New York

On Thursday night, the crowd at Yankee Stadium erupted time and time again.

DER-EK JE-TER... DER-EK JE-TER... DER-EK JE-TER!

It was Derek Jeter's final game in the Bronx, the last time he would don his iconic No. 2 pinstriped jersey. The fans were desperate for one more memory.

Boy, did Jeter deliver.

With the game against the Baltimore Orioles tied in the ninth, Jeter, with a man on second, stepped up to the plate. Just as he had done so many times in his career, Jeter shot one the opposite way. It was a walk-off single for The Captain in his final night in the city where he had played ball for the past two decades.

Jeter than went out to shortstop to get one more look from what has been his office for those two decades. Throughout the game he was choked up, and it showed when he waved goodbye to the fans as well. It showed during his press conference.

After 20 years of keeping his cool and never letting anyone in, Jeter let the moment get to him.

On Sunday, Jeter played the last game of his career on the road at Fenway Park. Unfittingly, he will not be going to the playoffs for only the third time in that span since his first full season in 1996.

Hopefully, Jeter relished that night at the stadium as the adoration of his hometown fans and the baseball world came pouring out.

He may not be playing in October in his final season, but there should be no regrets for Jeter as he rides off into the sunset. Hollywood could not have written a better story or come up with a better character. Jeter provided one more perfect moment, had the perfect career. In the eyes of many, he was in fact perfect.

"I'm not perfect; no one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. I think you try to learn from those mistakes."

The Person

Growing up in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Jeter dreamed of playing for the Yankees as a child. In 1992, the Yankees made that boy's dream come true, drafting Jeter with the sixth overall pick of the Major League Baseball draft.

Since then, Jeter has carried himself with the utmost professionalism, always keeping in mind that his actions were not only a reflection of himself, but the team as well. It's safe to say the Yankees have not sent many complaints Jeter's way over the years.

A class act all the way, Jeter has miraculously managed to stay out of trouble despite being perhaps the biggest star in the brightest city for the past two decades. Never one to seek attention, Jeter has maintained a balance between his private life and the spotlight. 

Jeter has never let his fame and fortune distract him from helping others. A true philanthropist, Jeter's Turn 2 Foundation has been helping youth across the country since 1996.

Jeter has always had a soft spot for kids. Throughout his career, he would often chat up a wide-eyed child in the on-deck circle or throw any variation of equipment over the top of the dugout. Home or away, Jeter always showed as much love for the fans as they did for him, signing autographs for hours on end.

Jeter was a great ballplayer, but his character made him someone that people could look up to.

"Your image isn't your character. Character is what you are as a person."

 The Role Model

Staying out of trouble was just one factor that made Jeter such a great role model.

Aside from his off-the-field excellence, Jeter did everything he was supposed to when the cameras were on him. He always hustled, always sprinted down to first base. He was an exemplary teammate, always the first guy out of the dugout to embrace a fellow player.

Never considered the most talented player of his generation, Jeter's name became synonymous with hard work, showing up to the field early and putting in the extra effort. 

Whether you rooted for the Yankees or not, you had to respect what Jeter did and stood for. He was the guy you wanted your son to play like and your daughter to date. 

He played the game the right way and has lived life in the same regards in a time where society, not just sports, hardly sees such a thing. 

That is why the Yankees named him captain in 2003, even when he did not want the title. He was the example his fellow players, kids and even adults could follow. 

No matter what it is you do, Jeter perfectly illustrated how to live a successful life—by having confidence, working hard, keeping out of trouble, being good to others and doing what you love.

"There may be people who have more talent than you, but there's no excuse for anyone to work harder than you do—and I believe that."

The Player

There are a few plays in Jeter's career that sum up the player he was.

The Dive showcased his hustle. The Flip highlighted his smarts on the field. His signature jump-throw deep in the hole at shortstop symbolized his stardom. His ability to excel on the biggest of stages, whether it be a home run on his 3000th hit or to walk-off Game 4 of the 2001 World Series in the 10th inning, proved how clutch he was. That single on Thursday was just another demonstration of his flare for the dramatic.

It was not just those moments. Jeter embodied those characteristics on a daily basis since he came into the league in 1995. He always ran hard. He always had his head in the game. He knew where to be and when to be there.

He was consistent too, playing under 120 games in just two seasons since he became the Yankees' starting shortstop in 1996. Speaking of starts, no one in baseball has made more at the position than Jeter. That mark was set earlier this year when Jeter surpassed Omar Vizquel for the all-time lead.

Not much of a power hitter, Jeter had a trademark "Jeterian Swing" that made him an opposite field threat. Come to think about it, that swing was a metaphor for Jeter's game; unselfish and sacrificing. By choosing to go the opposite way, Jeter gave up his own power for the betterment of the team.

That swing would produce some incredible numbers over the years. With everything under wraps, Jeter finishes with 3,465 hits, 4,921 total bases, 544 doubles, 260 home runs, 1,311 RBI, 358 stolen bases and a .310 batting average.

Yet Jeter was never about his stats. What really set him apart from the rest of the players around him was his desire and determination to win.   

"If you're going to play at all, you're out to win. Baseball, board games, playing Jeopardy, I hate to lose."

The Winner

Just a 21-year old kid in 1995, Jeter was permitted tby then-Yankees manager Buck Showalter to travel with the team as an inactive player for the postseason. Showalter believed that sitting in on those games would give Jeter some experience and, more importantly, a hunger to succeed.

Jeter has always thanked his former skipper for the opportunity, one he says helped him heading into his first full season in 1996. Since then, Jeter has made an almost annual run into October, racking up a fistful of rings in the process.

The first one came in that rookie season under newly appointed manger Joe Torre. From there, a dynasty was born. The Yankees went on to win it all again in 1998, 1999 and 2000. They would make trips to the Fall Classic in 2001 and 2003, but fell short to the Arizona Diamondbacks and Florida Marlins, respectively. In 2009, they were once again at the top, trouncing the Philadelphia Phillies in six games.

Jeter was at the forefront of each championship and every playoff run the team made. In total he made 16 trips to the postseason, setting records with 158 games played and 734 plate appearances. He scored 111 runs and recorded 200 hits, also postseason records. No one in baseball history has more total bases (302) and doubles (32) in October.

He had a knack for rising to the occasion, hitting game-changing home runs throughout his playoff career. In total, he finished with 20 dingers in postseason play, good enough for third in major league history. His .308 average is not too bad either. Neither is the World Series MVP he won in 2000, when he hit .409 with two doubles, a triple and two homers against the crosstown rival Mets.

After 20 years, Jeter's name is just another alternative for winning. With his skills and talent, Jeter would have still been a great player, but the championships, the rings and all of the trophies helped turn him into an all-time legend.

"We just want to win. That's the bottom line. I think a lot of times people may become content with one championship or a little bit of success, but we don't really reflect on what we've done in the past. We focus on the present."

The Legend

Take each previous section of this piece and add it together, and what you get is the legend that is Derek Jeter.

Combine his class and professionalism with all of the accomplishments of his illustrious career and what you get is a surefire first-ballot Hall of Famer.

With his career now over, Jeter ranks sixth on the all-time hits list and is 20th in offensive wins above replacement with a 95.3 mark. He is New York's franchise leader in games played, plate appearances, at-bats, hits, doubles, stolen bases and times on base.

On top of the five World Series Championships, Jeter also has 14 All-Star selections, five Gold Gloves and five Silver Slugger awards to his name. 19 years ago he won the 1996 American League Rookie of the Year.

In five years, he will be enshrined in Cooperstown.

What makes it all so much more amazing is again, he did it all with the Yankees. A quiet but confident person, Jeter handled baseball's biggest stage with unprecedented ease. 

Of course, his love and respect for the game should not be overshadowed by all of the achievements and success. He appreciated the game just as much as it appreciated him, and that is why Jeter's legendary career will go down in baseball history with that of the best.

"In my opinion, I've had the greatest job in the world. I've had a chance to be the shortstop for the New York Yankees and there is only one of those. I always felt my job was to try and provide joy and entertainment for you guys, but it can't compare to what you brought me. For that, thank you very much. I've loved what I've done. I love what I do. More importantly, I've loved doing it for you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you very much."

---

No Derek, thank you. Your journey has truly been a pleasure to watch.

 All stats were obtained via Baseball-Reference.com.

Question or comments? Feel free to follow me on Twitter @GPhillips2727 to talk New York Yankees and Major League Baseball.

After a rather mediocre season, the New York Yankees are sure to have a few prized free agents on their shopping list this winter. There is no doubt that Jon Lester is one of those guys.

A former Red Sox, Lester could be the latest player to break the hearts of Boston fans should he bolt for The Evil Empire. Of course, Lester is currently a member of the playoff-bound Oakland Athletics, so he still has some baseball left to play in 2014. Oakland acquired him and Jonny Gomes at the July 31 trade deadline for Yoenis Cespedes.

Lester will be a free agent at the end of the year, and the Yankees are expected to be one of his suitors.

The Yankees have some rotation issues they would need to resolve before making a run at the ace. They will have CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova, Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda and Shane Greene under contract in 2015, though the first two are currently rehabbing from injuries and their return dates are no safe bets.

Hiroki Kuroda will be a free agent after the season and could possibly return home to Japan. Either way, he will not be a Yankee in 2015. Brandon McCarthy will also be a free agent. With the dominant numbers he has put up in pinstripes, New York should want him back.

If they do, that would give the Yanks six starters under contract, two of whom are presently health concerns. Of those two, one (Sabathia) is scheduled to make $23 million, so he is going to pitch as soon as he can. On the other hand, Greene has established himself as a big league pitcher this year, a guy certainly deserving of a spot in a big league rotation.

To make room for Lester, or any other top of the line starter, someone has to go. It will not be Sabathia or Tanaka. Pineda is arguably the second best pitcher there, a guy who when healthy belongs at the front of a staff. 

That means McCarthy cannot come back or the Yankees try to trade Grenne and/or Nova. If that is what it comes down to, they should take Lester over any of those guys.

Another obstacle to get around is the sentimentality Lester will have toward his other suitors. The Chicago Cubs are very likely to be in play thanks to Theo Epstein, the team's president. Epstein served as the Red Sox general manager while Lester was in Beantown. It is also worth mentioning that the Cubbies have a surplus of young talent that could have them contending two or three years into Lester's next deal.

Then there are the Sox themselves. It would be weird seeing as how Boston failed multiple times to sign Lester to an extension, but the 30-year-old said he would be welcome to a reunion earlier this year, according to Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com. In response to whether he could return to Boston:

Yeah, why not? I mean, [Boston] is what I know, this is what I love. Like I've said plenty of times, this is where I want to be. And if they trade me I completely understand. No hard feelings. I know what they have to do for their organization and if that involves me, so be it. If it doesn't I'll keep running out there every five days and pitching.

There will also be other teams involved, not just those two.

Between competitive suitors and a surplus of pitchers, the Yankees have a few things to take care of. Money will not be an issue when courting Lester, and neither should the likes of Greene, Nova and McCarthy, regardless of how good they have been in the past. Lester is better, plain and simple.

There is no front-runner in this race, but you can count on the Yankees doing everything possible to land Lester, this winter's top free agent.

Question or comments? Make your voice heard below or feel free to follow me on Twitter @GPhillips2727 to talk baseball.

The shops at Madison Square Garden have a lot of new swag to manufacture before October. Jerseys distinguishing J.R. Smith from Jason Smith. Triangle bikinis honoring the new offense. Cleanthony Early alarm clocks.

After an action-packed offseason, the New York Knicks who take the hardwood next month hardly resemble those that slouched their way through the 2013-14 season. The game plan Derek Fisher brings to the sideline will be just as different. That we know, but how will the triangle offense and the new personnel really change what happens on the court?

More ball movement

The Knicks were one of the worst passing teams in the league in 2013-14, swirling around the bottom of the barrel with other teams who missed the playoffs (and the Oklahoma City Thunder).

The triangle offense, however, is all about ball movement. Expect the Knicks to jump up into the league's top 10 for passes and assists.

More turnovers

Protecting the rock was one of the few things New York did well in 2013-14. Only the Charlotte Bobcats had fewer turnovers (New York averaged 13.0 turnovers per game; Charlotte 12.3). 

However, succeeding at ball protection was partly a result of failing at ball movement. More turnovers may be the main trade-off of the triangle offense's cross-court passes in the air.   

Less 'Melo

Carmelo Anthony will not be any less important to the Knicks' success than he has in the past, but there will be fewer isolation plays, fewer minutes and maybe fewer points for 'Melo in 2014-15. (There are already fewer pounds on him.) 

This is all good news.

Last season, Anthony tied Kevin Durant for most minutes per game—38.9 overall, and more when the Knicks lost. The punishing playtime took its toll on Anthony's performance. His field-goal average and three-point average in the first three quarters were 47.6 percent and 45.2 percent, respectively; in the fourth quarter, those stats dropped to 38.0 percent and 32.1 percent, respectively. 

Although 'Melo's offseason weight shedding may help his endurance, head coach Derek Fisher will need to help his star save a little in the tank for Q4. The triangle offense should achieve that by eliminating the 'Melo iso plays and providing better shot opportunities for the teammates who lack his rare ability to sink tough shots. 

If the strategy works, the shooting and scoring will be more evenly distributed, giving 'Melo the chance to relax into a nice leisurely 36 minutes per game. 

Faster pace and transition offense

Last season the Knicks were officially the slowest team in the league, with the fewest fast-break points (9.0 per game).

They might not be strong enough on defense to create a lot of fast-break opportunities. However, the speed and passing mentality honed in pursuit of the triangle offense could give the Knicks the wherewithal to capitalize on the chances they do get. Glimmers of this were seen during the NBA Summer League. 

More Amar'e

Knicks fans have grown used to seeing Amar'e Stoudemire injured. Nearly every statement about him is preceded by "assuming he's healthy." Nevertheless, Amar'e might just be New York's best starting center. His power makes him more of a threat at the rim than Jason Smith and Andrea Bargnani. His mid-range jumper allows him to stretch the floor better than Samuel Dalembert.

Granted, a successful triangle doesn't necessarily need a quick center who can score outside the paint. The Lakers did it with a guy named Shaquille O'Neal, who hardly ever put it up from mid-range and only made one three-pointer in his 18-season career. However, in the absence of a 12-time All-Star center, future Hall of Fame 7'1", 340-pound beast on the roster, STAT could be the go-to guy at the 5 spot. His minutes per game will increase, at the least.

Also, Stoudemire was one of the late-season additions to the 2013-14 starting lineup that entirely turned the Knicks' dismal season around, albeit too late.  

J.R. Smith in the starting lineup Day 1

From October to the beginning of March, J.R. Smith came off the bench, with the shooting guard spot being filled most often by Iman Shumpert. Yet, as soon as Mike Woodson added Smith and Stoudemire to the starting lineup, and moved Shumpert to the bench, the team won eight games in a row, closing the season with a 16-5 record.

That success strengthened the case for starting Smith, and none of New York's new guards are likely to surpass him in the points per game column.  

Shump might replace Smith at the starting 2 when Derek Fisher needs to put a defense-first unit on the floor. Tim Hardaway, Jr. could also be a threat, but it's J.R. who will strut through the smoke and spotlights when the starters are announced Oct. 29. 

More points in the paint

It would be hard not to increase points in the paint, seeing as though the Knicks were last in the league in PITP last season (33.5 points per game).

The new offense is designed to open up shot opportunities all around the court. If all goes to plan, last season's ineffective strategy of lobbing contested shots from the perimeter will be replaced with one that gives the frontcourt some action and gets the guards driving down a clear lane. 

Better attitude

While the Knicks never had a nervous breakdown like that experienced by the Indiana Pacers in 2014, the team chemistry appeared unbalanced.

When explaining the reasoning behind the June trade that sent Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton to the Dallas Mavericks, Phil Jackson said, "Watching [the Knicks] play, I saw guys that looked at each other like, 'You didn't back me up, you weren't here when I needed help.' There just wasn’t the right combination or feel [where] it felt like everybody was in sync all the time." 

Tyson Chandler disputed Phil Jackson's assessment, per Tim McMahon of ESPN Dallas. Chandler said, "If you call holding people accountable daily being a bad influence, then hey, I'm a bad influence." 

Certainly Chandler was a fiery, beloved leader in seasons past. Whether or not he deserved any blame for the emotional strife of 2013-14, Jackson's description of the dysfunctional chemistry looked accurate from here. 

Of course, winning cures many ills, and with a 37-45 record, the Knicks sorely lacked those.

More wins

The sweeping changes made to the roster, coaching staff and game plan give the new-look Knickerbockers a chance to rectify many of the sins of last season. If they pay off, Phil Jackson's gambles may be good for another 10 wins. 

Other changes we might see? The frequent "switching" on defense, which the Knicks never got the hang of, will be abandoned. Under the influence of the Zen Master, Andrea Bargnani may find mental peace, tighten up his game and win over the fanbase. Sales of Just For Men Mustache and Beard may go down in New York, now that Mike Woodson has taken his goatee needs to Los Angeles.  

What hasn't changed are Madison Square Garden's high ticket prices. Hopefully for Knicks fans, their cash will be more happily spent this year.

All stats are from NBA.com/stats. Follow Sara Peters on Twitter @3FromThe7.

There was something strangely familiar about Tim Hardaway Jr.’s rookie season.

After a promising first year, Hardaway became the third Knick in the last four seasons to be named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. The other two, Landry Fields and Iman Shumpert, regressed after their first year.

For the Knicks to have any hope in 2014-15, they need Hardaway to break the recent tradition of rookies fizzling out.

The trend began in 2010-11, when Fields took the NBA by surprise and averaged 9.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 31.0 minutes per game while shooting 49.7 percent from the field and 39.3 percent from three-point range. Speaking to the New York Post, Donnie Walsh went so far as to compare Fields to a young John Havlicek. The comparison was a stretch, even at the time, but Fields, a second-round pick, looked like the steal of the draft.

He couldn’t sustain it. Fields lost confidence in his second year, and his percentages dipped to 46.0 percent from the field and a ghastly 25.6 percent from three-point range. Even his free-throw shooting plummeted (76.9 percent to 56.2 percent).

By Year 4, Fields was averaging just 2.3 points in 10.7 minutes per game for Toronto (including 35 games in which he didn't play due to a coach's decision), putting his NBA career on life support.

Shumpert’s career arc has been tragic in its own way. Like Fields, Shumpert debuted with aplomb, averaging 9.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 28.9 minutes per game. Shumpert didn't shoot as well as Fields (40.1 percent from the field and 30.6 percent from three) but earned a reputation as a lockdown defender and boasted a defensive rating of 101, excellent for a rookie.

Then he blew out his knee. It’s difficult to say how much the injury stunted Shumpert’s development, but it certainly didn’t help. His offensive game has barely improved in three seasons, if at all, and his defense has slipped too—a 108 defensive rating last season placed Shumpert in the bottom half of the league.

Sensing a pattern yet?

Last season Hardaway Jr. averaged 10.2 points, 1.5 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 23.1 minutes per game while shooting 42.8 percent from the field and 36.3 percent from beyond the arc. Although it’s clear that Hardaway is a more prototypical shooting guard than Fields or Shumpert, the numbers are strikingly similar.

Hardaway hasn't had to battle injuries like Shumpert, and confidence issues—which derailed Fields—are the least of Hardaway's concerns. But opponents now have a book on Hardaway. Teams are armed with a season of film and data documenting Hardaway’s weaknesses, which they will exploit.

Their target will be Hardaway’s soft underbelly: his defense.

Hardaway’s 114 defensive rating ranked 328th out of 337 players who logged 500 minutes last season, and the numbers bear out what was visible on the court: frequent mental lapses, failure to close out shooters and struggles guarding the pick-and-roll. If Hardaway has any designs on a successful NBA career, he must shore up his defense.

The “promising” part of “promising rookie year” was mainly limited to Hardaway’s offensive game, where he ran the floor like a gazelle and at times lit it up from range. Still, there were holes. Hardaway was too streaky, mostly due to poor shot selection.

Shedding his gunner mentality would go a long way for Hardaway.

If the Knicks want to entertain any notions of the playoffs next season, Hardaway must improve. The backcourt was shambolic last season. Felton was overweight and overmatched, Smith was incredibly erratic (even by his standards) coming off a marijuana suspension and knee surgery, and Shumpert—whose tense relationship with Mike Woodson was palpable—drifted in and out of games like a petulant teenager. And let’s not even get into the Beno Udrih fiasco.

Mercifully, Phil Jackson upgraded the backcourt in the offseason when he jettisoned Felton for Jose Calderon, a capable point guard with three-point shooting to complement an offense built around Carmelo Anthony. But Calderon is another weak defender, and pairing him with Hardaway could be a disaster unless Hardaway vastly improves on defense.

One way or another, the Knicks will be a bad defensive team next year; the question is how bad. They lost former Defensive Player of the Year Tyson Chandler, although by the end of last season it was clear Chandler had either checked out, was on the decline or both. How effectively new additions Samuel Dalembert and Jason Smith can plug the defensive holes remains to be seen.

To make matters worse, the perennially incompetent Andrea Bargnani will be back from injury, and the sieve-like Amar’e Stoudemire will demand minutes too. If Smith starts over Shumpert, it’s possible that Anthony will be the best individual defender in the Knicks’ starting lineup. Carmelo Anthony.

It’s a frightening thought. The silver lining is Hardaway, who unlike the rest of the roster (excluding rookie Cleanthony Early) can still improve. At 22 his NBA makeup is still elastic, and there’s no reason to believe that with his athletic ability he can’t become at least a par defender in the league. But he has miles to go.

Anyone can surprise in a rookie year. Building on it is different question altogether. If Hardaway goes the way of Fields and Shumpert, the Knicks will almost certainly be resigned to another year of sub-mediocre basketball. If he comes through on his promise, the Knicks just might show some promise of their own as they transition into a new era.

Advanced stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com.

A year ago, it was championship or bust.

This season, a playoff berth should satiate Brooklyn Nets fans. But with Deron Williams and his questionable ankles a year older, a new leader must emerge. 

That's where Joe Johnson steps in. 

Leadership

Williams may not be able to lead by example like he once did. His ankles have become brittle, and the explosiveness that once made D-Will a top-three point guard is no longer present. 

Johnson did well last season as Brooklyn's head honcho. His willingness to take big shots and knock them down in the closing moments of games gave the Nets stability amid an otherwise volatile year. 

In order to avoid a poor start, Brooklyn will need Johnson to enter the season ready and hungry for more responsibility. Johnson possesses the tools—he's a good playmaker for a shooting guard, his jumper is wet and his lack of an ego or attitude never alienates his teammates. 

He could be a little isolation-happy at times, but Johnson is one of very few players who could excel in any system.

Under head coach Lionel Hollins, he'll need to carry over the ball movement and post play that benefited the Nets in 2013-14.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSl0nU-1EAM

If Johnson could initiate the offense a little more, it should play into Williams' favor. The less hard cuts D-Will has to make, the less the ball is in his hands and the healthier he should be able to remain. 

  

Efficient Shooting

Johnson shot 45.4 percent in 2013-14, which was above his career average of 44.3 percent. In order for Brooklyn to be a force, Johnson will need to once again shoot above the mean for his career. 

There aren't too many proven offensive options on the roster, and the Nets may need to rely on their defense to generate offense at times. But if Johnson could be more consistent with his jumper and get back to the 20 PPG club, Brooklyn could have dark-horse potential. 

He'll need to carry over his rhythm from the end of last year. In March and April, Johnson shot 49.8 and 48 percent from the field, respectively.

In the playoffs, against the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat, Johnson posted field-goal percentages of 52.3 and 54.8, respectively. 

Spreading the floor is a necessity for any fluid offense, and the more consistent and assassin-like Johnson could be, the better 2014-15 will be.

Johnson will need to shoot around his career high of 47 percent, and he'll need to be more aggressive, contributing the 20 points a night he has within him. 

Focused Defense

Johnson, like Carmelo Anthony, isn't known for his defense. However, like Melo, Johnson is capable of not being a revolving door.

Brooklyn will need Johnson to provide consistent, competent defense. If the veteran could stay in front of his opponent, rotate well and close out properly, his job will be done.

The Nets have a gritty roster with hardworking players like Mason Plumlee, Alan Anderson and newcomer Jarrett Jack.

As long as Johnson isn't playing matador defense and letting his opponent get to the basket with regularity, Brooklyn should be able to grind games out and finish the year with around 45 wins.

Johnson's consistent effort on both ends of the floor, coupled with his increased offensive efficiency, will help the franchise in its quest for prominence. 

We are 10 days into the month of September, a time when major league teams are littered with minor league prospects; players decent enough to warrant a call-up when the 25-man rosters expand to 40.

Hopelessly fighting for the playoffs, the New York Yankees have some call-ups of their own as they sit 5.5 games out of the second wild card.

With their chances dwindling by the day and every game a must-win, the Yanks have relied very little on the players they brought up such as Chris Young, Antoan Richardson, John Ryan Murphy, Bryan Mitchell, Preston Claiborne and more.

Just a few days into the month, these call-ups have had only a handful of opportunities to showcase their abilities, making it hard to judge their games fairly.

One thing that is certain is that Young is far removed from the player he once was in Arizona, not that he was anything too special back then anyway.

Due to injuries and a rapid decline in talent, Young has gone from averaging 126 games, 19 homers and 58 RBI a year in seven seasons with the Diamondbacks, to hardly being worthy of a major league roster spot. He hit just .205 in 88 games with the New York Mets earlier this season before he was released.

The Bombers picked him up to deepen the outfield, but a kid out of rookie ball could probably offer the same production at this point.

No one else has shown much of anything, or has seen the time to for that matter.

Richardson is being used as nothing more than a pinch runner. He's clearly not a big-league ballplayer.

A yo-yo player for a few years now, Austin Romine's game is limited to defense. It is safe that that is not going to change at this point.

Claiborne and Mitchell have both pitched this season in the majors, but not in September yet. Both could have the potential to be middle relievers at the moment.

One player who has impressed all season, not just in September, is Murphy.

The Yankees' backup catcher earlier this season, Murphy was sent down in June when Francisco Cervelli was activated off the disabled list.

It was not because Murphy was failing to produce. Prior to being sent down, he was hitting .288 while playing solid defense behind the plate in 24 games. He showed flashes of what it will take to possibly be an everyday catcher, and he got some interest in trade chatter as well.

With Gary Sanchez being one of the Yankees' top prospects, Murphy often gets overlooked as a catcher, but he could be a nice piece for the team to get some sort of value via trade.

Other than that, there is not much here. There is no Sanchez, Rob Refsnyder or Luis Severino among these call-ups. There is no one that is going to jump out at you. The guys that are here are hardly playing.

While they are still technically in the race, the Yankees could care less about giving a minor leaguer some playing time. They just cannot afford to right now with every game being so important.

All stats were obtained via Baseball-Reference.com and are accurate as of the end of play on September 10, 2014.

Question or comments? Feel free to follow me on Twitter @GPhillips2727 to talk New York Yankees and Major League Baseball.