Around the Empire: New York Yankees News 2/2/15

SB Nation | Grant Brisbee: Brisbee sees in Alex Rodriguez a more nuanced anti-hero than sports may have produced in a long time, if ever. It may not make A-Rod easier to root for, but it's part of what makes him so fascinating to watch.

Fangraphs | Miles Wray: It may not surprise you to learn that the Yankees are not standing head and shoulders above the league in production from international players. Hopefully by the time someone performs this exercise in 2025, we'll be talking about the way the 2014 signing period transformed the Yankees. Tip of the cap to the Dodgers and Braves for winning this field.

Beyond the Box Score | Bryan Grosnick: Grosnick has been engaged in a project to evaluate the various versions of WAR for each player into a single average. While you can be disappointed that no Yankees make the top 15, you can be relieved to learn that no Yankees made the bottom 15 either.

NBC Sports | Bill Baer: In a stunning turn of events that surprises no one, former-Yankee Robinson Cano picks the Seattle Seahawks to win the Super Bowl, while David Ortiz picks the Patriots. Since I'm writing this before kick-off, you'll have to insert your own Super Bowl themed quip in the comments.