Getz was 0 for 3. .258.
• Jose Bautista was 0 for 4 and missed a deep fly that he really should have caught. .356.
• Edwin Encarnacion was 0 for 4. ..296.
• Colby Rasmus was 1 for 3 with a double, but he also struck out twice. .250.
• Ryan Goins was 0 for 1. He reached on an error on a nice bunt he put down but then was thrown out stealing, by a lot. Lawrie was at third, I'm not sure if they were trying to steal a run, but Brett didn't head home. It didn't look good

That's our 5th straight win and puts us above .500, at 12 and 11.

Tomorrow the Jays play the Phillies (yet again), and it is on Sportsnet. Brandon Morrow gets the start. Should be his second last tune up before the regular season starts. No pressure though.

Lots of new players on the roster means that John Sterling has new toys to play with. What kind of home run calls does he have in store for us in 2014?

The radio voice of the Yankees, John Sterling, has no doubt been thinking about home run calls for the newly acquired Yankees since December. For the last twelve years or so, they've become something of a trademark for him, as he dishes them out liberally to even obscure players like David Adams ("David is Goliath!") and Steve Pearce ("Pearce is fierce!"). Most fans actually look forward to these delightfully awful quips every year, the same way that cringing viewers look forward to more Tosh.0 video clips. Here's a sampling of some of the gems that Sterling has dropped on us over the years:

"Bernie goes boom! Bern, baby, Bern!" - for Bernie Williams

"Shane Spencer, the home run dispenser!" - for Shane Spencer

"Jorgie juiced one!" - for Jorge Posada

"It's a thrilla, by Godzilla! The Sayonara Kid does it again!" - for Hideki Matsui

"It's an A-bomb, from A-Rod! Alexander the Great conquers again!" - for Alex Rodriguez

"The Melk Man delivers! And that's just the Melky Way!" - for Melky Cabrera

"It's a home run from Robbie Cano! Don't ya know!" - for Robinson Cano

"Mark sends a Tex message to [location of home run]! You're on the Mark, Teixeira!" - for Mark Teixeira

"Oh, Curtis, you're something sort of grandish! The Grandy Man can, oh, The Grandy Man can!" - for Curtis Granderson

If history tells us anything, it's that Sterling's calls for the Yankee newcomers will be somewhere between simply unnecessary, such as "Jacoby jacked one!" or "Beltran belts it!", and painfully outdated, such as "Brian lights a McCanndle in the wind!" or "Roberts Plants one on the stairway to heaven!" Either way, we can't wait to hear them and react accordingly.

Which newbie do you think will get the most cringe-worthy home run call? Vote below and take a stab at the call in the comments.

The name Jeremy Baltz is one that we Padre fans need to become more familiar with. After his 2013 season spent with the Lake Elsinore Storm, batting .309 in 67 games with 10 home runs, he's most definitely proven himself a force to be reckoned with.

Twenty-three-year-old Baltz was originally drafted by the New York Yankees out of high school, but instead went to St. John's University and was later drafted by the Padres in the 2nd round of the 2012 June Amateur Draft. In his short time spent with our single-A affiliate he's blazed quite the trail, and though many Padres fans may not yet be familiar with his name, he has quite the following among minor league fans.

Baltz became a favorite amongst fans last season in Lake Elsinore, as well as in Forte Wayne the prior season. Fans love watching him play because his obvious love of the game comes through in his play. Baltz's dedication to each and every play and his effort on the field is a sight to see. No matter what angle the ball takes on its way out to the wall, you can expect it to be caught if it's heading in Baltz' direction.

This is a heads up to all Padres fans to keep an eye on this man's numbers. He's steadily working his way up to the 40-man and it will most definitely be an exciting ride to the top.

Last Time on Pinstripe Alley

• John Sterling and the new Yankees' home run calls
• Yankees 1, Blue Jays 3: Pineda solid as offense struggles
• Yankees spring training: Rotation, starting lineup, and injuries
• Spring Training Game Twenty-Six: Yankees vs. Blue Jays
• Yankees Prospects: Jose Ramirez will be moved to the bullpen

Yankees News

The Star-Ledger | Jorge Castillo: Carlos Beltran is a mentor among the Latino players in the Yankees organization.

LoHud | Chad Jennings: Joe Girardi approves of the new instant replay system.

CBS Sports | Jon Heyman: The Yankees would be willing to eat part of Ichiro Suzuki's contract as long as it's the right deal.

Fangraphs | Paul Swydan: Where do the Yankees and Kelly Johnson rank among the third base depth chart among all 30 teams?

MLB.com | Phil Rogers: The Yankees are only asking him to be the fifth starter, but Michael Pineda could be much more important than that.

The Times-Tribune | Donnie Collins:Corban Joseph is just happy to be able to play baseball again after undergoing shoulder surgery last year.

LoHud | Chad Jennings: It appears that Dellin Betances could already have a roster spot won.

The Star-Ledger | Jorge Castillo:Brendan Ryan won't be able to return to the field in time to be ready for Opening Day.

Pinstripe Pundits | Chris Mitchell: A look at the 2014 Boston Red Sox.

The Baseball Stance | Christopher Carelli: Francisco Cervelli might be more valuable as a backup catcher than a trade chip.

Fangraphs | Carson Cistulli: Where do the Yankees and Brian Roberts rank among the second base depth chart among all 30 teams?

LoHud | Chad Jennings: Everything seems to be going well with Jacoby Ellsbury and Michael Pineda, injury-wise.

Who were the best players in Yankees history to only last one year with the team?

The Yankees have a number of new players on their roster in 2014, and some, like Brian Roberts and Kelly Johnson, are veterans on one-year contracts. Acquiring players such as them is nothing new for the franchise. The one-year deal is a low-risk/high-reward type deal. They could crash and burn like Kevin Youkilis last year, or they could rise to the challenge and help propel the Yankees into the playoffs.

Bobby Bonds, 1975

Long before Barry Bonds was doing insane things to baseballs and generating ridiculous fact lists, Pops was a tremendous player in his own right. He quickly rose to prominence playing alongside fellow all-around star Willie Mays in San Francisco, batting .273/356/.478 with 186 homers, 263 steals, a 131 OPS+, and 37.9 rWAR out west in just seven seasons. By the end of '74 though, the Giants were unsure about his future, perhaps in part due to his growing alcoholism. So in one of the most divisive trades in Yankees history, the Bronx Bombers sent the incredibly popular successor to Mickey Mantle, Bobby Murcer, to San Francisco in exchange for Bonds. Murcer and his fans were crushed, but the trade made a ton of sense.

Murcer was a consistent All-Star, but he was never as well-rounded as Bonds. The Yankees were getting an absolutely electric player, and though Bill Virdon's team missed the playoffs in '75, that could hardly be blamed on Bonds. The righthanded hitter became the first 30/30 player in franchise history by bashing 32 homers and swiping 30 bases. The 32 homers were made more impressive by the fact that the Yankees were playing in pitcher-friendly Shea Stadium in Flushing while Yankee Stadium was being renovated. Thus, his triple slash of .270/.375/.512 generated a gaudy 151 OPS+, sixth in the league. He made the All-Star team and his 5.1 rWAR trailed only catcher Thurman Munson for best on the team. Alas, Bonds's Bronx tenure was brief. Just 13 1/2 months after acquiring him, the Yankees internally felt the same reservations about Bonds's future due to his alcoholism as the Giants. They decided to trade him to the Angels for starter Ed Figueroa and center fielder Mickey Rivers. Both were key players on their championship teams of the late '70s, so it worked out for the Yankees. However, it did leave Bonds's one-season cameo as a curious footnote in Yankees history.

Raul Ibanez, 2012

A New York City native, Ibanez had a long and successful career well before joining the Yankees as a 40-year-old in 2012. The hitter's version of Jamie Moyer, Ibanez was unremarkable at the time of his 30th birthday. Then out of seemingly nowhere, Ibanez went on to hit more homers after the age of 30 than almost any other player in baseball history. He has gone from 28 career homers at age 30 to the 300-homer milestone as of the start of 2014, which will be his 19th season. At the end of 2011, it seemed like the lefty slugger was finally fading for the Phillies. He had his first season under a 100 OPS+ since his twenties, and his atrocious defense made him a -2.1 rWAR player, third-worst in baseball. Hoping that the short porch at Yankee Stadium would recharge his bat, the Yankees signed him to a one-year, $1.1 million contract toward the beginning of spring training.

Ibanez looked awful in camp, batting a mere .150/.190/.333 in 21 games, but he managed to get his game going at the start of the season, hitting .273/.336/.582 with nine homers in 34 games through May 20th. The notoriously streaky Ibanez then was mostly quiet for the next four months, nearly returning to spring training form with a .198/.274/.338 triple slash through September 19th. He only hit six dingers in 85 games and did not endear himself to the fans at all through his defense. Then suddenly, his game was resurrected in a 14-inning epic against the AL West champion Athletics on September 20th. Ibanez belted a pair of homers, including a game-tying shot with one out in the bottom of the 13th, leading the Yankees to a dramatic 10-9 victory. He was scorching hot over the final two weeks while the Yankees were neck-and-neck with the Orioles at the top of the division. In Game 161, he golfed another game-tying two-run homer, this time against Red Sox closer Andrew Bailey. For good measure, he won the game in the bottom of the 12th on a grounder through the left side to clinch at least a tie for the AL East crown.

In the playoffs, Ibanez continued his mystifying late-game homer heroics with a trio of blasts that cemented his place in Yankees history. With the Division Series against the Orioles knotted at one game each and the O's winning Game 3 by a run in the ninth, Joe Girardi pinch-hit Ibanez for the injured Alex Rodriguez. Ibanez promptly took closer Jim Johnson deep to tie the game. Two innings later while facing Brian Matusz, Ibanez won it with his only homer against lefthanded pitching all year long, a monster walk-off blast that gave the Yankees a 2-1 lead in the series. The Yankees won it in Game 5 by a score of 3-1, as Ibanez contributed then as well with a RBI single in the fifth that broke the scoreless tie. The Yankees trailed Game 1 of the ALCS against the Tigers 4-0 in the ninth, but they rallied to bring Ibanez up as the tying run with two outs. Amazingly, Ibanez came through again by taking Jose Valverde deep to tie the game. The rest of the series was completely forgettable for the Yankees, but no Yankees fan should forget Ibanez's 2012 for a long, long time.

Don Bollweg & Bill Renna, 1953

Casey Stengel's greatest strength as a manager was likely his mastery of the platoon, as he consistently squeezed value out of his bench year after year while the Yankees captured ten AL pennants and seven World Series titles during his 12 seasons as skipper. In '53, these skills were on full display, as Bollweg, a 32-year-old lefty first baseman with 10 career games played, managed to hit .297/.384/.503 with a 142 OPS+ in 70 games. Renna was a 28-year-old rookie with no prior experience, and as an outfielder, he batted .314/.385/.463 with a 132 OPS+ in 61 games. The Yankees won 99 games and their record fifth straight championship in '53; neither Renna or Bollweg ever approached those numbers again in brief careers. Stengeled.

Kerry Wood, 2010

In the days before David Robertson had his walks under control, the Yankees badly desired a better bridge to closer Mariano Rivera than what they were getting from Robertson, Boone Logan, and Joba Chamberlain. At the trade deadline, they turned to Wood, the former Cubs Rookie of the Year and strikeout artist who was now the Indians' closer. Acquired for mere players to be named later (though perhaps the separate absorbing of the miserable Austin Kearns in exchange for future starter Zach McAllister should be included), Wood was dynamite for the Yankees down the stretch in 2010. He allowed just two earned runs in 26 innings to produce a 0.69 ERA, stranding nine of ten runners inherited as well. His control was shaky like Robertson's, but he was clearly more experienced at the art of stranding runners. He struck out 10.1 per nine innings and helped the Yankees lock down a playoff spot. They were eliminated in the ALCS, but Wood provided a sizable raise to the Yankee 'pen.

Pause.

Tony Clark& John Olerud, 2004

With slugging first baseman Jason Giambi gone for the majority of the season due to a benign tumor growing on his pituitary gland, the Yankees turned to the tall switch-hitting slugger Clark, signed in the off-season as a backup. The popular MLBPA player representative and future president was quite capable for awhile, slugging 16 homers and batting .242/.346/.484 through July 21st. He even tossed in a three-homer game against the Blue Jays. When the Mariners cut veteran lefty John Olerud loose at the beginning of August though, the Yankees jumped at the opportunity to get him. Olreud started most of the games the rest of the way and hit .280/.367/.396. Thus, the powerful Yankees didn't miss much of a beat while Giambi was out.

Mike Torrez, 1977

An underrated boost to the Yankees' 1977 starting rotation, Torrez was acquired early in the season from the Athletics for bits and pieces, and he went on to start 31 games, pitching 217 innings in the process. The righthanded workhorse was good for a productive 2.4 rWAR, 217 innings, 104 ERA+, and 15 complete games despite a low strikeout rate. He shined his brightest in the World Series against the Dodgers, when he hurled a pair of complete games with a 2.50 ERA, securing the Yankees' 21st title on a pop-up directly to him. Plus, he served as a Yankees sleeper agent by giving up Bucky Dent's one-game playoff homer a year later while pitching for the Red Sox! How courteous.

Jack McDowell, 1995

Jon Lieber, 2004

Bartolo Colon, 2011

Lightning round! Like Torrez, all three of these starters had "teh veteran presents" and actually backed it up with solid, productive seasons in the Yankees' rotation for playoff teams. "Black Jack" McDowell gets a bad rep from flipping off Yankee Stadium and giving up the crushing season-ending double in ALDS Game 5 to Edgar Martinez, which ended beloved captain Don Mattingly's career. That shouldn't discount his 118 ERA+ over 30 starts and 217 2/3 innings for a team that wouldn't have made the playoffs without his consistent performances in the rotation while most of the other starters suffered from injury.

Lieber was signed for two years and $3.5 million in '03 after some good years from the Cubs, and he spent the whole season rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. The Yankees' low-risk investment paid off in '04 when Lieber stayed a steady presence in the rotation all year long. He worked fast, had the best control in the league with a minuscule 0.9 BB/9, and he was at his best down the stretch with a 3.21 ERA in his final 10 starts. The Yankees won the division title, and Lieber pitched well in each of his three playoff starts. He parlayed his success into a three-year, $21 million deal with the Phillies, so the deal worked out well for everybody! Hurrah.

Colon's career had basically no pulse at the start of 2011. He hadn't pitched in the majors since July 24, 2009, and he last posted a season of over 0.2 rWAR during his Cy Young year in 2005. He was 38 and sat out all of 2010. So... kaput. Then in the Winter League under Yankees bench coach Tony Pena, he seemed to have life again, so Pena convinced the Yankees to give him a minor league contract and an invitation to spring training. The Yankees paid Colon $900,000 in 2011 and he rewarded them with a career renaissance. He found his way into the Yankees' depleted starting rotation and through mid-August pitched to a 3.31 ERA and 2.4 BB/9 in 119 2/3 innings. The big righty even mixed in his first shutout in five years during a four-hit dominance of the Athletics on Memorial Day. Although he faded somewhat down the stretch likely due to fatigue and wasn't on the Yankees' playoff roster, he has now secured another $25 million through contracts from the A's and Mets. Maybe it was powered by HGH, maybe it wasn't. Regardless, it was fun to watch for everyone.

Jack Clark, 1988

In the days before OBP was truly appreciated, the former NL slugger Clark was maligned during his one year in the Bronx because he only hit .242 and fanned 141 times. However, those figures were accompanied by 27 homers, a .381 OBP, a 130 OPS+, and 2.8 rWAR. Suh-wing and a miss there, Clark critics. Dude was fine.

Aaron Boone, 2003

Chicken Hawks, 1921

He hit .288/.333/.479 with a 103 OPS+ in 41 games for the Yankees' first-ever pennant winners. Also, the guy was called Chicken Hawks.

I make my bold predictions for 2014, making the rest of the Fake Teams' staff rush to change their rankings and crown me the king of fantasy.

You shouldn't ever go half way-go halfway onto the highway and you're roadkill. Watch only half of a movie and you miss all the drama and intrigue. Drink only half a beer and you fail to call yourself a man. You get the picture; if you're going to get wet, you might as well go swimming. With that in mind here are my 10 bold predictions for 2014:

1. Chris Carter will be a top 5 1b this year.

Are you ready? Miguel Cabrera, Paul Goldschmidt, Edwin Encarnacion, Joey Votto, and...wait for it. Chris Carter. That's right, not Prince Fielder, not Freddie Freeman, but Chris-of the Houston Astros-Carter. J.P. Breen makes the case for Carter, and I couldn't agree more. The batting eye is there, if he limits the IFFB rate (12.1%), and can keep the K-rate at or just a shade below 30% he could conceivably hit between .250-.260. He's one of a handful of players in the league that has 40+ HR potential. The Astros' offense won't be as woeful as people think, as a bounce-back campaign from Jose Altuve, the additions of George Springer, Dexter Fowler, and Jonathan Singleton, as well as underrated catcher Jason Castro should provide enough counting stats to place him in the upper echelon of first basemen. .260/42/90/100 will look mighty fine for where you drafted him this year.

2. Brian McCann is not a top 10 catcher this year.

Are you ready for this? What happens when an old team finally succumbs to the injury bug? Pitchers start pitching around whatever is left. Jacoby Ellsbury, for sometimes reasons beyond his control, can be injury prone. Carlos Beltran will be 37 this year, and although he's compiled nearly 600 PAs the past three seasons he is ripe for an extended DL stay. McCann himself just turned 30 and the rigors of catching won't help him at this stage of his career. Add into that the putrid stench that is the Yankees infield (Teixeira, Brian Roberts, Derek Jeter, and Kelly Johnson), and you have a very fragile lineup. Go ahead and pay top dollar, but you won't be satisfied with what you receive in return.

3. Jurickson Profar will sit comfortably in the top 10 second basemen this year, and he wins the AL Rookie of the Year.

You heard it here first, and it's not just because I'm a Rangers fan. Ok, well maybe it is. I'm already on record and so I'm sticking to it. How often have you heard the term "superstar" bandied about by prospect guru Keith Law? Not much, eh? Well, Law thinks that Profar is just that. He will take the keystone by storm, and his excellent baseball acumen will help his above-average tools play up across the board. When he supplants Elvis Andrus in the 2-hole by mid-season you'll be wishing you jumped on board beforehand. He'll hit more homers than Xander, play impeccable defense, and slash a .280/.350/.440 line on his way to the ROY award, and the Rangers will easily forget the name of that guy who they traded to get Prince Fielder. Who was that again anyway?

4. Jed Lowrie will be the best SS in the American League this year.

I'm on fire now. Who else will it be? Elvis Andrus? Nope, his bad on-base skills from last year will relegate him to demotion later this season (see Profar, Jurickson). J.J. Hardy will hit some home runs but otherwise be a lot of meh. Ben Zobrist qualifies at the position but he is past his peak years. Xander will come to fruition but not this season. Yep, check out what I wrote about him this offseason:

"In his first taste of non-injury-ness last year (662 PAs), do you know what he did? Just this (w/ qualified PAs): top 5 SS in (BB%, ISO, Runs, RBI, BA, OBP, SLG, wOBA, and LD%). He was tops at the position in hitting the fewest amount of ground balls, and hit more fly balls than anyone too (while posting a 5% IFFB rate...again, best at the position! Shall I go on? Ok. Top 6 in Contact% at 86%, top 10 in swinging-strike rate (6.8%), and top 5 in O-Swing% (the rate at which he offers at pitches outside the zone, 28.5%). The kicker? Nothing that I've told you about so far is way out of line with his career norms. Did I also mention that he plays for a severely underrated offense (#4 overall in runs scored in 2013)?"

He will stay healthy and he will produce. I can feel it.

5. Matt Carpenter struggles to get into the top 20 at third base, and even the top 10 at second base.

I know you think I'm crazy at this point but hear me out. 600 PA, 9 HR, 75 runs, 59 RBI, 5 SB. That's about the average projections for him between ZiPS, Steamer, and OLIVER. The average may still be ok, I'll say around .275-.280, but the IFFB% of 0.6 is sure to rise, the BABIP will fall, and I just don't see the K-rate remaining that low (I'm in line with ZiPS here at 16.4%). I think the Cards are a tad overrated and I'll take the under on 90 runs this year. You saw his peak last year and you should have sold, dynasty owners. If you still have him now when he loses 2b-eligibility after this year, it's your own fault. My Fake Teams colleagues blew it on their rankings with him this year, and I'll be the first one to tell ‘em so! If you can still get value for him, send him on his way.

6. Starling Marte and Jacoby Ellsbury need to change ADPs for 2014 to approximate their final value.

Jacoby is sitting at the 12^th overall player taken, versus Marte's 56th overall mark. I think Marte figures out lefties (or at least takes a step forward) and completely outperforms the overrated Pinstriper. I laid out the case and I'm sticking to it. Don't give me that "short-porch-in-right argument," because it's irrelevant in Ellsbury's case. Enjoy multiple DL stints, the under on 15 HR, and slowly diminishing speed from Jacoby while Marte laps him.

7. Jason Heyward goes 30/30. Yep, that Jason Heyward.

I'm sorry but a freak facial fracture and appendectomy don't scare me off here. He's 24 years old, atop a good lineup, and is going to prove doubters wrong. It will be 2012 Heyward 2.0 (the new and improved version) where Freddie Gonzalez finally lets him run, where the ISO goes north of .200, and the Ks come tumbling down. This is a gut call in general, but specifically the line drive rate will come up along with the HR/FB rate. He's swinging less outside the zone, making better contact across the board (despite the absurd 16.7% IFFB), and lowered his swinging-strike rate nearly 3% last year. Ok, I'm done.

8. Sonny Gray, Michael Wacha, Alex Cobb, Tony Cingrani, Danny Salazar, and Corey Kluber (and any other over-hyped sophomore SP) will be out-produced as a group this year by fellow teammates, Scott Kazmir, Lance Lynn, Matt Moore, Mike Leake, Zach McAllister, and Carlos Carrasco.

Every year some guys get way overhyped. We want to believe that these guys that pitched 50-100 innings are the next big thing. Maybe they are, but chances are the less hyped, cheaper valued guys end up being the better bets. We'll take it to the scorecards at the end of the year and see if my theory holds true by looking at Zack Sander's end of year values on Fangraphs. Add the overall ranks of group 1 and divide by 6, I'll do the same for group 2, and you'll lose.

9. Trevor Rosenthal gets moved to the rotation, throws 150 innings, and just continues doing his thing on his way to a top 40 SP finish.

When Jason Motte returns in late April or May the Cardinals brass will realize that they're better off letting Motte blow people away with his cheese and let Rosenthal replace one of Wacha, Lynn, or Joe Kelly (while Carlos Martinez take another spot). Rosenthal will still be unhittable and generally make hitters look silly, and the closer that you took early on will leave a huge gaping hole in your fantasy roster making you once again question your draft-a-sweet-closer-early strategy. However, you being you, decide to go ahead and take Motte with your last pick so you're feeling savvy.

10. Baseball Predictions. Leaving the friendly confines of fantasy for a brief minute, here are my (bold) picks for this year:

Divison Winners

Washington (NL East) Everything finally clicks this year, loads of pitching.

Pittsburgh (NL Central)They will unleash Taillon and Polanco; STL overrated.

San Francisco (NL West) Somehow they find a way; LAD lack of depth kills them.

Wild CardsAtlanta, Los Angeles

NLCS Washington vs. Los Angeles

Tampa Bay (AL East)Young pitching, emergence of Wil Myers, and Joe Maddon.

Cleveland (AL Central) It'll be close as the Tigers won't go quietly.

Texas (AL West) They hit their way into the playoffs and lean on Yu (not me).

Wild Cards Detroit, Boston

ALCSBoston vs. Texas

World SeriesTexas vs. Washington Best hitting vs, Best pitching

ChampionTexas Rangers

Jon Daniels and Co. prove that they are the smartest guys in the business, that they don't need no stinkin' Nolan Ryan, and that Ian Kinsler was wrong in his 0-161 prediction.

Am I wrong? Follow me on Twitter (@Roto_Joe) to argue your case and opine below if you think you have something to say (I won't hold it against you).

How shiny are the Yankees' trade chips from the other side of the deal?

It's always hard for fans to come up with realistic trades that would be considered fair for both side. When you actively root for a team, you tend to either overvalue or undervalue their prospects. They're not just names on a page, they're "your" prospects, and love them or hate them, you know them more than the fans of other teams do. Still, it's hard to not have a bias when you're a fan.

We spend so much time dreaming up ways the Yankees can improve their team without thinking whether or not their hypothetical trading partner would actually agree to such a deal. Even among actual major league officials, agreeing to a deal is hard because each team has different needs and value different things. That's why I thought it would only be fair to see what the other half thinks. I spoke to some of our SB Nation sister sites, whose teams could use our trade chips, in order to see what they would, realistically, give up in a fair trade.

I talked to Jim Margalus, managing editor for South Side Sox to get an idea of what he felt John Ryan Murphy and Francisco Cervelli were really worth to them. The White Sox have been known to need a catcher; they collectively finished third from the bottom according to WAR (-0.9) among all 30 teams in 2013. They also currently rank 30th in Fangraphs' positional power rankings at catcher (1.6 WAR across five candidates). If any team could use one of the Yankees' excess catchers, it's the White Sox, but what can the Yankees expect in return?

Jim actually submitted an interesting trade proposal:

If I could take Murphy's progress/reports at face value, he and Marcus Semien would seem to be comparable prospects for a 1-for-1 trade, or a 1(plus)-for-1 trade.

Semien would actually be a very useful player for the Yankees. He's only 23, he can play shortstop, third base, and second base, and is still cost controlled after only debuting for a handful of games in 2013. He's a right-handed hitter, but with both Derek Jeter and Alfonso Soriano leaving after this season, it would be nice to have someone who can hit lefties (.846 OPS), but not totally be useless against righties as well (.782 OPS).

Giving up Murphy might be hard, but as Jim alludes to, there's a fair chance that the 22-year-old catcher's 2013 performance wasn't as indicative of his true abilities as we would all like to hope. Murphy may have had a 116 wRC+ in the minors last season, but after averaging his projections between Steamer, Oliver, and ZiPS, he's only projected for an 82 wRC+ in the majors this season. He's also projected for a 1.2 WAR while Marcus Semien has a 1.7 WAR. If both are expected to have around the same value in 2014, it could make sense to swap them so that each team has the value at the position they need the most. The Yankees need infielders more than they need catchers and Chicago needs a catcher more than they need another infielder. With both players blocked from a full-time job in the majors, it could make sense to swap the two prospects and hope it pays off for both parties. If the White Sox were willing, I'd have to pull the trigger.

He also spoke a little more about Francisco Cervelli and the reality of a Gordon Beckham trade:

They seem kinda cut from the same cloth to me -- guys who are perpetually one excuse away from being more valuable than they actually are. Cervelli might be a proven backup catcher, but he's also had 200 plate appearances over the last three years, so it's hard to get excited about that.

Likewise, I can see Beckham's current skills getting a boost from playing on the Yankees. He's a good second baseman, but I have a feeling his metrics have been bogged down throughout the years by being positioned to compensate for playing next to the least mobile first basemen in the league. Also, his good swing is tailored for right field. Throw him in Yankee Stadium, and maybe the park factors fall in his favor.

Making a trade for Beckham wouldn't be the sexiest thing in the world. He hasn't hit at an above-average rate since his rookie year in 2009, he's rated poorly on defense (-13 DRS), and his 1.0 WAR in 2013 was actually the second-best mark of his career. On the positive side, he's only 27 and still has another two seasons under team control. While he's a right-handed batter, he actually hits well to the opposite field (144 wRC+), so maybe this is enough to, at least, make Beckham a worthwhile gamble.

As it was with Murphy and Semien, both Cervelli and Beckham are projected to be worth the same at about one WAR apiece. I think if I had the choice, I'd take Cervelli's value and move it to second base, where it could be more useful than Brian Roberts (0.3 WAR). At the very least, A Cervelli-Beckham trade would give the Yankees a less injury-prone option at second base than Roberts does and the Yankees wouldn't have to worry about who will play second base by the beginning of May.

Nick Kane of AZSnakepit felt differently about Cervelli when I asked about the price for Didi Gregorius:

I'd want more than Cervelli, I'd most certainly want some sort of starting pitcher back. I personally have a pretty high price for Didi. I'm fairly convinced he'll figure out how to hit LHP and 270ish with pop and PLUS PLUS D is really valuable in a SS.

I would agree that Cervelli won't be enough to get the job done, but could David Phelps and Cervelli make a deal? I don't know. The Diamondbacks just lost their ace Patrick Corbin to Tommy John surgery and Bronson Arroyo has a bulging disk, so they could obviously use pitching, plus they want a solid backup catcher behind Miguel Montero, so this package would make sense for their needs. However, with the rash of injuries going around and a rotation full of question marks in CC Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda, and, likely, Michael Pineda, it might make more sense to hold onto as much depth as possible in order to be more prepared for an injury than other teams have been. Didi Gregorius might be nice to have and could definitely be attainable if the Yankees really want him, but he's no proven commodity and with all the injuries, it makes me feel like they should be careful about such things.

Will our dream of a rotation with names all ending with A come to fruition?

Joe Girardi announced today that CC Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda, and Ivan Nova would start the Yankees' first three games in their opening series against the Astros in Houston next week. No real surprises here. Masahiro Tanaka is likely to start the first game of the Blue Jays series on Friday with the unnamed fifth starter making their debut on Saturday. Girardi says he has made the decision on who the fifth starter will be, likely choosing between Michael Pineda and David Phelps with Pineda being regarded as the favorite, but he hasn't spoken to all of the players yet and will make his final announcement tomorrow.

Sabathia, Kuroda, and Nova will pitch in their final spring training games this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday to line themselves up for Opening Day next week. If throwing Tanaka into the fire too soon was a concern, the Yankees have lined up his schedule pretty well to receive some extra rest in his first month in MLB.

As @Joelsherman1 noted, w/ Tanaka starting April 4, he's in line to go April 9, 15, 20, 26, May 2, meaning extra rest 3 times in 1st month.

— Jack Curry (@JackCurryYES) March 24, 2014

Despite the fact that both Pineda and Phelps have pitched extremely well this spring, it would be a bit of an upset if Girardi didn't officially name Pineda the fifth starter tomorrow. Pineda's potential likely earns him the nod, even if all things between he and Phelps are otherwise the same. Phelps has also had experience pitching out of the bullpen that Pineda does not. All signs point to Pineda opening the year as the fifth starter and Phelps as the long reliever. Still, Pineda will surely be on an innings limit as he returns from a long hiatus, lining the likes of Phelps up to make at least a few starts over the course of the season.

The Yankees added several players to the team during the offseason. How have they performed during spring training?

Brian McCann

As of Sunday, Brian McCann is hitting .243/.317/.405 with a .722 OPS through 37 at bats so far during spring training. He's drawn four walks, and hit one home run. In terms of defense, he's allowed four stolen bases and caught three players stealing. McCann seems to be acclimating with no problem. The pitchers are all raving about him without being asked, another good sign, other than the fact that he's not Chris Stewart.

Carlos Beltran

Carlos Beltran's transition from the NL back to the AL has been going well. Through 42 at bats, he's hitting .262/.279/.452. Beltran has hit two home runs this spring, and the first one happened to be his very first hit as a Yankee. His home run total is second only to Francisco Cervelli, who is (somehow) leading the team with four.

Jacoby Ellsbury

Jacoby Ellsuby has not been having a great spring training. Granted he's missed a week with the calf injury, but he was batting .174/.321/.391 prior to the injury. That adds up to just four hits through 23 at bats, although they were big hits (two doubles and a home run). He is expected to return to action in Tuesday's game.

Kelly Johnson

New third baseman Kelly Johnson is hitting .243/.378/.405 with a .783 OPS through 37 at bats. He has been doing particularly well against lefties, hitting .364/.462/.818 with a home run. Defensively, he's made three errors at third base in 70 innings. He is learning the position, so hopefully it's a learning curve type of thing.

Brian Roberts

The incredibly injury-prone Brian Roberts has made it through more than half of spring training unscathed (*knock on wood*). Through 34 at bats, Roberts is batting .265/.333/.294. He's hit one double, zero home runs, and drawn four walks. He's made one error at second base so far, but he's also made quite a few good plays out there. There is definitely room for improvement, but at least he's still healthy.

Masahiro Tanaka

Shiny, new Yankee Masahiro Tanaka's transition to MLB has been going smoother than anyone could have realistically hoped for. He's pitched 15 innings so far, with a 3.00 ERA, .211 average against, and a 1.00 WHIP. Tanaka has also been good for 16 strikeouts (Joe Mauer among them). He's only walked three batters and allowed five earned runs.

Matt Thornton

Lefty reliever Matt Thornton hasn't had very many opportunities to pitch in games during spring training, and as a result, his stats are pretty inflated. In three innings of work total, he's allowed three earned runs off of seven hits. Thornton's ERA is 9.00, with a 4.38 average against, and a 2.33 WHIP. He hasn't allowed a walk, and he was able to strikeout one batter.

Which of the new Yankees have you been most impressed with, or most disappointed with, so far?

Over the years, injuries and other craziness have made the Yankees' Opening Day rotation strange at times. Can you name all since 1995?

The quiz tonight is more difficult than you might think. You must name every Yankee to ever appear in the Opening Day starting rotation since 1995. Bear in mind that on Opening Day, some pitchers normally expected to be seen are injured at the moment, so weird other names will pop up. It really speaks to how much these starting assignments don't matter at the start of the season. How many of the 100 rotation spots can you name?

Enjoy your evenings. Feel free to use this as an open thread to talk about whatever as well.

Brian Creagh makes 10 bold prospect-centric predictions

Bold prediction pieces are a funny proposition. Experts make outlandish predictions, hoping to be 10% accurate with those predictions so they can look back and say "I called Daniel Murphy stealing 20+ bases in 2013". I understand the good-natured sentiment they provide. A fun way for us to build additional hype over guys we really like. But these bold predictions can sometimes inadvertently act as anchors to our readers just before drafts. They see a bold prediction of Harper hitting 40 HRs and are all the more eager to pull the trigger on him with the 5th overall pick.

The intentions are pure, but the reception is often fumbled.

My predictions that follow serve a slightly different purpose. While introduced with a hyperbolic statement (see prediction #7), like most lies there is a nugget of truth in all of these. In the prospect world, no one is a sure thing. We deal in ranges of outcomes. My predictions serve more as reality checks. Bringing to light the darker side of a player's range of outcomes. This doesn't mean always highlighting the negative, as I try to mention players with more upside than most currently give them credit for. So without further ado, my 10 bold predictions for the 2014 season.

1.) Christian Villanueva is prospect with the biggest impact on the 2014 season. I want to do something with Baez or Bryant here, but their 2014 future is too uncertain for me to go that far out on a limb. Both should see time in Chicago, but probably not enough to make a meaningful impact unless an impossible to predict injury dictates otherwise.

2.) Oscar Taveras' stock loses some major shine this season. Some of these are difficult to quantify and predicting a player's downfall is a bit abstract. The point I'm trying to make is that Taveras' injuries really concern me. The ankle injury is still lingering and the new hamstring issue in the same leg doesn't bode well. The talent is still there for Taveras to be a monster, and I truly hope I'm wrong on this one, but I can't blame managers looking to sell high.

3.) Yordano Ventura wins AL Rookie of the Year. Jose Abreu, Masahiro Tanaka, and Xander Bogaerts are prohibitive favorites for the award, but the diminutive fire-baller from KC is going to take home the trophy. Cleared to pitch 180-200 innings, there is little standing in the way of Ventura putting up huge numbers.

4.) Julio Urias will reach AAA this season. More importantly then reaching AAA this year, is that Julio Urias will be primed to reach the major leagues by the time he's 18 years old. He is the most exciting lefty in the minor leagues and is finding unprecedented success for someone his age.

5.) Ian Clarkin will be the consensus #1 prospect in the NY Yankees organization by the end of the season. With the promotion of Gary Sanchez, the cupboard is pretty bare in New York so maybe this one isn't that bold. Clarkin has a lot of developmental time ahead of him, but few in the organization can match his upside (Williams, Judge, Ramirez). The potential for a potent three-pitch mix, coming from a projectable lefty could pay big dividends. He has the competitive makeup necessary to make the jump.

6.) Billy Hamilton will run wild on the base paths and we'll have no idea what it means. Hamilton will put up absurd SB totals, possibly triple digits, but it's going to come in such a weird package that talent evaluators won't know what to make of it. Is 75 SB's with a .250/.300/.300 line good? Obviously from a fantasy standpoint, yes, but his fantasy value is tied to playing time, and I don't know if that production is worthy of a starting roster spot on an MLB team.

7.) Bubba Starling returns to the gridiron. I hate these negative ones, because I never wish failure on a player, but if we're going to project increases in value we need to acknowledge the possibility of it all falling apart. Starling's pitch recognition skills are almost non-existent, and he may never be able to make enough contact to unleash the 25/25 potential his athleticism certainly hints at. He's been paid the entirety of his $7.5 million bonus so he'd owe nothing if he bolted for the University of Nebraska. At 21 years old the chances of him actually leaving are infinitesimally small, but his chances of being an MLB bust is higher than I'd like to admit.

8.) Maikel Franco hits 25 HRs this season. His future is likely at 1B, but his 2014 season should give him some time at the hot corner as well. Asche isn't blocking anyone, and once Franco continues to mash minor league pitching he'll get enough AB's to let his plus-plus power play in righty-friendly home ballpark.

9.) Archie Bradley will struggle mightily during any MLB appearance this season. I'm a Bradley believer, but the command problems are going drastically understated. His leg kick appears difficult to replicate, and I wonder if a mechanical overhaul is in his future. I'm not lowering the ceiling, just tempering the short-term expectations.

10.) Gregory Polanco will go 10/25 this season and help form the top fantasy outfield. 2013 breakout Starling Marte, and NL MVP Andrew McCutchen form a solid foundation, but perennial double-double candidate Gregory Polanco is ready to explode. I wouldn't be surprised if he provides more fantasy value than George Springer in 2014.

BONUS: Houston Astros select Alex Jackson with the first overall pick in the 2014 draft. Rodon is still the favorite in my opinion, and Jamie Hoffman is a worthy consideration for #2. But there's a non-zero chance Jackson jumps both of them as the best bat in the draft.

Be sure to follow me on Twitter for more fantasy prospect talk (@BrianCreagh)

Last Time on Pinstripe Alley

• Sporcle quiz open thread: Yankees Opening Day starting rotations
• How have the newest Yankees performed in spring training?
• Yankees announce top three rotation spots for opening series against Astros
• Reevaluating the Yankees' trade pieces
• The greatest one-and-done seasons in Yankees history
• Yankees' AL East competition: Previewing the 2014 Boston Red Sox

Yankees News

ESPN New York | Wallace Matthews: It hasn't been officially announced, but Michael Pineda is likely the fifth starter.

The Times-Tribune | Donnie Collins:Manny Banuelos and Mark Montgomery both seem healthy and flashing some good signs on the mound.

CBS Sports | Jon Heyman: One scout says the Yankees might have the worst infield range in baseball, yet they still won't sign Stephen Drew.

Fangraphs | David G. Temple: See where Brett Gardner and the Yankees rank among the left field depth chart for all 30 MLB teams.

Rotoscouting | Joseph Pytleski:Dellin Betances could be a closer in the making.

Fangraphs | Brad Johnson: See where Carlos Beltran and the Yankees rank among the right field depth chart for all 30 MLB teams.

NoMaas | Vizzini: How efficient is the Yankees' payroll?

MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: David Robertson is ready to take over the ninth inning from Mariano Rivera.

LoHud | Chad Jennings: A look at the potential starting lineups for the Low-A, High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A team affiliates as they look today.

Will the frugal Tampa Bay Rays be able to reach the postseason for the fifth time in the last seven seasons?

For the fourth time in the last six seasons, the Tampa Bay Rays have reached baseball's postseason, where they lost to the eventual 2014 champion Red Sox in the ALDS. In fact, those four playoff appearances since the 2008 season are tied for the most (with the Yankees) in the American League. Like their three playoff appearances prior to 2013, the Rays did a little bit of everything to get there: pitching, defense, and offense. They'll need to do more of the same to get back to October in 2014.

It was widely expected around Major League Baseball that the Rays would trade ace David Price this past winter. After all, Price has just two years left on his deal before becoming a free agent, and the type of strong talent they could get in return for him would be quite immense. Instead, Tampa held onto their left-hander in hopes of a championship run. Behind Price, in whatever order, are Alex Cobb, Matt Moore, and Chris Archer in what should be a very formidable 1-4 in the rotation.

Because Jeremy Hellickson will be out until around mid-May following elbow surgery, the Rays held a competition for the fifth starter spot between Erik Bedard, Jake Odorizzi, and Cesar Ramos, in which Odorizzi won. As a result, Bedard opted out of his deal and will become a free agent, while Ramos will go back to the bullpen for Tampa. All told, Rays' starters sported a 3.81 ERA and 3.89 FIP last season, good for third and fourth in the AL, respectively.

On offense, the Rays put up an even 700 runs in 2013, good for just 9th in the AL, but their 108 wRC+ was tied for third-best in the league. Leading the offensive attack was Evan Longoria, who played a career-high 160 games, compiled 693 plate appearances, and hit .269/.343/.498 (133 wRC+). Last year's Rookie of the Year winner, Wil Myers, batted .293/.354/.478 through 88 games and 373 PA's, which totals out to a 131 wRC+. If those two hit like they did last season moving forward, Tampa should have a lethal 3-4 combo in the middle of their order for years to come.

Late-season pickup David DeJesus hit well after being acquired by the Rays and should bat atop Tampa's lineup against right-handed pitching. Rounding out the rest of the outfield are center fielder Desmond Jennings and corner outfielders Brandon Guyer and Matt Joyce, though the latter is expected to see plenty of time at DH this season.

Around the rest of the infield are shortstop Yunel Escobar, do-it-all Ben Zobrist, and first baseman James Loney. Loney, by the way, was signed to a three-year, $21 million contract this winter, which happens to be the richest deal the franchise has ever given to a free agent. Other infielders that are expected to see action are former Padre Logan Forsythe and Sean Rodriguez.

Finally, behind the plate are catchers Ryan Hanigan and Jose Molina. Both can't hit all that much, though Hanigan was hurt last season and has a fairly decent offensive track record for a catcher. The Rays aren't necessarily employing these guys for their offense; their defense is what makes them who they are. Both Hanigan and Molina are very good defensively behind the plate, especially when it comes to pitch framing. Like the Yankees, the Rays appear to be ahead of the curve when it comes to catchers who frame pitches well.

After spending three years in Oakland, the Rays brought back reliever Grant Balfour for two years and $12MM. Mainly a setup man during his previous days with the Rays, Balfour will replace Fernando Rodney as the team's closer. The Rays also brought in Heath Bell from the Diamondbacks, even though he has looked pretty bad the last two seasons. It always seems like the Rays dig up a reliever who seems to be just about finished, yet they flourish when they come to Tampa (2011 Kyle Farnsworth and 2012 Fernando Rodney come to mind). Bell could be that guy for the Rays.

Also leading up to Balfour are Jake McGee, Joel Peralta, Juan Carlos Oviedo, and Ramos. Mark Lowe and Josh Lueke (gross) are battling for bullpen spots as well, with Brad Boxberger and Brandon Gomes also in the mix. In total, the Rays' bullpen last season pitched to a 3.59 ERA and 3.36 FIP, good for seventh and second in the AL, respectively.

Finally, on defense, the Rays should feature a very strong group. Along with the noted pitch framers Hanigan and Molina, Tampa should have a very strong infield defense, led by Longoria and Loney at the corners. The middle of the infield should be pretty good as well, with Escobar at short and Zobrist and second, though the latter is good wherever he plays. In the outfield, Jennings did see a decline in his numbers after being moved to center, though Myers and DeJesus are solid defenders at the corners. Last season as a team, the Rays committed the second-fewest errors in the AL with 59. In terms of advanced defensive metrics, Tampa finished fourth in the AL with a 4.9 UZR/150 and seventh with an 8 DRS.

The Rays will, once again, be towards the very bottom in team payroll throughout the game. Despite this, the team should be right in the middle of the hunt for the AL East crown, given its strong pitching depth, youth on offense, and manager Joe Maddon calling the shots in the dugout. I currently have the Rays finishing second in the division, but a jump to first, or a drop to third (or even fourth) aren't totally out of the question, either. The AL East should be a dogfight again, and the Rays figure to be right in the middle of it in 2014.

Be wary when advocating for a player simply due to his spring training success.

Every year, spring training brings a return to everyday baseball after a long winter of absence. Many fans flock to their viewing devices, desperate to see games for the first time in quite awhile. While these games mean that baseball is back, it's not truly back until every team is in regular season form, when the games actually matter. To call these games a true test of skill would be wildly inaccurate. Pitchers are still finding their form and experimenting with both new mechanics and pitches. Starting pitchers do not go deep in games until late in camp. The men on the mound, especially early on in camp, do not represent true MLB talent. Position players already assured of a spot on the roster don't often appear in full games. The defenses out on the field are more likely to have flawed minor leaguers with range and fielding ability below that of regulars.

Thus, the game is not what it seems to be, and the statistics cannot be trusted due to these flaws. Much hullabaloo is made about "spring training competitions," but provided that the competitors are healthy, the competitions are most frequently decided the success and potential shown from previous seasons as a better evaluator. They represent both larger sample sizes and a far more consistent talent level. Spring training statistics might sometimes be viewed as a possible tiebreaker if the roster competitions are legitimately neck-and-neck, but more often than not, managers will go with the player who did not need flashy spring training numbers to thrust himself into the mix.

Unheralded players like Yangervis Solarte and Chris Leroux have produced among the most gaudy numbers in camp this year. The 26-year-old infielder Solarte has hit .457/.513/.629 in 35 at-bats this spring despite only batting .282/.332/.404 with a 91 wRC+ in 1,044 at-bats over the past two years in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. The righty reliever Leroux has kept his ERA perfect at 0.00 in eight games and 10 2/3 innings, allowing just four hits, walking none, and fanning nine batters. However, the 30-year old was unable to stick with the Pirates or the Japanese league Yakult Swallows in 2013, and his career major league numbers are completely forgettable: 63 games, a 5.56 ERA, and a 1.622 WHIP.

These figures from the past couple seasons are likely what will keep Leroux and Solarte off the Opening Day roster. I would take Solarte over the forgettable Eduardo Nunez, but not over Dean Anna, who has performed much better in the PCL over the same two-year span (120 wRC+ at Double-A in 2012, 140 wRC+ at Triple-A in 2013), or a potentially healthy Scott Sizemore, who had a 109 wRC+ at the major league level just a couple years ago before getting hurt the past two seasons. The spring numbers are truly not that important.

A short stroll down memory lane to spring trainings of the past 10 years reveal other unheralded players like Solarte or Leroux who were either not taken north after camp, or taken north with little success to follow. These minor leaguers went on to regress to their true talent levels and play out their seasons without the Yankees regretting their decisions:

Kevin Thompson, 2006

ST stats: 47 AB, .383/.420/.532, 4 2B, 1 HR

A 26-year-old outfielder in Yankees camp eight years ago, Thompson looked sharp in camp, but he had a .694 OPS in 58 games with Triple-A Columbus the year before. The Yankees knew better than to take him, so he returned to Columbus. He only every appeared in 41 career big league games before retiring in 2011.

Ramiro Mendoza, 2006

ST stats: 12 IP, 1.50 ERA, 12 K, 1.25 WHI

Meanwhile, it looked like there was a chance that the 33-year-old Mendoza, the sinkerballing ground ball machine from the dynasty years, could have a career resurrection in '06 after only making one appearance in '05. He never pitched in the majors again.

Josh Phelps, 2007

ST stats: 38 AB, .395/.442/.737, 1 2B, 4 HR

The Yankees brought in both Phelps and Doug Mientkiewicz help provide first base depth and potential with the bat, so perhaps he doesn't belong on this list since he was likely making the team anyway. However, the Alaskan home run king put on a show in March with gaudy power numbers that inspired great confidence. The 28-year-old rewarded that confidence and the Yankees' decision to take him north with a forgettable 86 wRC+ in 36 games before getting cut.

Colter Bean, 2007

ST stats: 11 IP, 1.64 ERA, 12 K, 0.64 WHIP

Bean was a 30-year-old veteran reliever with three career MLB games to his name. He did double that total, but he went on to post a 5.95 ERA in 28 Triple-A games in '07, then was out of baseball by the end of '08.

Chris Woodward, 2008

ST stats: 28 AB, .393/.414/.429, 1 2B

The 31-year-old infielder had surprising pop in camp during Joe Girardi's first spring training, but he was coming off a miserable 92-game, 35 wRC+ season with the Braves. He wasn't taken north and only appeared in 53 more big league games before retiring at the end of 2012. Would've been funny if he was the shortstop of the future.

Eduardo Nunez and Angel Berroa, 2009

ST stats: 26 AB, .385/.484/.577, 2 2B, 1 HR (Nunez)
ST stats: 62 AB, .371/.381/.597, 8 2B, 2 HR (Berroa)

Yes, long before Nunez was a punchline, he was a Yankees prospect who had a red-hot spring training. As we of course now know though, these brief numbers were not indicative of his true ability. The former Rookie of the Year Berroa was also in camp that spring and earned a backup infield job. He rewarded the Yankees by batting .136/.174/.182 (-15 wRC+) in 24 regular season plate appearances before getting cut. He has since appeared in just 14 MLB games and is unlikely to return.

Kei Igawa, Jonathan Albaladejo, and Brett Tomko, 2009

ST stats: 12 1/3 IP, 0.73 ERA, 13 K, 1.46 WHIP (Igawa)
ST stats: 10 2/3 IP, 0.84 ERA, 8 K, 0.84 WHIP (Albaladejo)
ST stats: 15 1/3 IP, 1.17 ERA, 12 K, 0.91 WHIP (Tomko)

Oof. Surprisingly, this tremendous trio was not the key to the Yankees' 27th World Series title. Maybe.

Sergio Mitre, 2010

ST stats: 22 IP, 3.27 ERA, 19 K, 0.82 WHIP

Hahahahahaha

Jon Weber, 2010

ST stats: 31 AB, .452/.452/.581, 4 2B

With Weber's only competition for a reserve outfield spot being Marcus Thames, who had a .451 OPS in the spring, it looked like the 32-year-old Weber might at long last make his MLB debut (though a depressing read, check out his long, arduous road to nowhere). Alas, the Yankees took Thames over him, and of course Thames had a fine season off the bench for a playoff team. Weber played 14 seasons in the minors, but never made it to the majors. Ouch.

Jorge Vazquez, 2011

ST stats: 34 AB, .412/.444/.765, 3 2B, 3 HR

Ah, "El Chato." I fondly remember the days of the 29-year-old mashing extra-base hits in camp three years ago, only to be disappointed when he wasn't taken north. His positional restriction to first base only (which he was not good at anyway), hurt him, and his rampant strikeout percentages combined with an awful OBP in the minors made Mark Reynolds look like Tony Gwynn. Thus, he never made it to the majors. He could mash when he was the recipient of a mistake, but those just weren't going to come very often in the pros.

Eduardo Nunez, 2012 & 2013

ST stats: 43 AB, .372/.386/.488, 5 2B (2012)
ST stats, 61 AB, .311/.386/.571, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR (2013)

Appearing here again, Nunez was so disappointing early on in 2012 that he was sent down to Triple-A. He then followed up a strong camp in 2013 with his worst career MLB season to date, a horriawful -1.4 fWAR, 83 wRC+ campaign. Spring training All-Star Eduardo Nunez, everyone.

These are just a few of many cautionary spring training star stories in MLB's records. They indicate that one must proceed very carefully when using spring training stats to argue for a roster spot. They've fooled many people in the past, and far more often than not, they will continue to mislead fans.

As spring training winds down, beat writer Chad Jennings recently spoke to Mark Newman, the Yankees vice president of player development, about a few prospects. He touched on some injury reports and potential assignments to begin the season.

Injuries

Tyler Austin: Recovering from a wrist injury, Austin took part in a simulated game and will soon play in a full game. He's expected to primarily play right field, but the Yankees want him to spend time at third to improve his versatility. It's good to see him ready to play in games after spending so long fighting with a bone bruise.

Greg Bird: After an amazing 2013 season, Bird will not be healthy enough to break camp with the Tampa Yankees. He has been shut down with a lower back injury, something that led to his transition from a catcher to a first baseman in the first place. It doesn't sound too serious, but it's enough to keep him in camp for at least a little while.

Anderson Feliz: The Yankees second baseman has not played this spring because of a strained flexor muscle in his elbow. This is the second elbow injury he has suffered after he underwent surgery last season, though, as Newman says, "this is different." The 21-year-old right-handed batter played for the High-A Tampa Yankees in 2013 before going down for the year.

Slade Heathcott: After undergoing offseason knee surgery, Heathcott has still not played in a game this spring. According to Newman, he's been taking batting practice and has started running, but he won't be ready for Opening Day. He's not expected to miss too much time, but that's not exactly encouraging from a top prospect.

Ty Hensley: 2012 first-round pick Ty Hensley hasn't been able to pitch because of hernia surgery he underwent this past season. Newman expects him to be another three or four weeks before he can throw again. That means he won't be breaking camp with any minor league team and we still have to wait another month or two before he returns to minor league games.

Ronnier Mustelier: He didn't get an invitation to spring training, but it's not likely he would have been able to play even if he did. The Man Named Musty suffered a hamstring injury after playing in Mexico and the Dominican Republic during the winter. The injury wasn't exactly why he didn't get an invitation, so the Yankees still don't see much in him anymore.

Jose Ramirez: On his way back from another oblique injury, Ramirez is playing catch, but has yet to pitch in a game. In an effort to keep him healthy, the Yankees will move him to the bullpen, where they think he can move quickly and be very effective.

Nik Turley: After feeling tightness in his throwing arm, Turley has still not pitched in minor league camp. Right now it's unknown how long he will be out. It didn't seem too serious at the time, but maybe it's something to start worrying about? We'll see.

Assignments

Abiatal Avelino: The system's top shortstop will start the season out in Low-A Charleston after he spent 2013 in rookie ball and Staten Island.

Ian Clarkin: The 2013 first-round pick will play for Low-A Charleston at some point in the season, but he will likely start off the year in extended spring training to build up some innings. After only pitching in five rookie-ball innings, this is very aggressive for a draftee out of high school. Newman appears to be impressed by him, so maybe he's more advanced than we think. It will certainly be interesting to watch.

Shane Greene: After impressing in big league camp, he could start out in the Triple-A rotation if the Yankees decide to carry Michael Pineda, David Phelps,Adam Warren, and Vidal Nuno.

Eric Jagielo: The Yankees' first pick in 2013 might start the season at High-A Tampa, even if Dante Bichette is still there. It's clear that they don't value Bichette that much anymore, so Jagielo will move through the system whether he's in his way or not.

Aaron Judge: The other first-round pick will likely start the season in Low-A Charleston, but Newman said they considered starting him out in High-A. To me, that would have been rather aggressive for him. I see him as more of a project than someone who should shoot through the system. They need to unlock his power before they can expect him to move up.

Bryan Mitchell: After spending time in big league camp, he will remain in Double-A after pitching three games there in 2013.

Tyler Wade: He will remain in extended spring training before he returns to Short Season Staten Island. It's unfortunate that he's stuck behind Avelino because both are very talent shortstop prospects.

As spring training comes to an end, teams often have a better sense of who is and isn't expendable to them. Some teams realize they still need one more piece, or they might even have to replace someone who went down with an injury. This is the time when teams start making deals and the Rangers could be one of them.

The Rangers have just learned that they will be without their starting catcher for most of the first half after Geovany Soto underwent knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus. That would leave them with J.P. Arencibia and Robinson Chirinos as their only options on the 40-man roster. It makes sense that they'll be looking around for someone, anyone, better.

Buster Olney reports that the Rangers have been checking in on teams with surplus catching and they have spoken to the Yankees about Francisco Cervelli. New York probably has a greater abundance of catchers than any other team in the majors and they have very little room to store them all. John Ryan Murphy and Austin Romine are both expected to start the season in the minors, while Cervelli is going to be the backup to Brian McCann. Murphy might have the most value as a 22-year-old catcher with many years of team control remaining, but teams looking for a small boost from a more known quantity might look to Cervelli because he would cost much less in return.

Unfortunately, it's not expected that the two teams will be a match since the Yankees only really need infielders and the Rangers aren't about to part with anyone they have for a 27-year-old, out-of-options backup catcher. Texas also has their own infield issues now that Jurickson Profar has been diagnosed with a torn shoulder muscle and will be out for the first few months of the season, and Elvis Andrus is dealing with elbow issues. Soto going down seemed like the perfect time for the Yankees to strike, but it doesn't sound like that's in the cards.

Instead, it looks like the Rangers have picked upChris Snyder, who was just released by the Nationals yesterday.

Rotation with names all ending in A is a go!

No surprises this afternoon as Joe Girardi announced that Michael Pineda would begin the season as the Yankees' fifth starter after a spring training battle with David Phelps, Adam Warren, and Vidal Nuno. Pineda had to always be considered the favorite because of the upside he presents that caused the Yankees to trade their top prospect in Jesus Montero for him a few seasons back. That was before labrum surgery derailed two seasons for Pineda, but his strong showing in spring made any other decision for fifth starter highly unlikely.

Phelps, Warren, and Nuno each have some experience pitching out of the bullpen and will be vying for a spot on the team as the long reliever. It's highly unlikely that all three will have a place on the team when they break camp over the weekend, but it wouldn't be a shock to see both Phelps and Warren on the team in some capacity. No team really makes it through a season needing only five starters, and those guys will play an important part on the team. That is doubly true with Pineda almost certainly not being immediately able to resume a full workload.

No set innings limit for Pineda, Girardi said. Will be a fluid situation.

— Jorge Castillo (@jorgeccastillo) March 25, 2014

Handling Pineda's return this way seems like a best case scenario. Taking his limitation start by start instead of placing a hard cap on his innings right out of spring training sounds like a good way to handle it without drifting into Joba Rules territory.

Girardi says Pineda impressed from the start, was better than he expected him to be this spring

— Daniel Barbarisi (@DanBarbarisi) March 25, 2014

Pineda's impressive spring has been a comforting sight after the severity of a torn labrum. It's unlikely that we'll see the 97-98 mph velocity he had when he was a rookie in Seattle, but Pineda proved this spring he can still be effective with the fastball he has. That's important, especially for a young pitcher.

The back of the Yankees' rotation is fully stocked with young, promising talent. Ivan Nova, Masahiro Tanaka, and Pineda is a really intriguing core of pitchers that have the ability to dazzle when all goes right for them. For all of the talk about the Yankee team being quite old, there's a lot to hope for with the future of their rotation in the form of three very young pitchers that will be around for quite some time.