New York

It was the best of STAT, it was the worst of STAT. Last season was truly a tale of two Amar'es. The Amar'e Stoudemire of November slumped off the bench, shooting free throws about as well as a fourth-grader. The Amar'e Stoudemire of March and April sparkled as a starter in the end-of-season winning streak, shooting 57.5 percent from the field. 

How will he contribute to the Knicks in 2014-15? That rather depends upon which Amar'e shows up to training camp.

He might still be best used as a trade asset. Stoudemire is entering the last year of his contract. Depending upon his performance this fall, Phil Jackson and Co. may either pay him the last $23.4 million he's owed or trade him to the Philadelphia 76ers midseason. 

How could Amar'e contribute—considering his end-of-season play, the style of the new offense and the relative health of his fellow center-forwards?

He could be starting center.

But He's Injury-Prone!

Yes, yes, we all know that Stoudemire's body is like a retired minefield. It looks great, but something terrible might still lurk just beneath the surface. Yet there are two reasons not to let fear of exploding patellas keep Stoudemire out of the starting lineup.

For one, take a look at the two other center-forwards on the roster. There's newly acquired free agent Jason Smith, who hasn't played since he got a season-ending injury in January, and Andrea Bargnani...who hasn't played since he got a season-ending injury in January. And neither of them wrote a cookbook about nutrition for athletes.

If one's going to fret over busted bodies in the frontcourt, STAT's health might not be the one to worry about. 

Besides, treat Amar'e like he's broken, and he'll play like he is. Treat him like an NBA starter, and he'll play like one. Although he was frequently rested and held to minutes restrictions, he played better with no rest than on one day of rest and with more minutes instead of fewer. The stats show it. His words corroborate.

"Once I got into the starting lineup, then my leadership qualities [resurfaced]," Stoudemire told reporters in April, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com. "So next year, we should be focused a little bit more and it'll be a much better year."

What About Dalembert?

For argument's sake, let's assume that the Stoudemire who shows up to training camp is sound of mind and body. 

New head coach Derek Fisher might decide to put Stoudemire in the same place he was at the March/April winning streak: starting at power forward, with J.R. Smith, Carmelo Anthony, a point guard and a true center with a defensive mindset. 

(Of course, Fish might want to differentiate himself from last year's coach by making his starters a combination of offseason acquisitions and Knicks City Kids.)  

If Fisher wants to recreate the one lineup that worked in 2013-14, the best 5 to Amar'e's 4 would be Samuel Dalembert—a great blocker, but not much of a scoring threat. 

Yet, that might not be the right type of center for the triangle offense. 

Stretching the Floor

The triangle is built to create shot opportunities all over the floor. So having a center who could not only get open for those shots but also make those shots would stretch the floor, keep the offense moving and keep the defense flustered. 

Dalembert averaged only 5 points per game last season, 89 percent of which came in the paint. He's not the guy to stretch the floor. What other options does New York have at the 5? 

There's Cole Aldrich, the team's only other "true center," yet Aldrich can't stretch the floor either. Only two of his 61 shot attempts last season were outside the paint. (He made one of them.)

That leaves the center-forwards: Jason Smith, Bargnani and Stoudemire himself.

Bargnani is the stretchiest because he has what Smith and STAT don't: a three-point shot. Granted, it's a three that runs hot and cold, and he only averaged 27.4 percent from behind the arc last season, but neither Smith nor Stoudemire have sunk a trey in over two years. Bargs' shot selection breaks down to roughly 40 percent in the paint, 40 percent mid-range, 20 percent behind the arc.

Smith has a strong mid-range jumper. He had a 45 percent field-goal percentage at that distance and took 74 percent of his shot attempts from there.

STAT, meanwhile, took 34 percent of his shots from mid-range and was an absolute beast when he got closer to the bucket. As a starter, he averaged a 70.0 field-goal percentage in the restricted area.

So all three center-forwards could stretch the floor more than Dalembert or Aldrich, but only Stoudemire is a real threat at the rim. 

Therefore, if paired with Bargnani or Smith, Amar'e is the better choice to play the 5 spot. Not only can he be a threat in the mid-range, he can power his way to the bucket and own the rim. 

If All Else Fails

Amar'e could also contribute to the Knicks by being traded—possibly to Philadelphia for young prospects. The Sixers are the likely candidate because while most teams wouldn't accept an uninsured contract like Stoudemire's, the contract is expiring and the Sixers have to reach the minimum salary cap. Yet, surely Amar'e's strict diet does not allow for Philly cheesesteaks.

Besides, there are reasons to think that he could contribute greatly to New York while he is still in New York. By spending more time at the 5 spot, using his mid-range jumper to stretch the floor and outmuscling defenders in the paint, he can fortify the triangle.

One hopes Amar'e will also work on his defense, though he would probably be shunted out of a defense-first starting lineup by Dalembert, anyway.

At the very least, if he continues his careful devotion to training and nutrition and the upbeat attitude that won New Yorkers' hearts, Amar'e Stoudemire can lead the team in spirit, if not on the stat sheets. 

Follow Sara Peters on Twitter @3fromthe7.

The New York Yankees are currently fighting for their playoff lives, but with a tough road ahead of them some have already begun to focus on what the team will look like in 2015. Rather than looking at the remainder of the 2014 schedule, many are writing up free-agent wish lists and checking the expiration dates on current contracts.

There will be changes, that is for sure. Some players will return from injury, while others will have contractual issues that need to be resolved. Some players just may not be welcomed back, as younger players and prospects are given a chance.

It is a little early, but perhaps the Yankees' offseason and 2015 roster looks a little something like as follows.

"Replacing" Derek Jeter

"Replace" is used due to a lack of a better word. Say what you want about Jeter's current ability, but one does not simply replace a player, champion and leader of Jeter's caliber.

With that said, the Yanks will be in the market for a new shortstop once The Captain hangs up his spikes at the end of the season. They acquired Stephen Drew from the Boston Red Sox at the non-waiver trade deadline, but it seems obvious that he is not the optimal choice to succeed Jeter. Drew is batting just .169 with six home runs and 21 RBI on the season and is hitting just .156 as a Yankee.

Granted, Drew is a better player than his 2014 numbers have shown, but he is also not the guy who should follow Jeter.

There will be several quality free-agent shortstops available in free agency, headlined by Hanley Ramirez, Asdrubal Cabrera, J.J. Hardy and Jed Lowrie. Ramirez, 30, is likely to command the most money out of any of them, but that will not deter the Yankees. Expect the team to make a run at all four of these players, with Ramirez at the top of their list.

The Return of a Disgraced Slugger

Like it or not, there is a very good chance Alex Rodriguez will be back in pinstripes in 2015. Owner Hal Steinbrenner said so, according to Mark Feinsand and Teri Thompson of the New York Daily News.

Hal Steinbrenner said Wednesday as he was checking in at the Hyatt Regency that he expects Rodriguez to return to the team after he has served his suspension.

'I have not talked to A-Rod, but we expect him back. That’s the plan.'

After two hip surgeries and a year away from the game, it seems unlikely that Rodriguez could still play the game at a high level, but considering he is owed upwards of $20 million, the Yankees are going to find out.

Martin Prado, a jack-of-all trades who can play just about any position, will give the Yankees depth at third base and versatility all over the diamond. If Rodriguez is back, Prado will play elsewhere, but at least they will have him as an insurance policy. He is signed through the 2016 season.

With these two guys manning the hot corner, it is all but certain Chase Headley will not be back in 2015. Headley, who the Yankees acquired in a pre-deadline deal with the Padres, will be a free agent this winter.

Rookie Making His Case for Second

Not much has worked for the Yankees at second base this season. Brian Roberts hit .237 in his time with the club, and as previously mentioned, Drew has been even worse. Both were and are below-average defenders, at least at second. Prado has clearly been the Yankees' best second baseman this season, but his flexibility and injuries to others have moved him around.

Again (and this won't be the last section to mention him), Prado is under contract for two more years, so he is very likely to be an option at second next year for the Yankees. However, the team is also likely to move him around in order to give other guys days off.

That is where Rob Refsnyder comes in as the Yankees' regular second baseman in 2015.

The 23-year-old, who can also play right field, is hitting .322 with 36 doubles, 14 home runs and 62 RBI between Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. With such outstanding numbers, Refsnyder is making a strong case to be a starter in the big leagues next season.

Earlier this year general manager Brian Cashman indicated Refsnyder would get a chance come 2015.

"I've been pretty consistent and reluctant to bring him up," Cashman said, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. "I'd rather him play the whole year out and prepare potentially to take a shot at the roster next year."

Broken Down Beltran in Need of Insurance

When the Yankees signed Carlos Beltran to a three-year, $45 million contract, the only real concern was giving the 37-year-old the third year. Beltran showed no signs of slowing down after hitting .296 with 24 home runs and 84 RBI with St. Louis in 2013, so it was only the end of the contract people were worrying about.

Now, less than a full season into the deal, Beltran has already shown clear signs of a rapid decline. His defense has lagged, his swing is not the same, and he has battled numerous injuries this year. The Bombers need to hope the last of those problems are the main cause for Beltran's stagnant play this season, as they will rely on him again in 2015.

Of course, he has already become a concern, meaning the team will have to have other options in the outfield next year, primarily in right.

As should be expected at this point, Prado could be one of those options.

The free-agent market will not exactly be littered with top-tier outfielders. The Yankees could make a run at Torii Hunter or Michael Cuddyer, but they might be a bit too old for the Yankees' liking.

Injured Rotation Could Still Be Hurting

Heading into the season the Yankees starting rotation was made up of CC Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda, Masahiro Tanaka, Ivan Nova and Michael Pineda. Only Kuroda has avoided a trip to the disabled list.

Sabathia believes he will be back by spring training after recovering from a cleanup procedure on his right knee. The timetable on Nova's return is still unknown, but he will begin throwing by September, according to Jorge Castillo of NJ.com.

Nova, 27, said the plan is for him to resume throwing by the beginning of September, if not the end of August.

'I’m still two months away,' said Nova, who posted a 8.27 earned-run average in four starts this season. “I still have a ways to go.'

As for when he will return to the mound for the Yankees, Nova explained a timetable has not been set.

'We haven’t even thought about that,' Nova said. 'We’re just taking it one day at a time.'

Whatever their hopes and plans may be, the two still pose as question marks for the Yankees. Pineda, while healthy at the moment, will always be a question mark. Rumors of Hiroki Kuroda retiring and/or going back to Japan have come up in recent years, so his absence in 2015 remains a possibility as well.

Tanaka is another concern for 2015, as the Yankees remain hopeful he can avoid Tommy John surgery and even pitch again in 2014 following a partial tear to his right ulnar collateral ligament (UCL). If he elects to have the surgery, his 2015 season would effectively be over.

Shane Greene's performance as a fill-in starter should earn him a chance to be a permanent member of the rotation come the spring. Also, after putting up a 5-3 record and a 2.47 ERA in nine starts, the Yankees should jump at any chance to retain Brandon McCarthy. 

Still, even with an abundance of arms, the rotation will still be a concern due to health. Of the available free-agent starting pitchers, Jon Lester, Max Scherzer and James Shields will lead the way. Per Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the Yankees are more than likely to be in on Lester, the former ace of the rival Boston Red Sox.

The Cubs and rival Yankees, among others, look like much more likely (than a return to Boston) landing spots for Lester at this time, in fact. The Yankees have admired Lester's guts and clutch pitching for years (and especially that career 0.43 World Series ERA) and would surely make a play for the former Red Sox ace.

Possible Repeat of Wetteland and Rivera

Back in 1996 the Yankees got dominant years out of closer John Wetteland and setup man Mariano Rivera. Despite leading the league with 43 saves for a championship team, New York allowed Wetteland to leave as a free agent.

The rest is history.

This year David Robertson has been brilliant in his succession of Rivera, but the closer is approaching free agency. Meanwhile, Dellin Betances has emerged as one of the best relievers in baseball, making him Rivera in the 1996 scenario described above.

In all likelihood, the Yankees will make Robertson a one-year qualifying offer. Should he accept, he will be the closer again in 2015. If not, the Yankees will promote the electric Betances and obtain draft-pick compensation from whoever Robertson signs with.

For the Yankees, it's a win-win situation.

All stats were obtained via Baseball-Reference.com and are accurate as of the end of play on August 26, 2014.

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

Michael Vick may be old, currently 34 years of age, but his skills have not declined. He showed he is still one of the fastest quarterbacks in the NFL in the preseason. He also consistently wows coaches with his arm strength in practice. Dom Cosentino of NJ.com observed that Vick's deep ball is still "breathtaking."

So why is Vick a second-string player when there are QB-needy teams out there? Veteran players who boast eight seasons of starting experience are not easy to come by.

Geno Smith was named the Jets starting quarterback on August 23, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini. This comes as no surprise, as the writing was on the wall ever since the the Jets signed Vick. It was evident in the amount of first-team snaps Smith received—80 percent according to NJ.com's Cosentino. Even Vick's deference to Smith by surrendering No. 7 as his jersey number seemed to foreshadow Smith winning the job.

But while the Jets are clearly committed to Smith, there are plenty of other QB-needy teams out there. The Minnesota Vikings are starting Matt Cassel while they groom Teddy Bridgewater for the long-term. The Houston Texans are putting their faith in Ryan Fitzpatrick. The Oakland Raiders are leaning on Matt Schaub. It's hard to imagine Vick would not be a superior option to any of those signal-callers.

And while Vick may be injury prone, he would still be an excellent option as a bridge quarterback, playing eight to 10 games until the rookie is ready to see minutes. It's surprising no team has given him a shot. He certainly is not as injury prone as Daunte Culpepper was late in his career, and Culpepper consistently got opportunities to start well past his prime.

The argument about Vick being too turnover-prone also falls through when we consider the turnover-prone Matt Schaub, who threw 14 interceptions in 10 games in 2013, and Matt Cassel, who threw 21 interceptions in 18 games in 2012 and 2013, are both poised to start this season.

One possibility is, even after seven years, there is still too much backlash against Vick for his involvement in an illegal dog fighting ring in 2007. While Vick has remained out of trouble since his return to football in 2009, many fans are not willing to put his past behind them. This was evident by a petition on Change.org to ban him from Jets training camp, according to Seth Walder of the New York Daily News.

This angle makes sense in the context of Vick's advanced age. NFL teams may not view it as worth it to put up with the controversy of signing Vick if he would start for just one season.

On the other hand, even with his controversial past, Vick remains an incredibly popular player. Any revenue lost by fans boycotting the team would be more than made up with jersey sales. In 2009, just two years removed from Vick's conviction, he ranked fourth in the NFL in jersey sales according to CNBC's Darren Rovell. He ranked above Ben Roethlisberger, Tony Romo, Tom Brady, Adrian Peterson and Peyton Manning. Keep in mind this was before Vick's breakout 2010 season with the Eagles and when he was the third-string quarterback in Philly.

So why is Vick backing up Geno Smith when he is fully capable of starting for at least one more season? We may never know the answer to that question, but the answer is likely Vick himself.

According to NJ.com's Cosentino, Vick "knew the entire time that Geno was going to be the starter." Despite that knowledge, he still chose to sign with New York. And while the plan was for Smith to be given preference for the starting job, Jenny Vrentas of MMQB.SI.com reported Jets coaches were also disappointed in Vick's lack of determination to win the QB competition.

Perhaps, after 11 seasons, injuries have taken their toll on Vick. Other teams have surely contemplated his durability, and Vick may have contemplated it too.

In five years with the Eagles, Vick has broken his ribs twice, suffered two concussions, hurt his quadriceps twice and pulled a hamstring. He has taken an extraordinary amount of punishment, and at age 34, recovering from injuries is only going to get more and more difficult.

Is it worth it for a 34-year-old quarterback to sell his house, uproot his entire family, move across the country and possibly suffer serious injury when he is just a few seasons away from retirement? Minnesota is a big change from Philadelphia, while New York is just two hours away by car.

The biggest obstacle preventing Vick from starting is not the NFL. It's not his age, his turnovers or his controversial past—it's Vick himself. If he wanted to be a starter he would be suiting up in week 1 and not carrying a clipboard.

But whether it was injury, public condemnation, changing his playing style or ruthless fans, Vick has overcome a lot in his long career. Who can blame him if, for once, he just wants to spend the final years of his NFL career out of the spotlight?

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Mark Sanchez seems firmly entrenched as the backup quarterback in Philadelphia. He has shown accuracy and zip in his passes throughout training camp. This has translated to the preseason as well. Through three games Sanchez has gone 25-of-31 for 281 yards and two touchdowns with just one interception.

Ever since the second preseason game there has been speculation that Sanchez could be traded. Chip Kelly acknowledged the Eagles would listen to offers for him according to CSNPhilly's John Gonzalez. In the wake of reports from NFL.com's Ian Rapoport that Sam Bradford will miss the 2014 season with a torn ACL, Rapoport has reported the St. Louis Rams have interest in Sanchez's services.

It's easy to look at Sanchez's preseason success and conclude he would be the perfect solution to the Rams' woes at quarterback. But the preseason and the regular season are entirely different atmospheres with difference paces. If we look at Sanchez's 81 percent preseason completion rate in the 2014 preseason we also have to consider his career 55.1 completion percentage and 71.7 passer rating with the New York Jets.

With all that in mind, what exactly could a team like the Rams (or another QB-needy team) expect from Sanchez?

Sanchez is not known for his accuracy, nor does he possess elite arm strength. But Sanchez also is not known for poor accuracy, nor is he known for a weak arm. He is capable of making most of the necessary throws at the NFL level.

As shown by the video, Sanchez is capable of making throws on time and with velocity. The ball is thrown accurately and Santonio Holmes is able to run free for a 52-yard gain.

Most importantly, perhaps, is Sanchez is not rattled by the pressure the Lions were sending at him. He keeps his eyes downfield, rather than focusing on the pass rush, and completes the pass.

Another aspect Sanchez brings to the table is his underrated mobility. While not known as a scrambler, Sanchez is more than capable of picking up extra yards with his legs. Chip Kelly even once stated he "always had respect for [Sanchez's] game and athletic ability" according to Kimberly Martin of Newsday.

The video below shows his agility and vision as he scrambles for a 5-yard touchdown on a designed quarterback draw.

Sanchez, however, has one glaring weakness: he frequently shows poor judgment. Throughout his career, Sanchez has consistently turned the ball over by making poor decisions, such as this interception he threw against the Raiders as he tried to squeeze the ball into coverage.

With the Jets, he recorded 69 interceptions against 68 touchdowns over four seasons. Three out of four seasons he had 18 or more interceptions. Even Jimmy Kempski of Philly.com noted Sanchez has occasionally made poor decisions in Eagles OTAs and training camp.

So what do we make of Sanchez? He has no shortage of talent to be an effective player, but poor decision making and lack of elite accuracy have marred his career with inconsistency.

In Sanchez's case, a solution can be found in the Alex Smith approach. Don't ask Sanchez to do too much, but ask him to just manage the game.

It seems the issues with Sanchez occur when he attempts to force a pass to his receiver or when he becomes overconfident in his athletic abilities to elude defenders. When he tries to do much he turns the ball over. But if his priority is to protect the football and nothing else, Sanchez could be a plausible option as a starter.

He can make throws with impressive velocity when the receiver is open. If needed he can scramble for additional yardage when he has open space. While he does not have a cannon, he can make deep passes when they are necessary. If he is taught to play like a game manager, he could potentially be another Alex Smith.

And what Sanchez would have over any other possible option at quarterback for the Rams, even Michael Vick, is he has an impressive postseason track record. For all the criticisms aimed at Sanchez, there is no denying his strong play in the playoffs. He has a 4-2 postseason record, and through six games he completed 61 percent of his passes for nine touchdowns, three interceptions and a 94.3 passer rating.

Furthermore, Sanchez has four seasons of starting experience. Make his priority to protect the ball and not to give away games and he could thrive. There is already evidence of that being true due to his success in Kelly's system, as observers such as BleedingGreenNation's Brandon Lee Gowton stated Kelly's offense places great emphasis upon avoiding turnovers.

These are possible reasons the Eagles brought Sanchez on board. If Nick Foles were to miss time, the Eagles would have a talented signal-caller with experience who would manage the game and not be limited by a deficiency of talent.

But Sanchez has likely exceeded expectations this summer, and while he would likely be a serviceable backup, he may have shown enough to be a valuable trade asset. There are several teams in the NFL right now in need of a starting quarterback. The Rams, Vikings and Bills are all teams that could use a player like Sanchez. If they also see the value in his skills the Eagles have, they could potentially offer a mid-round pick for his services.

It would then be up to the Eagles to decide what is more important: an experienced backup quarterback this season or a draft pick to help build for the future?

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