Even old New York was once New Amsterdam (USAT)

Forget about having Old Timer's Day once a season. With the 2013 New York Yankees, Old Timer's Day is every day. You might as well fill out the lineup card in Monument Park.

Many of the Bombers on this year's roster are players you know by heart, established brand names at the end of their careers. Rehabbing legends Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera are 38 and 43, respectively. Andy Pettitte is 40. Alex Rodriguez is 37. Hiroki Kuroda turns 38 in two weeks. Ichiro Suzuki is 39.

Heck, there isn't a primary infielder on the good side of 30. Mark Teixeira turns 33 in April, staring at a career crossroads. New acquisition Kevin Youkilis turns 34 in March (and runs like he's 54). Even Robinson Cano, the most bankable stud on the roster, is 30.

General Manager Brian Cashman realizes his team is in a transitional phase, and for once the Yankees didn't throw mad money at the problem. It's going to take a while for New York to cycle through all these aging stars and backloaded contracts. No one expects the 2013 Yankees to be a bad club, mind you, but you can make a case for New York being just another team in the AL East this year. Toronto's made a big winter move, of course; Baltimore is coming off a playoff appearance; Tampa Bay remains one of the deeper and smarter clubs around; and Boston probably can't be as bad as it was in 2012.

Heck, this could be just the second Yankees team in the Jeter Era to miss the playoffs entirely. It's in play. We're on uncomfortable ground here. Let's try to sort it all out, PQ style . . .

Hab or Hab not? (USAT)One size never fits all when it comes to fantasy pickup advice. If we go with the well-established names around the 50-percent ownership tag, we're sure to hear "long gone" refrains from the Yahoo! readers. If we go too deep with the recommendations, we're likely to hear "why would I want those scrubs on my team?"

It is what it is. Today's assignment is deep league pickups, so go ahead and throw these players under the Zamboni if that's what you do. Sometimes we're going to focus on deeper league with these columns.

Here are five possible tire-kicks in those challenging, deeper pools:

-- Nazem Kadri, C, Leafs (two-percent owned in Yahoo!): Kadri didn't do a lot in his first two go-rounds in Toronto, but we're still talking about a first-round pick (seventh overall in 2009) who's only 22 years old. He's registered a point in every game this year (and goals in three of his four starts), and he piled up six shots on goal in the Islanders loss on Thursday. Currently he's been a staple on the team's second power-play unit, but an increase in work there wouldn't be a surprise. This looks like a young, talented player blossoming in his third year.

-- Raphael Diaz, D, Canadiens (one percent): The Habs are holding firm in their standoff with holdout P.K. Subban, and the fine play of blueliners like Diaz are making it an easy decision. Diaz has collected five assists in the opening week, with three of them coming during PP time. Diaz cut his teeth during nine years of play in Switzerland (he's 27 now), and he didn't look out of place last year in a 59-game NHL trial. He's firmly entrenched as a Top 4 defenseman in Montreal, and one of the regular options on the power play. He'll never be a star, but smart puck movers will always have a role in this league.

Jimmy Howard faces the music (USAT)

When it comes to fantasy netminders, environment is a gigantic part of the equation. An ordinary goalie can turn into roto gold if the right defense is protecting him, while a rock-solid puck stopper sometimes has his fantasy value torpedoed by a sketchy defense.

For most of Jimmy Howard's professional life, he's had a cushy setup. He's not going to enjoy that in 2013. Detroit's blue line is a mess right now.

When Howard inherited the gig for the 2009-10 season, the Red Wings were overflowing with quality defensemen. Nicklas Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski were still going strong, with Niklas Kronwall the emerging new talent. A deep group of two-way forwards also made Howard's life easier. That 2009-10 Red Wings team outshot its opponents by over six chances per game. The roster slowly started to turn over in the next two seasons, but Howard still had an envious life by NHL standards.

Fast forward to the present, where the Red Wings are off to a messy 1-2 start, allowing 11 goals and 101 shots. Howard faced so many breakaways in the opening-night 6-0 loss at St. Louis, the game started to look like Mini 1-on-1. The team's play wasn't that clean at Columbus either, though the Red Wings stole a 4-3 victory in a shootout. Howard played well in Tuesday's loss to Dallas, stopping 30 of 32 attempts. To be fair, Kari Lehtonen (40 saves) stole that game for the Stars.

Lidstrom (first year of retirement) and Rafalski (second year) aren't walking through that door, obviously. Kronwall is solid as Detroit's No. 1 defenseman, not that he's ever going to be in the Norris Trophy discussion. Ian White and Carlo Colaiacovo are both out indefinitely. Jonathan Ericsson is dinged up. Kyle Quincey remains a pylon on ice (Vladimir Tarasenko spun him like a top over the weekend). If you can skate backwards and live in the greater Detroit area, stop by Joe Louis Arena sometime – and bring your gear.

Sign in, Clevelanders (USAT)

The Cleveland Indians haven't made the playoffs since 2007 and that was their last winning record as well. It could be a few years before a foundation is in place that can seriously contend. But we'll say this for the Cleveland front office, it's not afraid to go forward with a new plan.

The Indians tried the contact route on offense in 2012 and weren't happy with the results. Despite being the third-hardest team to strike out last summer, Cleveland finished a paltry 22nd in the majors in runs. Only the Mariners had a lower American League slugging percentage. And when you combine a pop-gun offense with probably the worst pitching staff in the AL (4.79 ERA, 4.39 xFIP), you're not going anywhere. Call it a season up in smoke, 68 measly victories and a .420 winning percentage.

This time around, the Indians don't care if their hitters swing and miss regularly. The Hack Attack is in. New additions Mark Reynolds, Drew Stubbs and Nick Swisher will all do their share of courtesy air conditioning during the hot months, but they'll also clout some balls into the seats. Not satisfied with last year's outcome, the 2013 Indians now focus on the Three True Outcomes.

Alas, there hasn't been much added to the pitching staff, so it's hard to see this group sneaking into the AL Central race. If new manager Terry Francona can pilot this team into the top three in the division, he's probably done a fine job.

Now it's time to mind the Ps and Qs and go under the hood on a few players and situations. Please bang along with your own drum, keep pace with us.

Here I am now, entertain me (USAT)My rule with early season fantasy pickups has always been a simple one: be aggressive. When plausible upside presents itself, don't wait around for proof. The bottom 15-25 percent of your roster should be in a constant cycle. You don't have to hit for a high average to make it worthwhile, provided a couple of the clicks become significant contributors.

With that in mind, let's talk about a couple of rookies who jumped off the screen during Saturday's opening slate of NHL action. Come on down, Vladimir Tarasenko and Jonathan Huberdeau.

There were plenty of standouts in St. Louis as the Blues convincingly dispatched the Red Wings 6-0, but Tarasenko was deserving of No. 1 star honors. He scored a pair of goals and both of them went straight to the highlight tape. See for yourself: here's Tarasenko getting past the Detroit defense, then beating Jimmy Howard with a perfect shot to the stick side, and here's Tarasenko twisting Kyle Quincey into a pretzel, then finding the top shelf. (Quincey was also beaten on the first goal, unable to corral Ian Cole's heady stretch pass. It might be a long year on the Detroit blue line.)

The Blues obviously think a lot of Tarasenko, a 21-year-old right wing. He was the 16th overall pick in the 2010 draft, and he's opening the year on the second line, skating with established forwards Andy McDonald and Alex Steen. He's also receiving liberal power-play time (the second goal came on the man advantage). Tarasenko posted a 14-17-31 line in 31 KHL games this winter before the NHL finally opened shop.

Is it finally Vancouver's year? (USAT)

Before they officially drop the puck on the season, let's put some stuff on the record. Anyone's predictions are bound to look silly in a short amount of time, but they're still fun to do.

Western Conference - Playoff Seeds
1. Canucks
2. Blues
3. Sharks
4. Kings
5. Blackhawks
6. Wild
7. Red Wings
8. Predators

I really, really wanted to put the Oilers in the playoffs - I'm a believer in this team, now and for the future. But man, the Western Conference is stacked. Look at the Central Division, where you have four solid teams (oh, and the Blue Jackets). I don't see a truly bad team in the Northwest Division. Whoever comes in last in the Pacific Division might be respectable, too. Deep conference.

Son of Vonnegut

For the last decade or so, Michael Salfino and Scott Pianowski have been putting together an email exchange centered around (but not limited to) the NFL. You might enjoy listening to them haggle. You might prefer a swift kick into the stomach. The Table isn't for everyone; we hope some of you enjoy it.

From: Michael Salfino
Date: Tue, Jan 15, 2013 at 12:22 AM
Subject: Breakfast of Champions
To: scott pianowski

That was one helluva interesting weekend of football. And now we get to do it all over again on Sunday, but just twice.

Before getting to the championship games and predictions, we should close the book on Week 19. Who is the biggest goat in Denver: John Fox, Peyton Manning or the Broncos' secondary? Who would you rather have future shares on right now, Colin Kaepernick or Russell Wilson? Is Kaepernick going to burn out like Randall Cunningham did and even Kordell Stewart to a lesser extent, or is he going to endure? Here's a shocker -- the Falcons were outplayed won anyway. Why do I hate them for spitting in the face of football sabermetrics? And is there something about them that the numbers miss? Should Pete Carroll be given grief for not passing more early given how banged up Marshawn Lynch looked? And there is the Patriots, who played like champions on Sunday. But do we just give Bill Belichick a pass on losing Rob Gronkowski? Does Gronk's loss even matter given that no one has a clue how to stop the Patriots from doing the same stuff they've been doing, seemingly, forever?

And why does the indoor game happen early and the outdoor game get played late? Plus they're making the west coast team defy circadian rhythms again a week after you could almost set your clock to the minute the Seahawks would wake up and play. Rating, I know, but they're both going to be so high anyway. I guess more people will want to see the Ravens come into Foxboro as a confident convinced they can win given they beat New England earlier this year and should have beaten them last year in the same AFC Championship spot.

But I am looking forward to both games and am chastened, appropriately, after last week's predictions gone awry. Screw the bookies and pass those martinis. Breakfast of Champions is served.

Tex Baxter and Murray Slaughter (USAT)

The first nine years of the Ron Gardenhire Managing Era were glorious ones in Minnesota, an extended honeymoon. The Twins won six AL Central division titles between 2002-2010, with only one losing record (a reasonable 79-83) thrown into the mix. Playoff success was elusive for Gardenhire's Gang - the Twins collected just one playoff series victory in the 2000s - but it's hard to quibble with a team cranking out October appearances on a modest budget. Throw in a snappy new ballpark and the Twins were one of baseball's small-market success stories.

And then, without any warning, the wave broke. Today's Twins are just another team stuck in the doldrums, trying to figure out how to fix things and return to contention.

Minnesota has owned the basement of the AL Central for two years running, and it's hard to see this team making a strong playoff push in 2013. Injuries were the main component to 2011's collapse, while last year's team was sunk mostly by a lack of talent (though a patchwork pitching staff also held the club at bay). There haven't been sweeping changes or upgrades. Even the most optimistic fan from the Twin Cities probably has to concede it's going to take a while to fix the broken foundation.

Crank up your favorite Replacements record and let's try to sort this all out.