MLBPA not concerned about Yanks reducing payroll

TAMPA, Fla. -- Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner vowed to reduce payroll below $189 million in 2014, but Michael Weiner said the Major League Baseball Players Association is "not overly concerned" by the team's financial goals.

"I can't say it concerns me," the MLBPA executive director said on Wednesday at Yankees camp. "I imagine Mr. Steinbrenner is sincere when he says that, but like a lot of things, I'll believe it when I see it."

Weiner said that the MLBPA knew that the Yankees would be tempted to reduce payroll because of the incentives built into the new Basic Agreement. If the Yankees can avoid paying the luxury tax in 2014, they would reset to a first-time offender rate of 17.5 percent if they exceeded $189 million in a future season.

"If the Yankees decide to drop their payroll to do that, I'm not concerned, because they're dropping their payroll to put themselves in position to greatly increase their payroll the next year," Weiner said. "That incentive was understood."

Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, should the Yankees exceed $189 million in 2014, they would be taxed at a 50 percent penalty rate. The Yankees have been hit with the luxury tax every season since it was introduced in 2003, and paid a $19.3 million penalty last season.

Weiner said that he does not expect the new revenue sharing disqualification program to benefit the Yankees as greatly as originally thought. The Yankees thought they might receive a rebate from clubs in larger markets, but those projections have changed because teams like the Blue Jays, Nationals and Braves are now projecting higher revenues.

"The market disqualification part of it, I'm much more skeptical about that incentive for the Yankees," Weiner said. "You can throw out all kinds of different numbers as to what the Yankees might garner from the market disqualification pool. But I think when the numbers are in, that pool is going to be much, much smaller than the Yankees or some people have suggested it's going to be."

Girardi uncertain if Hughes will be ready by April

TAMPA, Fla. -- Yankees manager Joe Girardi said that he is still waiting for Phil Hughes to be cleared to resume throwing and acknowledged on Wednesday that there is a chance the right-hander will not be ready to begin the season.

"It's possible," Girardi said. "I think it's too early to tell that, though."

Hughes has been limited to aquatic exercises and underwater treadmill work at the Yankees' Minor League complex for the last week after a bulging disk was identified in his upper back. Hughes said that he has already missed too much of the spring for his taste.

"All I know is I'm pain free, so I'm going to try to move this thing along as quickly as possible," Hughes said. "But obviously I have to go with what the doctor says and make sure it's completely calmed down before I can do anything."

Girardi said that Hughes needs to make four Grapefruit League starts to build his stamina into the area of 75-80 pitches, which would be enough to break camp with the club.

"Every day is worse in that I'm not throwing, but it's a double-edged sword," Hughes said. "I don't want to push this thing and have it become a recurring issue. I want to make sure that it's over and done with. At the same time, every day is a day lost, so I'm kind of in that in-between zone."

Yanks being cautious with Youkilis' sore oblique

TAMPA, Fla. -- Kevin Youkilis said that he hopes to return to the Yankees' spring lineup on Thursday after missing two days with what he called a cramp above his left hip.

The Yankees officially termed Youkilis' injury as a sore left oblique. Youkilis said that he is "perfectly all right" and resumed swinging a fungo bat on Wednesday with no problems.

"If they let me play [Thursday], I'm totally in for playing tomorrow," Youkilis said. "We don't usually even play games until March 1. I like playing baseball and don't like sitting around, so that's the only worry I have all the time. I like being out there playing."

Manager Joe Girardi scratched Youkilis from Tuesday's roster against the Phillies in Clearwater, Fla., and told Youkilis that the team wanted to be cautious at this stage of the spring.

"For me, the limitations of holding me back stinks, but I understand what they're doing," Youkilis said. "And it makes a lot of sense."

In the meantime, Youkilis said that there's no need to burn his down time thinking about the Yankee Stadium roll call and how he'll respond when the Bleacher Creatures chant his name for the first time on April 1.

"I'll probably ask [Derek] Jeter what to do, and whatever Jeter tells me to do, I'll do," Youkilis said. "We'll figure it out."

Teixeira tired of ongoing PED discussion

TAMPA, Fla. -- Mark Teixeira has been an outspoken critic of performance-enhancing drug use in baseball, commenting that he is "sick" of the topic being discussed, and the Yankees first baseman said that he is not alone among his peers.

"Most guys are on the same page, generally speaking," Teixeira said. "I don't even want a kid to look at me and say, 'Oh, he just hit three homers in a game, he's probably on steroids.' That's a tough thing.

"It's part of our job, it's been part of baseball for a long time, it's not going to go away. But we just have to, in our minds, know that we're doing everything we possibly can."

Teixeira's comments came after a visit to the Yanks' clubhouse from Michael Weiner, the executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association. Weiner has been touring big league camps and, among other topics, has briefed players on the increased testing for this season -- including blood tests for HGH, which will now be administered randomly in-season.

Weiner said that the sentiments expressed by Teixeira have been commonly heard in the wake of MLB's ongoing investigation into biochemist Anthony Bosch and his now-defunct Biogenesis clinic in Coral Gables, Fla.

"That is the view of the players," Weiner said. "I use those words in my talk. I said, 'I know you guys are sick of this subject and I know you want a clean game.' The players understand that we have a statutory, a legal obligation to represent any player who is subject to discipline or accused of wrongdoing, but the players also understand that we also have a legal obligation to the joint drug program.

"There's no mistake as to where the sentiment of the players are. Mark is right, they are sick of this issue. They would much rather focus on all the positives that the game of baseball is producing. If there is something going on, whether it's in Miami or otherwise, they want us to get to the bottom of it."

Teixeira said that the most important advance would be to have science continue moving forward so players are not tempted to think they can escape punishment. Teixeira said that, as a baseball fan, he believes the testing policies already in place have been working.

"I've been a 30/100 [homers, RBIs] guy my entire career," Teixeira said. "There were times early in my career guys were hitting 60 [homers] and 140 [RBIs], and you go, 'Goodness, there's nothing I can do.' I can't take that many swings. I can never hit 60 home runs. I think those days are over, and that's good.

"Guys aren't hitting 60 or 70 home runs anymore. In that case, people can look at it and say, 'OK, we're back to a more normal time period.' That's not to say there aren't people still trying to cheat, but the days of guys being twice the size they should be and hitting 60 homers a year, I think those days are over."

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Teixeira tired of ongoing PED discussion

TAMPA, Fla. -- Mark Teixeira has been an outspoken critic of performance-enhancing drug use in baseball, commenting that he is "sick" of the topic being discussed, and the Yankees first baseman said that he is not alone among his peers.

"Most guys are on the same page, generally speaking," Teixeira said. "I don't even want a kid to look at me and say, 'Oh, he just hit three homers in a game, he's probably on steroids.' That's a tough thing.

"It's part of our job, it's been part of baseball for a long time, it's not going to go away. But we just have to, in our minds, know that we're doing everything we possibly can."

Teixeira's comments came after a visit to the Yanks' clubhouse from Michael Weiner, the executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association. Weiner has been touring big league camps and, among other topics, has briefed players on the increased testing for this season -- including blood tests for HGH, which will now be administered randomly in-season.

Weiner said that the sentiments expressed by Teixeira have been commonly heard in the wake of MLB's ongoing investigation into biochemist Anthony Bosch and his now-defunct Biogenesis clinic in Coral Gables, Fla.

"That is the view of the players," Weiner said. "I use those words in my talk. I said, 'I know you guys are sick of this subject and I know you want a clean game.' The players understand that we have a statutory, a legal obligation to represent any player who is subject to discipline or accused of wrongdoing, but the players also understand that we also have a legal obligation to the joint drug program.

"There's no mistake as to where the sentiment of the players are. Mark is right, they are sick of this issue. They would much rather focus on all the positives that the game of baseball is producing. If there is something going on, whether it's in Miami or otherwise, they want us to get to the bottom of it."

Teixeira said that the most important advance would be to have science continue moving forward so players are not tempted to think they can escape punishment. Teixeira said that, as a baseball fan, he believes the testing policies already in place have been working.

"I've been a 30/100 [homers, RBIs] guy my entire career," Teixeira said. "There were times early in my career guys were hitting 60 [homers] and 140 [RBIs], and you go, 'Goodness, there's nothing I can do.' I can't take that many swings. I can never hit 60 home runs. I think those days are over, and that's good.

"Guys aren't hitting 60 or 70 home runs anymore. In that case, people can look at it and say, 'OK, we're back to a more normal time period.' That's not to say there aren't people still trying to cheat, but the days of guys being twice the size they should be and hitting 60 homers a year, I think those days are over."

Girardi uncertain if Hughes will be ready by April

TAMPA, Fla. -- Yankees manager Joe Girardi said that he is still waiting for Phil Hughes to be cleared to resume throwing and acknowledged on Wednesday that there is a chance the right-hander will not be ready to begin the season.

"It's possible," Girardi said. "I think it's too early to tell that, though."

Hughes has been limited to aquatic exercises and underwater treadmill work at the Yankees' Minor League complex for the last week after a bulging disk was identified in his upper back. Hughes said that he has already missed too much of the spring for his taste.

"All I know is I'm pain free, so I'm going to try to move this thing along as quickly as possible," Hughes said. "But obviously I have to go with what the doctor says and make sure it's completely calmed down before I can do anything."

Girardi said that Hughes needs to make four Grapefruit League starts to build his stamina into the area of 75-80 pitches, which would be enough to break camp with the club.

"Every day is worse in that I'm not throwing, but it's a double-edged sword," Hughes said. "I don't want to push this thing and have it become a recurring issue. I want to make sure that it's over and done with. At the same time, every day is a day lost, so I'm kind of in that in-between zone."

Yanks being cautious with Youkilis' sore oblique

TAMPA, Fla. -- Kevin Youkilis said that he hopes to return to the Yankees' spring lineup on Thursday after missing two days with what he called a cramp above his left hip.

The Yankees officially termed Youkilis' injury as a sore left oblique. Youkilis said that he is "perfectly all right" and resumed swinging a fungo bat on Wednesday with no problems.

"If they let me play [Thursday], I'm totally in for playing tomorrow," Youkilis said. "We don't usually even play games until March 1. I like playing baseball and don't like sitting around, so that's the only worry I have all the time. I like being out there playing."

Manager Joe Girardi scratched Youkilis from Tuesday's roster against the Phillies in Clearwater, Fla., and told Youkilis that the team wanted to be cautious at this stage of the spring.

"For me, the limitations of holding me back stinks, but I understand what they're doing," Youkilis said. "And it makes a lot of sense."

In the meantime, Youkilis said that there's no need to burn his down time thinking about the Yankee Stadium roll call and how he'll respond when the Bleacher Creatures chant his name for the first time on April 1.

"I'll probably ask [Derek] Jeter what to do, and whatever Jeter tells me to do, I'll do," Youkilis said. "We'll figure it out."

MLBPA not concerned about Yanks reducing payroll

TAMPA, Fla. -- Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner vowed to reduce payroll below $189 million in 2014, but Michael Weiner said the Major League Baseball Players Association is "not overly concerned" by the team's financial goals.

"I can't say it concerns me," the MLBPA executive director said on Wednesday at Yankees camp. "I imagine Mr. Steinbrenner is sincere when he says that, but like a lot of things, I'll believe it when I see it."

Weiner said that the MLBPA knew that the Yankees would be tempted to reduce payroll because of the incentives built into the new Basic Agreement. If the Yankees can avoid paying the luxury tax in 2014, they would reset to a first-time offender rate of 17.5 percent if they exceeded $189 million in a future season.

"If the Yankees decide to drop their payroll to do that, I'm not concerned, because they're dropping their payroll to put themselves in position to greatly increase their payroll the next year," Weiner said. "That incentive was understood."

Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, should the Yankees exceed $189 million in 2014, they would be taxed at a 50 percent penalty rate. The Yankees have been hit with the luxury tax every season since it was introduced in 2003, and paid a $19.3 million penalty last season.

Weiner said that he does not expect the new revenue sharing disqualification program to benefit the Yankees as greatly as originally thought. The Yankees thought they might receive a rebate from clubs in larger markets, but those projections have changed because teams like the Blue Jays, Nationals and Braves are now projecting higher revenues.

"The market disqualification part of it, I'm much more skeptical about that incentive for the Yankees," Weiner said. "You can throw out all kinds of different numbers as to what the Yankees might garner from the market disqualification pool. But I think when the numbers are in, that pool is going to be much, much smaller than the Yankees or some people have suggested it's going to be."

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Competitive AL East braces for shakeup

TAMPA -- The division that set the standard for sameness is virtually unrecognizable these days.

Just a decade ago, the American League East race was the most predictable competition in sports. From 1998 through 2003, the five East teams finished in exactly the same order, every single year. Six straight seasons with the Yankees on top, the (Devil) Rays on the bottom, and the Red Sox, Blue Jays and Orioles in order in between. It was baseball's version of a caste system.

Even over the past decade, there wasn't a lot of upward (or downward) mobility. Last year marked the first time since 1998 realignment that Boston and New York weren't both in the Top 3 at the end of the year. From 1998-2011, the Orioles finished in fourth or fifth every year but one. The Blue Jays finished in third or fourth in all but two of those seasons.

As the 2013 campaign approaches, though, that predictability is gone. Last year offered a taste, but this year might bring full-on chaos. And that's great news -- unless you're a Yankees fan.

All five teams could finish in different positions than they did a year ago. Every club in the division has reason to think it can finish first. Every team in the division has reason to fear a flop. You want wide-open? You've got it.

The defending champion Yankees have big worries in their lineup and smaller ones in their pitching staff. The Orioles, last year's second-place finishers, made no major upgrades in a division where nearly every other team was active. The Red Sox and Blue Jays, at the bottom last year, have heavily reworked rosters. The third-place Rays' biggest move was to trade a front-of-the-rotation starter in a package for a hitter who has yet to take a Major League at-bat.

The Blue Jays are the darlings of the division, but they know that nothing is guaranteed.

"People say, 'Oh there's this window, all these teams are down,'" said Toronto general manager Alex Anthopoulos. "And I do believe this, you could have said it about us last year, that we're down. And now all of a sudden we make all of these trades and people think we're not down."

If Toronto is the buzz team, New York is the anti-buzz team. The Yanks lost Nick Swisher and Russell Martin over the winter. They'll do without Alex Rodriguez for much of the season. Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera are returning from major injuries, and Curtis Granderson just suffered one to boot. Andy Pettitte is 40, Hiroki Kuroda is 38 and Phil Hughes has a bad back.

And yet...

The Yankees always seem to be written off, and they just about always win. They still have Robinson Cano, Mark Teixeira, and Jeter, and they should have Granderson back before the season is a third over. They have CC Sabathia and a deep bullpen. And they won 95 games last year.

"We've got guys who can step in," said outfielder Brett Gardner. "We've got some good depth. We've got veterans that have been there, done that before. We'll be fine. We've got a good pitching staff, and we'll play good defense, and [Granderson] will come back in May and probably still hit 40 [home runs]."

As for the Red Sox, who became a punch line last year, they won 90 games two years ago. They added an army of hitters to bolster a lineup that cratered last year. Their bullpen is improved and their rotation has questions, but also promise. It might not work. But you don't have to squint too hard to see how it could go very well.

Tampa Bay? The Rays keep chugging along. Trade acquisition Wil Myers could boost their offense, but he also probably won't start the season with the big club. They'll miss James Shields, who fetched them Myers, but no team is better suited to withstand the loss of a starting pitcher. They don't have to get a lot better after winning 90 games, but then again, it's unclear whether they did get better in the short term.

And there are those perplexing O's, who rode an almost impossible record in one-run games to their first playoff berth in 15 years. They had perhaps the least active winter of any team in baseball, and as such are hearing a lot of skepticism. For the record, they're fine with that.

"People that play the game know that 'they say' is the biggest liar," said manager Buck Showalter. "I know what they say about us. We're supposed to be in last place. That's all right. Our guys, they're used to that environment."

Maybe "they say" will be right, and the O's will falter. Maybe their manager will be right, and they'll soar again. The fun of it is, they're both possible. The old predictable AL East is nowhere to be found in 2013.

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Minus mishaps, Robertson on pace for Opening Day

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- After last spring's mishap, David Robertson can promise one thing: He won't be carrying any boxes down the stairs.

Robertson added to the long list of odd baseball injuries last March when he tumbled down the steps of his Florida home while taking several empty boxes out for recycling.

That's one reason why Robertson, who pitched a scoreless inning with one walk on Tuesday, said he feels like he is more prepared for the season.

"I feel like I'm in better shape; I didn't fall down the stairs yet," Robertson said. "I didn't have to sit out two to three weeks. I just feel like my workouts were good -- so far, so good."

Robertson said he needs about eight or nine appearances to feel ready for the season, and he would like to come into a tight jam to face a few hitters. Otherwise, Robertson feels that he has a good idea of what to do to get ready for the season.

"This is my fifth Spring Training, and it's the same thing: You've got to come in and get command of your fastball," Robertson said. "That's key for me. I throw a lot of fastballs.

"Later in the spring, I'll start mixing in my breaking ball, throwing it more, in the counts that I might really use it in a game in New York; same with the changeup. But for now, it's all about getting that fastball command."

Yankees don't reciprocate Damon's interest in reunion

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Johnny Damon doesn't need to pack his car for the drive down Interstate 4. The Yankees have responded to the free agent's overtures by essentially saying, "Thanks, but no thanks."

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman received a text message from agent Scott Boras on Monday after Damon told ESPN Radio that he had "tons of interest" in coming to camp to fight for a roster spot this spring.

"We're going to evaluate what we have in camp," Cashman said. "I'm not looking outside at this stage. But my first response always to [an injured player] is to make sure we don't have what we need right here in front of us."

The Yankees are looking for a starting left fielder with Curtis Granderson expected to be sidelined until May. The cast of competitors currently in camp includes Matt Diaz, Juan Rivera, Zoilo Almonte, Melky Mesa and Ronnier Mustelier. Damon, who lives in nearby Orlando, said he'd join the mix for the league minimum.

"Listen, it's just not something we're going to pursue," Cashman said. "I love Johnny, a lot of leadership and everything else, but it's just not going to fit our needs. It's the same reason we didn't bring him in last year. We need somebody who can play the outfield every day."

The Yankees also heard from Damon last spring, but they decided to sign Raul Ibanez for a DH role because Ibanez had shown the ability to play some in the outfield. Cashman said on Tuesday that he believes Damon is no longer a full-time outfielder.

"That's what he was towards the end with us [in 2009]," Cashman said. "But he was a great Yankee, has a World Series ring to show for it, and it was a good marriage while we had it."

Cashman said he has also heard from other free agents about the outfield job and gave them the same response that Damon received. Cashman added that there have been no further discussions about an extension with Robinson Cano, whom Boras also represents.

Nunez consistently flying off at the helmet

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Eduardo Nunez went 3-for-3 on Tuesday, but not in a stat category that would show up in any box score. The Yankees infielder just can't seem to keep his helmet on his head.

Each time he ran down the line during three groundouts in the Yanks' 4-3 loss to the Phillies at Bright House Field, the batting helmet popped off Nunez's head, bouncing to the dirt before Nunez made it the full 90 feet to first base.

It has been a recurring problem for Nunez, and it hasn't escaped the attention of his teammates.

"They're all over me," Nunez said, giggling. "They kill me, especially [Derek] Jeter: "Nuney, what's wrong with you? This is the Yankees. We can't do that here."

Nunez can't figure out the issue since he is still wearing the same size helmet as last year, a 7 1/4 model.

"Man, I don't know how it happens," Nunez said. "This helmet fits me good on my head. You know, it's tight! I don't know what the problem is."

Major League Baseball introduced new mandatory Rawlings S100 Pro Comp helmets this spring, which are designed to withstand baseball impacts of 100 mph.

Perhaps that could be one possible explanation, but then again, there has been no rash of MLB players losing their helmets around other big league camps.

"It's Nuney," manager Joe Girardi said. "That's the easiest way to describe that, right?"

Bombers bits

• Phil Hughes continued his aquatic rehab at the Yankees' Minor League complex on Wednesday and "continues to progress," according to manager Joe Girardi. Hughes is expected to resume throwing in about a week.

• Ichiro Suzuki went 3-for-3 and JR Murphy hit a two-run homer on Tuesday, but Girardi seemed most impressed by right-hander Jose Ramirez, who threw two scoreless innings in his start against the Phillies. 

"A young man, starting his first game here, seeing [Ryan] Howard and [Jimmy] Rollins, he threw strikes," Girardi said. "He did a nice job. He's got a live arm, a really good changeup, saw a good slider today. Good stuff."

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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A season of uncertainty faces Yankees

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Rain was drenching the Bright House Field turf late Tuesday morning when the Yankees arrived for their Spring Training game against the Phillies.

The Yankees had waited until the last minute to make the 45-minute trip to Clearwater from Tampa, sensing the game might be rained out. There was even a tornado watch for the area until 3 p.m. ET

Normally, when the Yankees come to Clearwater, it's a special day on the Phillies' Grapefruit League schedule. The park is almost always sold out, the sun usually shines and in short, it's a happening.

Once, in 2011, Roy Halladay faced the Yankees early in the spring. The buildup was second only to a regular-season game.

Blame some of it on the rain, but the usual hoopla and electricity attached to the Yankees coming to town was missing Tuesday.

The rain did stop and the game was played. The Phillies came from behind to win, 4-3, but the ballpark was far from sold out.

There's enormous uncertainty surrounding this Yankees team.

I mentioned this to manager Joe Girardi an hour before the first pitch, and he was hesitant to agree.

"There are some spots that are open," Girardi said. "There's competition to fill [Curtis Granderson's] spot, competition for the fifth spot in the rotation -- and really some competition in our bullpen as well."

After a short pause, he added: "I like our club. I think our pitching is going to be really good. We brought some important guys back; we have Andy Pettitte for a whole year and all that's good."

The Yankees have failed to play in the postseason only once since 1995.

They won the tough American League East last year, but with a torrid winter of wheeling and dealing, the Toronto Blue Jays are seen as a major threat to the Yankees. Tampa Bay and Baltimore are sure to contend.

This could be Girardi's most challenging season as the Yankees' skipper. In his first five years, his teams won the division title three times.

"I still love it," he said. "Only time will tell if it's going to be tougher. The competition is very good, but that's why we compete in sports. We love it."

When Granderson sustained a fractured forearm after being hit by a pitch in his first at-bat this spring Sunday, the Yankees' offense was greatly weakened. He's hit 84 homers the past two seasons and will be lost for over two months.

"The good thing is if there's a bright side, it happened early," said Girardi. "Five of the weeks he's going to miss are Spring Training."

But when you think of the Yankees as we've come to know them, they're different this year, and that was the general feeling Tuesday.

Relief ace Mariano Rivera is coming back from the right knee injury he sustained last May, which required surgery. He's been throwing batting practice. Girardi says, "He looks good to me, like he isn't missing a beat. I've seen him throw some live batting practices, his command is outstanding and his ball is moving. He looks good."

It's not a full-fledged edict, but managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner wants the Yankees' 2013 payroll to be under $189 million. That would keep the franchise from paying severe luxury-tax penalties. The Yankees were hit with an $18.9 million tax bill after the '12 season.

General manager Brian Cashman insists the $189 million ceiling isn't affecting the way he operated during the offseason.

Regardless, the Yankees' lone additions during the offseason were infielder Kevin Youkilis and designated hitter Travis Hafner.

They lost much of their power with Nick Swisher, Russell Martin, Eric Chavez and Raul Ibanez leaving via free agency.

Now, with Granderson out and third baseman Alex Rodriguez not expected back until the second half of the season at best, they're without seven power hitters.

"I'm confident we'll find a way to score runs," Girardi said.

Tuesday, David Robertson and Joba Chamberlain each pitched scoreless innings of relief, which pleased Girardi, as did Ichiro Suzuki's three singles.

But shortstop Derek Jeter is recovering from the ankle injury sustained in last year's playoffs, CC Sabathia has been nursing an elbow, Phil Hughes a back.

But these are still the Yankees.

If George Steinbrenner were alive, he'd have pulled the trigger on a replacement for Granderson by now and filled in any other holes he saw.

This is a different era and a different Yankees team. And the approach is different.

"There's more open competition, and that's good for a club," Girardi said. "It's good for guys to have the chance to shine. I like some of the young kids we have in camp; they might be helping us at some point."

Maybe the Yankees will remain on top in their division, or maybe they'll take a tumble.

The bottom line? Whether Girardi agrees or not, this is a season of uncertainty.

Hal Bodley is the senior correspondent for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Without doubt, Jeter in a class by himself

Cue the laugh track. Then send in the clowns after the dancing bears and the elephants on roller skates. I mean, surely New York Mets owner Fred Wilpon was joking earlier this month in Spring Training when he referred to David Wright as "our Jeter."

Maybe it was a motivational ploy.

Either that or it was Wilpon's attempt to get more clicks at Citi Field from pinstripe lovers when the Yankees leave town.

Whatever the case, Wright is no Derek Jeter. But don't get me wrong. This isn't a knock against Wright, especially since he is a wonderful third baseman with a couple of Gold Gloves. He also has spent his nine seasons with the Mets as a prolific slugger and a solid citizen.

Only Jeter is Jeter. In fact, for one of the few times in baseball history -- and perhaps, ever -- somebody holds the undisputed role of baseball's Most Revered Player.

When Babe Ruth was Jeter during the 1920s and the early 1930s, Lou Gehrig followed closely behind.

Joe DiMaggio always had Ted Williams.

While Stan Musial couldn't separate himself from Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle had both of them.

They all had Willie Mays and Hank Aaron.

Jackie Robinson? No question he was unique in so many ways when it came to his universal acclaim beyond balls and strikes. The same went for Sandy Koufax with his brilliant left arm that did the unprecedented and his reclusive nature that enhanced his mystique.

It's just that Robinson and Koufax had several of those aforementioned baseball icons to share much of their spotlight.

Decades later, Cal Ripken Jr. had Tony Gwynn.

Then there is Jeter. Even Wright acknowledged the peerless ways of the 38-year-old shortstop for the New York Yankees known as Mr. November, Captain Clutch and just plain awesome.

"The resume kind of speaks for itself as far as what [Jeter's] done on the field," Wright told reporters at the Mets' spring camp when asked his opinion on Wilpon's comments. "And, most importantly, he's got a handful of rings. Literally, a handful."

Jeter has five World Series rings, to be exact. He won the first of them during his rookie year with the Yankees in 1996, and then he won three more over the next four years.

In contrast, Wright has made one playoff appearance with the Mets, and it didn't lead to a World Series championship.

For Jeter, it's more than the rings, though.

It's everything.

Even the so-called bad things in Jeter's career either evolved into something good or into nothing at all.

That's amazing stuff since the East Coast has more prying eyes with cameras and notebooks than anyplace on earth. Consider, too, that Jeter ranks with Spike Lee, the Statue of Liberty and cheesecakes as the most visible things around New York's five boroughs.

Jeter also is a bachelor who has dated famous women, and he gets enough pennies from the Yankees on a yearly basis (around $16 million) to attract trouble without seeking it.

Still, no scandals for Jeter -- none that stick.

There was the late George Steinbrenner suggesting that Jeter enjoyed New York's night life too much. The controversy lasted long enough for the Yankees owner and Jeter to turn the whole situation into a highly popular national commercial.

Chad Curtis once did the unthinkable. He blasted Jeter in the middle of the Yankees' clubhouse for not responding the way Curtis would have liked during a brawl against the Seattle Mariners.

Let's see. Jeter or Curtis?

Curtis was gone from the Yankees soon afterward.

There was the icy relationship between Jeter and Alex Rodriguez after Rodriguez joined the Yankees in 2004. They were considered buddies earlier in their careers, and the whole thing kept headline writers busy for the New York tabloids -- but only for a while.

That's because nobody cared whether Rodriguez and Jeter carpooled together after Rodriguez kept vanishing at the plate in the playoffs. Then came Rodriguez's admitted involvement with performance-enhancing drugs, which also kept the focus elsewhere.

In case you're wondering, baseball's steroid talk over the years has never involved Jeter.

Not even a whisper.

Then there was that picture of a supposedly chunky Jeter in a New York tabloid during the offseason, as he continued his rehabilitation from a broken ankle.

The picture and the accompanying story suggested that Jeter wasn't exactly diligent in his workouts.

A few days later, Jeter surfaced at Yankee Stadium looking fit and trim, and fans saw that same Jeter last week in Spring Training when he jogged onto the field in Tampa, Fla., for the Yankees' first full-squad workout.

The cheers for Jeter were loud and long.

Now think about it. How many other players in the game today would get an ovation just for practicing?

Nobody. That said, Buster Posey has the best chance among the rest of becoming Jeter someday. He has played just three years with the San Francisco Giants. He missed the majority of that middle year due to a knee injury, but get this: After each of his two full Major League seasons, the Giants won World Series championships.

That's the stuff of Jeter.

Posey also joins Jeter with a Boy Scout image. But unlike Jeter, the 25-year-old catcher hasn't held that image over nearly two decades.

Elsewhere, Albert Pujols was easing closer to Jeter during his 11 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals. He was the new Musial, just as Jeter became the new Ruth, DiMaggio, Berra and Mantle -- as in all of those players sparkling as lifetime members of their original club.

Then Pujols' light dimmed after he bolted from the adoring arms of Cardinals fans to snatch the free-agent cash ($240 million, give or take a few million) of the Los Angeles Angels.

As for other challengers to replace or challenge Jeter these days, well, they just aren't there.

Jeter is even more special than we thought.

Terence Moore is a columnist for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Pronk's pop could prove key to Yanks' early fortunes

TAMPA, Fla. -- There were eight kids -- four guys and four girls -- in Travis Hafner's senior class in Sykeston, N.D., and this setup provided at least one positive, from a social standpoint.

"Everybody," Hafner has often joked, "had a date for prom."

But from a baseball standpoint, Hafner came up in decidedly adverse circumstances. There weren't enough bodies in the Sykeston High Class of '95 to field a coed softball team, let alone a varsity baseball squad.

So by the time the man who would come to be known as "Pronk" made it to Cowley Community College in Arkansas City, Kan., his most extensive experience in the sport had come solely in American Legion ball. Hafner was so far behind the learning curve that he had no clue about the value of hitting to the opposite field. He thought that was something that just happened when you were late with your swing.

The Travis Hafner who arrived to Yankees camp this spring is quite a bit more polished, quite a bit more accomplished than the one who showed up to community college. But as he prepares for the 2013 season, it might benefit the left-handed-hitting Hafner to summon those Sykeston instincts. The short right-field porch at Yankee Stadium awaits him, and it could be a factor that helps Hafner reclaim the Pronk power of old.

The Yankees certainly hope that's the case, especially now that they'll be without the left-handed power of Curtis Granderson for at least the first month of the season.

"I think it will be a really good park for me to hit in," Hafner said. "I don't think as a hitter you ever want to be dead pull, but if you stay within your approach and pull balls, it's a good park to hit in."

Actually, the park factor data will tell you Yankee Stadium is as good as it gets for left-handed power hitters like Hafner. It is a more welcoming environment for lefties than Pronk's old playground at Progressive Field, though there was a time when the right-field mezzanine at that park bore the name "Pronkville" in his honor.

The Indians closed "Pronkville" well before Hafner actually left the club. When the seating section was first given that name in 2006, it was a fitting tribute to a man who had become one of the most feared middle-of-the-order bats in the big leagues. By last season, "Pronkville" had become the Subway Extreme Fan Zone, as, by that point, Hafner's inability to stay on the field had made his power output -- ahem -- "sub"-par.

And that, of course, is the prerequisite pause that must be placed before any conversation about what the 35-year-old Hafner brings to this Yankees lineup, which is in need of some pleasant surprises. If recent -- and, really, not-so-recent -- history is any indication, he is going to spend time on the disabled list this season. That's a "when," not an "if."

It's a shame, too, because for a time, Hafner was a monster who molded power and plate discipline. He posted a .976 OPS over a four-season stretch from 2004-07, fourth best in the bigs in that stretch. He averaged 32 homers while getting on base in more than 40 percent of his plate appearances.

"To me, in '06 and '07, he was the best hitter in baseball," said CC Sabathia, Hafner's teammate then and now. "It didn't matter if it was a righty or a lefty. It didn't matter who you put up there, you felt good about the matchup."

These days, manager Joe Girardi will have to play the matchups, giving Pronk a break against lefties and likely against some righties, too, if only to preserve his body.

What will Girardi get out of Hafner?

As one scout put it, "He's still strong enough to do some damage when he's right, but that body just isn't holding up. It's going to be smaller and smaller portions of each season that he can actually provide some production."

What gets overlooked on the ledger of a guy who has averaged just 86 games over the last five seasons is that Hafner has been pretty effective in those stretches between shoulder, knee and back woes. In that 2008-12 time frame, he managed a respectable .259/.353/.436 slash line, with an adjusted OPS 17 percent better than league average and satisfying walk rates. Hafner logged just 263 plate appearances last season, but he hit 12 homers.

So it's still in there, provided he's in there. But Hafner simply is not in there often enough. He could hit 25 homers for the Yanks this season, or he could play in just 25 games. Nobody really knows, but, for $2 million plus incentives, the Yankees felt it was worth finding out.

Hafner, then, perfectly exemplifies the Yanks' austere, risk-reward approach to the coming season -- an approach that will be immediately tested after a guy like Granderson goes down. The Yanks' clubhouse is akin to something you'd see in an NFL training camp, with 83 players on board and club officials hopeful they'll catch lightning somewhere, some way. They have high hopes for Hafner, but not necessarily high expectations, simply because of his injury history.

Manufacturers send Hafner a box of gloves each spring. It's like sending a letter to the Easter Bunny. Thanks to an arthritic right elbow that inhibits throwing, Hafner hasn't played first base since 2007. He stands with David Ortiz as something of a dinosaur -- the one-tool player, the traditional DH.

With Nick Swisher, Raul Ibanez and Russell Martin long gone and Alex Rodriguez and now Granderson out of the mix for the foreseeable future, the Yanks' need for power potential is a particularly glaring one.

If his body allows it, Hafner shouldn't have any trouble providing some pop at Yankee Stadium, much like he didn't have any trouble finding a prom date in high school. With Hafner, though, that "if" is a big one.

Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his columns and follow him on Twitter at @Castrovince. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Mo, CC continue to progress as planned

TAMPA, Fla. -- It was another day of positive outings for Mariano Rivera and CC Sabathia, as the Yankees' closer and ace each completed their morning work at George M. Steinbrenner Field with no issues.

Rivera threw 32 pitches in a live batting-practice session, and Sabathia threw BP to hitters for the first time this spring as the rehabbing hurlers continue to hit their checkpoints in preparation for Opening Day.

"The big thing is going to be game situations. That's it," said Rivera, who suffered a season-ending knee injury last May. "I don't think about it at all. I'm running normal like nothing ever happened."

Sabathia said that his left elbow continues to feel normal after he had surgery in October to remove a bone spur, and he has progressed to throwing all of his pitches off the mound. He said his slider could still use some tweaking.

"It's not as sharp as I want it to be, but I've still got a little bit of time," Sabathia said. "I feel pretty good for this time."

Damon says he's interested in returning to Yanks

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Johnny Damon wants the Yankees to know that if they're willing to look at another option for their vacancy in left field, he's ready to pick up the phone and head to Spring Training.

Damon told ESPN Radio's Michael Kay on Monday that he is available to try the pinstripes back on in the wake of Curtis Granderson's right forearm fracture, which is expected to keep Granderson out of action until May.

"You guys know that I would have tons of interest to go to New York," Damon told ESPN 98.7 FM. "I just don't think they would be interested. I'm not exactly sure what happened over the years or something, but they've had plenty of opportunities, and I kept raising my hand wanting to go back. Hopefully this will be a perfect fit; it always had been. Have me for six weeks and send me off my merry way, that's fine."

Asked about the possibility of bringing Damon to camp, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said, "We will focus on what we have at this time."

Damon, 39, said that he would be willing to play for the league minimum and that he would need about three to four weeks to be Major League-ready.

"Money is not an issue," Damon said. "I've made plenty and I understand that I don't have a job right now. I'll go in and I just want to play. You can give me the minimum. That's all I care about, that chance to be in the big leagues. Shoot, the New York Yankees, I loved my time there and I know a bunch of the players loved my time there. It's just a matter of if they want me."

Damon played with the Yankees from 2006-09 before moving on to the Tigers, Rays and Indians. The owner of 2,769 big league hits, Damon batted .222 with four homers and 19 RBIs in 64 games for Cleveland last season.

"I just know the last time I played for them, we won the World Series, so I would think everyone would be happy," Damon said. "But I guess with the lack of negotiations when I was a free agent -- I don't really know what happened. I don't really know why I wasn't back there."

Gardner goes all out in solid day with bat

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Brett Gardner dove into first base to beat out an infield hit in Monday's game against the Orioles, and you could excuse the Yankees' bench for being uncomfortable at the sight.

Fortunately for the Yankees, Gardner bounced back up uninjured, but Gardner said that he heard from "a lot of people" about the dive into first base, which came less than 24 hours after the Yankees lost Curtis Granderson from their starting outfield.

"It's funny because I didn't get hurt," Gardner said. "You know, I've done it countless times. Let's get serious, I broke my thumb sliding feet first three or four years ago. It's a silly game. It's definitely not something I should have done. I'll work on not doing it anymore."

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said that he was "not crazy" about Gardner's slide and planned to speak to him about it.

"The hard thing is, it's instinctual," Girardi said. "But no matter how many times you tell a guy, I mean, how many times do you think I told Bernie [Williams]? When they're hustling and playing hard, it happens."

Gardner did show a valuable part of his game in a third inning at-bat, dropping a beautiful bunt single down the third-base line against Baltimore pitcher Tommy Hunter. It was the second of Gardner's three hits on the day.

"I feel really good with it, and a situation where [the third baseman is] playing me back, it wouldn't have mattered if he was playing in, probably," Gardner said. "I'm just trying to stay in there, take my time, make a good bunt. It's something I plan on doing a lot of."

Bombers bits

• The Yankees have announced their next round of starting pitchers for Grapefruit League games. Right-hander Jose Ramirez draws the Phillies on Tuesday and left-hander Nik Turley gets the nod against the Orioles on Wednesday. With a split-squad on Thursday, right-hander David Phelps will see the Blue Jays in Tampa and right-hander Brett Marshall gets the Astros in Kissimmee.

• Girardi said that it is "fair to assume" that outfield prospects Tyler Austin and Slade Heathcott will not be considered to open the season in New York. Girardi did say Granderson's injury should create more spring playing time for the duo, however.

• Yankees outfielder Melky Mesa said that even after Granderson's injury, he still plans to leave camp to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. Girardi said that he had no issue with Mesa's decision, especially because Yankees bench coach Tony Pena is managing the Dominican squad.

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Sore left oblique sidelines Youkilis

By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com | 2/26/2013 10:35 A.M. ET

TAMPA, Fla. -- Kevin Youkilis was scratched from Tuesday's Yankees lineup for precautionary reasons after the third baseman said that he felt a cramp above his left hip.

The Yankees have described Youkilis' injury as a sore left oblique, and manager Joe Girardi said that Youkilis should be re-evaluated in a couple of days. Girardi said Youkilis had not been sent for tests.

"Basically, yesterday I had a little cramp," Youkilis said. "That just turned into, 'We're going to be precautionary.' I'm fine. I could play today, and I'm perfectly fine, but they were just like, 'No, we're going to sit you out.'"

Youkilis said that if this were the regular season, there would be no question about him playing.

"I don't think it's anything serious," Girardi said. "We're being really cautious right now, because we can be."

Youkilis said that this does not feel like the oblique injuries he has had in the past; he can swing the bat, but the Yankees do not want him to.

"I think I kind of learned my lesson: Don't say you're tight," Youkilis said. "It's my first week here, and now I understand the terminology and what to do."

The Yankees have had their share of injuries early in camp, with right-hander Phil Hughes (back spasms) and outfielder Curtis Granderson (fractured right forearm) already sidelined, but Youkilis said that he shouldn't be lumped into that group.

"I got up today and was moving around fine," Youkilis said. "It's one of those things where, I think after I swung yesterday and running and all that, it was hot and I got a little dehydrated. When I got water in me, I was fine.

"Being a month away from games and all that, they just wanted to take it precautionary. I wanted to play today and was perfectly fine to play and didn't feel like there was a risk."

Addison Maruszak replaced Youkilis in the lineup at third base for New York's Grapefruit League exhibition against the Phillies in Clearwater, Fla.

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Cervelli competing at catcher with no Minors options

By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com | 02/24/2013 6:48 PM ET

TAMPA, Fla. -- Francisco Cervelli was stunned late in last year's camp when he was summoned to the manager's office and informed that he was being optioned to the Minors, but the Yankees will not be able to have that same chat this spring.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said on Sunday that Cervelli is out of Minor League options, so he cannot be sent down without first clearing waivers. Cashman had previously said that he believed Cervelli had an option remaining.

Cervelli is competing for the Opening Day catching nod with Chris Stewart, who is also out of Minor League options, as well as prospect Austin Romine, who can be sent back to the Minors without being exposed to waivers.

Asked to handicap the catching race so far, Cashman quipped, "We've got two guys out of options and one guy with an option. I think the two guys are winning."

Gardner now frontrunner for center-field job

TAMPA, Fla. -- It wasn't how the Yankees would have scripted it to play out, but the organization's big spring center-field competition appears to have been settled in just one half-inning.

Brett Gardner became a strong favorite to serve as New York's Opening Day center fielder after Curtis Granderson suffered a fractured right forearm that is expected to keep him out of action until early May.

Gardner played center field in the Yanks' 2-0 loss to the Blue Jays on Sunday and, speaking before the Yankees learned the severity of Granderson's injury, said that he was adjusting well to getting back in center field.

"It was all right; just five innings or whatever," Gardner said. "I felt OK out there. The one ball that got over my head, the ball that [Anthony] Gose hit, I froze for a split second off the bat and I thought I was gonna catch it, but it just kept going."

Gardner was unable to catch up to Gose's third-inning triple off Cody Eppley, but he won't lose any sleep over it.

"I think if I had gotten a really good jump, I still wouldn't have caught it," Gardner said. "I was probably three solid steps from getting to it. It just kept going, but I felt good."

Gardner led off for the Yankees in their home spring opener and, though he acknowledged the club also has legitimate choices like Derek Jeter and Ichiro Suzuki, Gardner hopes that he can also be considered for the top spot in the lineup.

"I'd like to lead off. It'd be silly to say I love hitting ninth, you know?" Gardner said. " ... It's not something I'm really concerned with, but maybe if I have a really good spring it's something they'll consider."

Bombers bits

• Cashman clarified the schedule of Alex Rodriguez's rehab program. Rodriguez is scheduled to be in New York for physical therapy on his left hip from Monday through Thursday but is permitted to travel from Friday through Sunday, as he did this weekend by going back to Miami.

• Yankees right-hander Phil Hughes (bulging disc) started activity in the pool at the club's Minor League complex on Sunday, and is scheduled to have three to five days in the water. Cashman said that Hughes is at least a week from picking up a baseball.

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Gardner now frontrunner for center-field job

By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com | 02/24/2013 6:48 PM ET

TAMPA, Fla. -- It wasn't how the Yankees would have scripted it to play out, but the organization's big spring center-field competition appears to have been settled in just one half-inning.

Brett Gardner became a strong favorite to serve as New York's Opening Day center fielder after Curtis Granderson suffered a fractured right forearm that is expected to keep him out of action until early May.

Gardner played center field in the Yanks' 2-0 loss to the Blue Jays on Sunday and, speaking before the Yankees learned the severity of Granderson's injury, said that he was adjusting well to getting back in center field.

"It was all right; just five innings or whatever," Gardner said. "I felt OK out there. The one ball that got over my head, the ball that [Anthony] Gose hit, I froze for a split second off the bat and I thought I was gonna catch it, but it just kept going."

Gardner was unable to catch up to Gose's third-inning triple off Cody Eppley, but he won't lose any sleep over it.

"I think if I had gotten a really good jump, I still wouldn't have caught it," Gardner said. "I was probably three solid steps from getting to it. It just kept going, but I felt good."

Gardner led off for the Yankees in their home spring opener and, though he acknowledged the club also has legitimate choices like Derek Jeter and Ichiro Suzuki, Gardner hopes that he can also be considered for the top spot in the lineup.

"I'd like to lead off. It'd be silly to say I love hitting ninth, you know?" Gardner said. " ... It's not something I'm really concerned with, but maybe if I have a really good spring it's something they'll consider."

Cervelli competing at catcher with no Minors options

TAMPA, Fla. -- Francisco Cervelli was stunned late in last year's camp when he was summoned to the manager's office and informed that he was being optioned to the Minors, but the Yankees will not be able to have that same chat this spring.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said on Sunday that Cervelli is out of Minor League options, so he cannot be sent down without first clearing waivers. Cashman had previously said that he believed Cervelli had an option remaining.

Cervelli is competing for the Opening Day catching nod with Chris Stewart, who is also out of Minor League options, as well as prospect Austin Romine, who can be sent back to the Minors without being exposed to waivers.

Asked to handicap the catching race so far, Cashman quipped, "We've got two guys out of options and one guy with an option. I think the two guys are winning."

Bombers bits

• Cashman clarified the schedule of Alex Rodriguez's rehab program. Rodriguez is scheduled to be in New York for physical therapy on his left hip from Monday through Thursday but is permitted to travel from Friday through Sunday, as he did this weekend by going back to Miami.

• Yankees right-hander Phil Hughes (bulging disc) started activity in the pool at the club's Minor League complex on Sunday, and is scheduled to have three to five days in the water. Cashman said that Hughes is at least a week from picking up a baseball.

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Cashman successful with smart, efficient plan

TAMPA, Fla. -- No to Alfonso Soriano. No to Vernon Wells as well. Unless both come gift-wrapped at hugely discounted prices, the Yankees should take a pass. This is a time to stay the course.

General manager Brian Cashman has come too far to turn back now. His vision of the Yankees is one built on player development, on being smart and efficient, and on not overreacting to every crisis.

He's succeeding. The Yankees are respected throughout the industry for the quality of their scouts and the talent of their instructors. There's a bounty of young talent coming, some of it possibly later this season.

Will this next generation of Yankees be as good as Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera? No, probably not. That's OK, too.

If the Yankees have a productive farm system, they'll always have the cash to fill other needs through free agency. Or maybe that farm system will give them the chips they need to trade for an impact bat or a 200-inning starter.

For two offseasons, Cashman has stocked his roster with free-agent bargains in an attempt to steer the payroll down as baseball approaches a tough luxury tax on Opening Day 2014.

But there are reasons for doing this beyond money. Big-ticket free agents are for adding that final piece to a roster. Every organization must produce its own core of talent. That's true for such smaller-market teams as the Royals and Rays, but it's also true for the Red Sox and Yankees.

Curtis Granderson's broken right forearm is a test for Cashman -- because Granderson's absence, regardless of whether it's for eight weeks or 10 weeks or whatever, has the potential to hurt.

With the departures of Nick Swisher, Raul Ibanez, et al, with Alex Rodriguez's future uncertain and with the best prospects perhaps a year away, the Yankees have no idea how good they're going to be in 2013.

The Yankees were already dealing with a smaller margin for error. They're counting on certain guys -- Pettitte, Phil Hughes, Ichiro Suzuki -- to be healthy and productive. Cashman filled in nicely around the edges with one-year deals for Kevin Youkilis, Travis Hafner, Matt Diaz and others.

Another franchise might call it a transitional year, another step back toward a different way of doing business. That's what it may end up being, but that would be bitterly disappointing.

The Yankees are judged not by progress or getting close, but by how many championships they win. Anything less makes the season a failure, and no other team has these expectations every single season.

Cashman understands and accepts how life in charge of the Yankees works. He also understands the economics. Unlike the days when he used a sledgehammer -- $100 million here, $80 million there -- to construct his roster, he has shopped for bargains, getting guys who he believes have the makeup and the productivity to get the Yankees back to the postseason.

This has been a tough 12 months for his player-development system thanks to a string of injuries and poor performances. This is normal. Even the best scouts are wrong 80 percent of the time.

Sandy Johnson, the legendary talent evaluator who signed, among many others, Sammy Sosa, was once asked if he had a special feeling about the 150-pound teenager.

"I sure did," Johnson said. "I also had a special feeling about 20 or 30 other guys."

On the other hand, there's no other way to build a franchise.

Even with a winter of modest spending, the Yankees have a payroll of around $208 million. Does that sound like a franchise that has gone cheap?

But they have less than $100 million in salary commitments for 2014, so Cashman's dream scenario would be that his best kids -- among them Mason Williams, Tyler Austin and Gary Sanchez -- take steps forward and that his 2014 roster will have more clarity. And if he needs to throw millions at a Tim Lincecum, he'll have the cash to do it.

For now, though, he ought to hang in there with what he has unless a young star -- Chase Headley? Homer Bailey? -- becomes available. Even with all the losses, the Yankees are good enough to make the playoffs for the 18th time in 19 seasons. They're also more vulnerable than they've been in years, but there just are no other answers.

This isn't the time to surrender a bunch of prospects for an older player. Regardless of what happens in 2013, Cashman's plan makes sense. Sometimes the money obscures how good his baseball operation is. It's good enough that the Yankees will not be diminished by this new blueprint. They'll just be succeeding a different way.

Richard Justice is a columnist for MLB.com. Read his blog, Justice4U. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Cervelli's defense impresses in spring opener

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- The Yankees still believe their three-headed catching competition may take all of Spring Training to sort out, but Francisco Cervelli definitely made a good first impression in the club's exhibition opener Saturday.

Manager Joe Girardi wants to see strong defensive play from his catchers this spring, and Cervelli answered the call in New York's 8-3 win over the Braves, firing a rocket to second base that nabbed Atlanta's Todd Cunningham attempting to steal in the second inning.

"Amazing. It feels really good," Cervelli said. "I've been working a lot on my throwing, so I'm not surprised. I threw really good in winter ball. I got a lot of people out, and I feel like I'm back to what I used to be in '09."

Girardi said that Cervelli also did a nice job blocking balls behind the plate on Saturday before noting, "I mean, that's a beautiful throw. You can't make it any better than that, so that's a good sign."

Cervelli is vying with last season's backup, Chris Stewart and prospect Austin Romine to serve as the Yankees' Opening Day catcher. Cervelli went 0-for-2 with a walk while Romine had a two-run single, but Girardi said he has urged the catchers not to worry about their offensive statistics.

"I made it clear to them in a meeting [Friday]," Girardi said. "Defense is No. 1 here. We need to play good defense."

Cervelli was disappointed to be demoted to the Minors as camp concluded last season, but said that he eventually came to see the setback as an opportunity to hone his game.

"I just tried to cover all the little holes that I used to have in the past," Cervelli said. "I've been working so hard. I want to hit, too, but the priority here is the defense."

Cervelli said that he felt his throwing peaked at the big league level in 2009, in part because he had trouble adjusting to not playing every day. The result was that Cervelli said he developed bad habits of rushing throws and jumping at pitches before they reached his glove.

He also experienced a rash of passed balls last year at Triple-A, seeming so upset by the demotion to the Minors that his parents, Manuel and Damelis, traveled from their home in Venezuela to trail their son around the league for three weeks.

"When they saw the situation, I told them, 'I'm fine,' but they're 50-something years old so they do whatever they want," Cervelli said. "They showed up in Buffalo. They said, 'We're here, so what are we going to do now? We're going to follow the bus everywhere we go so you better play better, and that's it.'"

Cervelli has worked with Minor League catching instructor Julio Mosquera to tighten the defensive aspects of his game, and after playing in winter ball, Cervelli believes he reported to camp with the necessary tools to win the everyday catching job.

"Right now, I look at the past and I think it was [for] the best," Cervelli said. "Maybe last year, the first two months in Triple-A was bad. The frustration, you don't understand it in the moment, but when you have a little time and you think a little fresh, you realize things happen for a reason -- and always a positive reason."

Jeter runs infield for first time since broken ankle

TAMPA, Fla. -- Yankees captain Derek Jeter ran on the infield dirt Saturday at George M. Steinbrenner Field, the first time he has done so since breaking his left ankle last October.

"He ran the bases a bit, slowly," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said after New York's 8-3 Grapefruit League victory over the Braves in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. "He's at least outside, doing some running, so that's good."

Jeter has said that he expects to be ready for the Yankees' April 1 opener against the Red Sox in New York, but he is about two weeks behind the rest of the team's position players in his preparation.

The Yankees expect Eduardo Nunez to receive the majority of the early spring reps at shortstop, with Jeter first being eased into duty as a designated hitter later in camp.

Rotation candidate Phelps effective in first start

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Yankees right-hander David Phelps had little reason to complain after turning in his first Grapefruit League start of the year on Saturday.

Phelps threw two scoreless innings in New York's 8-3 victory over the Braves, scattering three hits and getting a little help from his defense as the hurler's spring bid for the rotation officially began.

"I was really happy with the way I commanded my fastball," Phelps said. "That was one of the biggest things that I wanted to do, come in today and get ahead of guys with my fastball. I felt we were able to do that today."

Manager Joe Girardi said that he was pleased in Phelps' ability to throw first-pitch strikes. Right fielder Zoilo Almonte helped Phelps out in the first inning, throwing out Atlanta's Reed Johnson at third base on a Freddie Freeman single, and catcher Francisco Cervelli gunned down Todd Cunningham attempting a steal of second base to end the second inning.

"Results are always going to matter to me, but as of right now I'm happy my arm felt good," Phelps said. "I felt my stuff is where it needed to be for right now. I'm really satisfied with the way the ball was coming out. That's one of the biggest things for me, is just the ball is coming out, keeping it down and hitting my spots. That's really important for me."

Phelps was 4-4 with a 3.34 ERA in 33 games (11 starts) as a rookie with New York last season and enters Spring Training projected to fight with Ivan Nova for the fifth slot in the Yankees' rotation.

"I'm not coming into the spring trying to beat somebody out for the spot," Phelps said. "I'm just trying to go out and continue what I was doing last year and have some success, and hopefully build my confidence up and get ready for the season to be ready to pitch in whatever role they ask me to."

Bombers bits

• Yankees right-hander Nick Goody, a sixth-round selection from Louisiana State University in last year's First-Year Player Draft, hobbled into the clubhouse on crutches following a minor traffic accident on Friday. Goody was diagnosed with a sprained right ankle and was sent for an MRI on Saturday.

• Yankees right-hander Phil Hughes continues to feel better after being diagnosed with a bulging disc in his upper back, Girardi said. Hughes has been taking anti-inflammatories and is expected to begin a regimen of underwater agility training at the team's Minor League complex on Sunday.

• Almonte hit the Yankees' first home run of the spring, an opposite-field two-run shot off the Braves' Jordan Walden. Girardi said that he is "excited" about Almonte, a switch-hitting corner outfielder who played last season at Double-A Trenton.

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Jeter runs infield for first time since broken ankle

TAMPA, Fla. -- Yankees captain Derek Jeter ran on the infield dirt Saturday at George M. Steinbrenner Field, the first time he has done so since breaking his left ankle last October.

"He ran the bases a bit, slowly," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said after New York's 8-3 Grapefruit League victory over the Braves in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. "He's at least outside, doing some running, so that's good."

Jeter has said that he expects to be ready for the Yankees' April 1 opener against the Red Sox in New York, but he is about two weeks behind the rest of the team's position players in his preparation.

The Yankees expect Eduardo Nunez to receive the majority of the early spring reps at shortstop, with Jeter first being eased into duty as a designated hitter later in camp.

Cervelli's defense impresses in spring opener

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- The Yankees still believe their three-headed catching competition may take all of Spring Training to sort out, but Francisco Cervelli definitely made a good first impression in the club's exhibition opener Saturday.

Manager Joe Girardi wants to see strong defensive play from his catchers this spring, and Cervelli answered the call in New York's 8-3 win over the Braves, firing a rocket to second base that nabbed Atlanta's Todd Cunningham attempting to steal in the second inning.

"Amazing. It feels really good," Cervelli said. "I've been working a lot on my throwing, so I'm not surprised. I threw really good in winter ball. I got a lot of people out, and I feel like I'm back to what I used to be in '09."

Girardi said that Cervelli also did a nice job blocking balls behind the plate on Saturday before noting, "I mean, that's a beautiful throw. You can't make it any better than that, so that's a good sign."

Cervelli is vying with last season's backup, Chris Stewart and prospect Austin Romine to serve as the Yankees' Opening Day catcher. Cervelli went 0-for-2 with a walk while Romine had a two-run single, but Girardi said he has urged the catchers not to worry about their offensive statistics.

"I made it clear to them in a meeting [Friday]," Girardi said. "Defense is No. 1 here. We need to play good defense."

Cervelli was disappointed to be demoted to the Minors as camp concluded last season, but said that he eventually came to see the setback as an opportunity to hone his game.

"I just tried to cover all the little holes that I used to have in the past," Cervelli said. "I've been working so hard. I want to hit, too, but the priority here is the defense."

Cervelli said that he felt his throwing peaked at the big league level in 2009, in part because he had trouble adjusting to not playing every day. The result was that Cervelli said he developed bad habits of rushing throws and jumping at pitches before they reached his glove.

He also experienced a rash of passed balls last year at Triple-A, seeming so upset by the demotion to the Minors that his parents, Manuel and Damelis, traveled from their home in Venezuela to trail their son around the league for three weeks.

"When they saw the situation, I told them, 'I'm fine,' but they're 50-something years old so they do whatever they want," Cervelli said. "They showed up in Buffalo. They said, 'We're here, so what are we going to do now? We're going to follow the bus everywhere we go so you better play better, and that's it.'"

Cervelli has worked with Minor League catching instructor Julio Mosquera to tighten the defensive aspects of his game, and after playing in winter ball, Cervelli believes he reported to camp with the necessary tools to win the everyday catching job.

"Right now, I look at the past and I think it was [for] the best," Cervelli said. "Maybe last year, the first two months in Triple-A was bad. The frustration, you don't understand it in the moment, but when you have a little time and you think a little fresh, you realize things happen for a reason -- and always a positive reason."

Rotation candidate Phelps effective in first start

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Yankees right-hander David Phelps had little reason to complain after turning in his first Grapefruit League start of the year on Saturday.

Phelps threw two scoreless innings in New York's 8-3 victory over the Braves, scattering three hits and getting a little help from his defense as the hurler's spring bid for the rotation officially began.

"I was really happy with the way I commanded my fastball," Phelps said. "That was one of the biggest things that I wanted to do, come in today and get ahead of guys with my fastball. I felt we were able to do that today."

Manager Joe Girardi said that he was pleased in Phelps' ability to throw first-pitch strikes. Right fielder Zoilo Almonte helped Phelps out in the first inning, throwing out Atlanta's Reed Johnson at third base on a Freddie Freeman single, and catcher Francisco Cervelli gunned down Todd Cunningham attempting a steal of second base to end the second inning.

"Results are always going to matter to me, but as of right now I'm happy my arm felt good," Phelps said. "I felt my stuff is where it needed to be for right now. I'm really satisfied with the way the ball was coming out. That's one of the biggest things for me, is just the ball is coming out, keeping it down and hitting my spots. That's really important for me."

Phelps was 4-4 with a 3.34 ERA in 33 games (11 starts) as a rookie with New York last season and enters Spring Training projected to fight with Ivan Nova for the fifth slot in the Yankees' rotation.

"I'm not coming into the spring trying to beat somebody out for the spot," Phelps said. "I'm just trying to go out and continue what I was doing last year and have some success, and hopefully build my confidence up and get ready for the season to be ready to pitch in whatever role they ask me to."

Bombers bits

• Yankees right-hander Nick Goody, a sixth-round selection from Louisiana State University in last year's First-Year Player Draft, hobbled into the clubhouse on crutches following a minor traffic accident on Friday. Goody was diagnosed with a sprained right ankle and was sent for an MRI on Saturday.

• Yankees right-hander Phil Hughes continues to feel better after being diagnosed with a bulging disc in his upper back, Girardi said. Hughes has been taking anti-inflammatories and is expected to begin a regimen of underwater agility training at the team's Minor League complex on Sunday.

• Almonte hit the Yankees' first home run of the spring, an opposite-field two-run shot off the Braves' Jordan Walden. Girardi said that he is "excited" about Almonte, a switch-hitting corner outfielder who played last season at Double-A Trenton.

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Rotation candidate Phelps effective in first start

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Yankees right-hander David Phelps had little reason to complain after turning in his first Grapefruit League start of the year on Saturday.

Phelps threw two scoreless innings in New York's 8-3 victory over the Braves, scattering three hits and getting a little help from his defense as the hurler's spring bid for the rotation officially began.

"I was really happy with the way I commanded my fastball," Phelps said. "That was one of the biggest things that I wanted to do, come in today and get ahead of guys with my fastball. I felt we were able to do that today."

Manager Joe Girardi said that he was pleased in Phelps' ability to throw first-pitch strikes. Right fielder Zoilo Almonte helped Phelps out in the first inning, throwing out Atlanta's Reed Johnson at third base on a Freddie Freeman single, and catcher Francisco Cervelli gunned down Todd Cunningham attempting a steal of second base to end the second inning.

"Results are always going to matter to me, but as of right now I'm happy my arm felt good," Phelps said. "I felt my stuff is where it needed to be for right now. I'm really satisfied with the way the ball was coming out. That's one of the biggest things for me, is just the ball is coming out, keeping it down and hitting my spots. That's really important for me."

Phelps was 4-4 with a 3.34 ERA in 33 games (11 starts) as a rookie with New York last season and enters Spring Training projected to fight with Ivan Nova for the fifth slot in the Yankees' rotation.

"I'm not coming into the spring trying to beat somebody out for the spot," Phelps said. "I'm just trying to go out and continue what I was doing last year and have some success, and hopefully build my confidence up and get ready for the season to be ready to pitch in whatever role they ask me to."

Cervelli's defense impresses in spring opener

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- The Yankees still believe their three-headed catching competition may take all of Spring Training to sort out, but Francisco Cervelli definitely made a good first impression in the club's exhibition opener Saturday.

Manager Joe Girardi wants to see strong defensive play from his catchers this spring, and Cervelli answered the call in New York's 8-3 win over the Braves, firing a rocket to second base that nabbed Atlanta's Todd Cunningham attempting to steal in the second inning.

"Amazing. It feels really good," Cervelli said. "I've been working a lot on my throwing, so I'm not surprised. I threw really good in winter ball. I got a lot of people out, and I feel like I'm back to what I used to be in '09."

Girardi said that Cervelli also did a nice job blocking balls behind the plate on Saturday before noting, "I mean, that's a beautiful throw. You can't make it any better than that, so that's a good sign."

Cervelli is vying with last season's backup, Chris Stewart and prospect Austin Romine to serve as the Yankees' Opening Day catcher. Cervelli went 0-for-2 with a walk while Romine had a two-run single, but Girardi said he has urged the catchers not to worry about their offensive statistics.

"I made it clear to them in a meeting [Friday]," Girardi said. "Defense is No. 1 here. We need to play good defense."

Cervelli was disappointed to be demoted to the Minors as camp concluded last season, but said that he eventually came to see the setback as an opportunity to hone his game.

"I just tried to cover all the little holes that I used to have in the past," Cervelli said. "I've been working so hard. I want to hit, too, but the priority here is the defense."

Cervelli said that he felt his throwing peaked at the big league level in 2009, in part because he had trouble adjusting to not playing every day. The result was that Cervelli said he developed bad habits of rushing throws and jumping at pitches before they reached his glove.

He also experienced a rash of passed balls last year at Triple-A, seeming so upset by the demotion to the Minors that his parents, Manuel and Damelis, traveled from their home in Venezuela to trail their son around the league for three weeks.

"When they saw the situation, I told them, 'I'm fine,' but they're 50-something years old so they do whatever they want," Cervelli said. "They showed up in Buffalo. They said, 'We're here, so what are we going to do now? We're going to follow the bus everywhere we go so you better play better, and that's it.'"

Cervelli has worked with Minor League catching instructor Julio Mosquera to tighten the defensive aspects of his game, and after playing in winter ball, Cervelli believes he reported to camp with the necessary tools to win the everyday catching job.

"Right now, I look at the past and I think it was [for] the best," Cervelli said. "Maybe last year, the first two months in Triple-A was bad. The frustration, you don't understand it in the moment, but when you have a little time and you think a little fresh, you realize things happen for a reason -- and always a positive reason."

Jeter runs infield for first time since broken ankle

TAMPA, Fla. -- Yankees captain Derek Jeter ran on the infield dirt Saturday at George M. Steinbrenner Field, the first time he has done so since breaking his left ankle last October.

"He ran the bases a bit, slowly," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said after New York's 8-3 Grapefruit League victory over the Braves in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. "He's at least outside, doing some running, so that's good."

Jeter has said that he expects to be ready for the Yankees' April 1 opener against the Red Sox in New York, but he is about two weeks behind the rest of the team's position players in his preparation.

The Yankees expect Eduardo Nunez to receive the majority of the early spring reps at shortstop, with Jeter first being eased into duty as a designated hitter later in camp.

Bombers bits

• Yankees right-hander Nick Goody, a sixth-round selection from Louisiana State University in last year's First-Year Player Draft, hobbled into the clubhouse on crutches following a minor traffic accident on Friday. Goody was diagnosed with a sprained right ankle and was sent for an MRI on Saturday.

• Yankees right-hander Phil Hughes continues to feel better after being diagnosed with a bulging disc in his upper back, Girardi said. Hughes has been taking anti-inflammatories and is expected to begin a regimen of underwater agility training at the team's Minor League complex on Sunday.

• Almonte hit the Yankees' first home run of the spring, an opposite-field two-run shot off the Braves' Jordan Walden. Girardi said that he is "excited" about Almonte, a switch-hitting corner outfielder who played last season at Double-A Trenton.

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Jeter gradually ramping up spring workouts

TAMPA, Fla. -- On the eve of the Yankees' first Grapefruit League game, Derek Jeter provided a brief update on his progress as he works his way back from offseason surgery on his left ankle.

Jeter has been taking regular batting practice and taking ground balls with the rest of his teammates, but he still has not run the bases. He doesn't know exactly when he'll begin doing so, but he has been running indoors, as he's on a different workout program than the rest of the team.

Jeter has been doing more agility drills and more running, gradually ramping up his workouts the same way he'd do any other year.

"I've been stepping it up every day," Jeter said. "Every day is more and more. I've been increasing the workload since I started."

Jeter has said several times that he will be ready to start come Opening Day, and he repeated that on Friday.

"You have to be smart. ... We've still got close to 40 days," he said. "There's no reason for me to go out there and jump all around and do things that I shouldn't be doing at this particular point."

Girardi sets travel roster for Grapefruit opener

TAMPA, Fla. -- The Yankees have set their travel roster for Saturday's Grapefruit League opener, against the Braves in Lake Buena Vista. As manager Joe Girardi said on Thursday, the starting lineup will include first baseman Mark Teixeira, second baseman Robinson Cano and infielder Eduardo Nunez behind starter David Phelps.

Catchers Francisco Cervelli and Austin Romine, both battling -- along with Chris Stewart -- for two spots on the roster, will make the trip, with Cervelli getting the start. Also hopping on the bus will be outfield candidates Juan Rivera and Matt Diaz, and corner infielder Dan Johnson.

Phelps is expected to throw two innings or 35 pitches, and he will be followed in some order by right-handers Brett Marshall, Mike O'Brien, Kelvin Perez, Branden Pinder and Chase Whitley, and left-hander Nik Turley.

Girardi is eager to see Cervelli and Romine finally get behind the plate in a game situation. He admitted earlier this week that they couldn't do much to put themselves in position to win a roster spot in drills, although he cautioned once again that he won't judge their performances too closely this soon.

"You want to see the competition," Girardi said. "They've got to get their bodies physically in shape. They've got to get their timing down offensively, get to know the pitchers. They're going to catch a lot of pitchers early on that they don't know."

Jay-Z, Timberlake to perform at Stadium in July

TAMPA, Fla. -- Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake announced a summer tour on Friday that will bring them to Yankee Stadium on July 19.

The "Legends of the Summer" stadium tour will visit 12 cities in North America, with the first stop at Rogers Centre in Toronto on July 17. The tour will visit, among other locations, Chicago, San Francisco, Baltimore and Boston before wrapping up on Aug. 16 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami.

Tickets for the shows, save the Yankee Stadium performance, will go on sale to the public on Thursday at LiveNation.com. The on-sale information for the New York show will be announced soon, according to a LiveNation release announcing the tour.

Bombers bits

• Right-hander Phil Hughes said on Friday he is "way better" and noticed a "significant" difference in the way his back feels compared with earlier in the week, when he was sidelined with a bulging disk in his upper back. Hughes expects to finish his anti-inflammatory medication over the next two days and perhaps begin working out in a pool as early as Sunday.

"I think you've got to see him get on the mound to feel that you're through it and that it's not going to be an issue that pops up all the time," manager Joe Girardi said. "I think we have to see him get on the mound, but that's a good sign."

• CC Sabathia threw another bullpen session and Andy Pettitte pitched batting practice on Friday morning, and Girardi reported that both outings -- as well as right-hander David Robertson's BP session -- went well.

• Having previously announced that right-handers David Phelps and Adam Warren will start the Yankees' first two Grapefruit League games, Girardi said on Friday that lefty Vidal Nuno and right-hander Jose Ramirez will start the next two.

Adam Berry is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at @adamdberry. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Jay-Z, Timberlake to perform at Stadium in July

TAMPA, Fla. -- Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake announced a summer tour on Friday that will bring them to Yankee Stadium on July 19.

The "Legends of the Summer" stadium tour will visit 12 cities in North America, with the first stop at Rogers Centre in Toronto on July 17. The tour will visit, among other locations, Chicago, San Francisco, Baltimore and Boston before wrapping up on Aug. 16 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami.

Tickets for the shows, save the Yankee Stadium performance, will go on sale to the public on Thursday at LiveNation.com. The on-sale information for the New York show will be announced soon, according to a LiveNation release announcing the tour.

Girardi sets travel roster for Grapefruit opener

TAMPA, Fla. -- The Yankees have set their travel roster for Saturday's Grapefruit League opener, against the Braves in Lake Buena Vista. As manager Joe Girardi said on Thursday, the starting lineup will include first baseman Mark Teixeira, second baseman Robinson Cano and infielder Eduardo Nunez behind starter David Phelps.

Catchers Francisco Cervelli and Austin Romine, both battling -- along with Chris Stewart -- for two spots on the roster, will make the trip, with Cervelli getting the start. Also hopping on the bus will be outfield candidates Juan Rivera and Matt Diaz, and corner infielder Dan Johnson.

Phelps is expected to throw two innings or 35 pitches, and he will be followed in some order by right-handers Brett Marshall, Mike O'Brien, Kelvin Perez, Branden Pinder and Chase Whitley, and left-hander Nik Turley.

Girardi is eager to see Cervelli and Romine finally get behind the plate in a game situation. He admitted earlier this week that they couldn't do much to put themselves in position to win a roster spot in drills, although he cautioned once again that he won't judge their performances too closely this soon.

"You want to see the competition," Girardi said. "They've got to get their bodies physically in shape. They've got to get their timing down offensively, get to know the pitchers. They're going to catch a lot of pitchers early on that they don't know."

Jeter gradually ramping up spring workouts

TAMPA, Fla. -- On the eve of the Yankees' first Grapefruit League game, Derek Jeter provided a brief update on his progress as he works his way back from offseason surgery on his left ankle.

Jeter has been taking regular batting practice and taking ground balls with the rest of his teammates, but he still has not run the bases. He doesn't know exactly when he'll begin doing so, but he has been running indoors, as he's on a different workout program than the rest of the team.

Jeter has been doing more agility drills and more running, gradually ramping up his workouts the same way he'd do any other year.

"I've been stepping it up every day," Jeter said. "Every day is more and more. I've been increasing the workload since I started."

Jeter has said several times that he will be ready to start come Opening Day, and he repeated that on Friday.

"You have to be smart. ... We've still got close to 40 days," he said. "There's no reason for me to go out there and jump all around and do things that I shouldn't be doing at this particular point."

Bombers bits

• Right-hander Phil Hughes said on Friday he is "way better" and noticed a "significant" difference in the way his back feels compared with earlier in the week, when he was sidelined with a bulging disk in his upper back. Hughes expects to finish his anti-inflammatory medication over the next two days and perhaps begin working out in a pool as early as Sunday.

"I think you've got to see him get on the mound to feel that you're through it and that it's not going to be an issue that pops up all the time," manager Joe Girardi said. "I think we have to see him get on the mound, but that's a good sign."

• CC Sabathia threw another bullpen session and Andy Pettitte pitched batting practice on Friday morning, and Girardi reported that both outings -- as well as right-hander David Robertson's BP session -- went well.

• Having previously announced that right-handers David Phelps and Adam Warren will start the Yankees' first two Grapefruit League games, Girardi said on Friday that lefty Vidal Nuno and right-hander Jose Ramirez will start the next two.

Adam Berry is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at @adamdberry. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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'Stress-free' Posada enjoying life as retiree

By Adam Berry / MLB.com | 2/22/2013 3:25 P.M. ET

TAMPA, Fla. -- Jorge Posada walked around George M. Steinbrenner Field on Friday morning wearing a Yankees uniform and catcher's mitt. He was on the field among a few of his former teammates for Mariano Rivera's batting practice session -- behind the mound, not the plate -- and batting practice itself.

Seeing Posada here is reminiscent of last Spring Training, when Andy Pettitte showed up for a few days of camp, an appearance that turned into a full-scale comeback. Manager Joe Girardi made the same connection, and said, "I don't rule anything out anymore."

But as strange as Posada felt heading into the coaches' locker room, he has neither the desire nor the intention to make a comeback of his own.

"I don't think I could. I don't think I can," Posada said. "It's the everyday thing. It's the grind of a long season, and I don't think I could do that. ... I'm happy with where I'm at. I'm not second-guessing myself. I know I can't play the game. In my mind I think I made the right decision.

"I'm stress-free. It's fun. I'm having fun."

Posada, who came to camp as a guest instructor after an invitation from Hal Steinbrenner, will be with the Yankees for a few more days, and he'll be back again at some point this spring. He likes the idea of being a part-time instructor and enjoys the process of teaching young catchers, but he doesn't have any interest in getting back into baseball in any full-time capacity right now.

"You retire to be home, and you don't want to be here for a month and a half," he said. "We're talking still [about a role with the Yankees], trying to figure out what we're going to do. So we've got time to do it now that I'm here, so we're going to sit down and talk."

Shortstop Derek Jeter, a close friend of Posada's, said it didn't feel too odd to see Posada as a guest instructor. The two have kept in contact and seen each other since Posada retired before the 2012 season, and Jeter has already dealt with the "awkward" situation of seeing several former teammates -- Bernie Williams, Tino Martinez and so on -- appear in camp as guest instructors.

But Jeter and Rivera said it was good see their former teammate back among the Yankees, whether he's playing or not.

"Any time that we have a guy that does what Jorge's doing, people are going to speculate," Girardi said. "And I think it's fair to do. Jorge's a guy that loved to play the game."

Adam Berry is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at @adamdberry. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Classic-bound Yanks to play early before departure

TAMPA, Fla. -- The Yankees could be sending a total of seven players from their organization to the World Baseball Classic, most notably Robinson Cano and Mark Teixeira, and manager Joe Girardi said Thursday he'll try to get them as many at-bats as possible before they depart to play for their respective countries.

Girardi said Cano (Dominican Republic) and Teixeira (United States) will travel with the club to Lake Buena Vista, Fla., on Saturday to play the Braves, adding that Cano will likely play six of the Yankees' first eight games while Teixeira figures to play five of those.

Girardi singled out a few other players scheduled to take part in the Classic who will receive more playing time the first week or so of Grapefruit League play: outfielder Melky Mesa (Dominican Republic), infielder Gil Velazquez (Mexico) and left-hander Juan Cedeno (Dominican Republic).

Minor League right-hander Pat Venditte, who spent last year with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, will play for Team Italy, and Minor League infielder Walter Ibarra is expected to play for Mexico.

Girardi eyeing effects of outfield change

TAMPA, Fla. -- It's difficult to calculate exactly what kind of impact Brett Gardner's move to center field will have on the Yankees' defense. It's even more difficult to figure out what kind of effect, if any, the switch will have on Gardner and Curtis Granderson at the plate.

Both outfielders said Thursday they didn't think switching positions would negatively affect their offensive production. But manager Joe Girardi said it's something to keep an eye on, specifically with Granderson, as the spring goes on and they spend more time in their new roles.

"It's still a legit concern, how it affects him at the plate, how it affects his game," Girardi said. "That's something I'll think about.

"It could affect both of them. [Gardner has] played a little bit of center when we've given Grandy a day off, but Grandy really hasn't played left field."

Gardner offered that his defense has nothing to do with his offense, and Granderson said he's done enough moving around -- bouncing up and down the lineup, playing for different teams and so on -- to adapt on the fly.

"I've done everything," Granderson said. "It's just another one of those changes, and change is always a good thing."

But it's not easy to evaluate where a player stands during Spring Training, especially early on. The at-bats are few and far between, the pitchers are supposed to be ahead of the hitters and the bloated Spring Training rosters sometimes lead to unequal competition.

Girardi admitted that it won't be easy to gauge how the switch is affecting either player offensively or defensively during Spring Training, but he hoped the Yankees could figure it out over the next month and a half.

"We do have a lot of games, and hopefully we'll get a pretty good read on what we're going to see," Girardi said. "If people don't want to hit the ball to either one of them for the whole year, that's fine with me."

Suzuki takes Kuroda deep in live batting practice

TAMPA, Fla. -- Right-hander Hiroki Kuroda threw live batting practice Thursday to a group of Yankees outfielders that included fellow Japanese star Ichiro Suzuki.

Toward the end of the batting practice session, Juan Rivera crushed a homer off Kuroda to deep left field. Ichiro followed that up by lining a shot two rows deep into the right-field stands, prompting a roar of cheers from the fans sitting in the George M. Steinbrenner Field bleachers.

Manager Joe Girardi wasn't there to watch Kuroda pitch, but joked afterward, "I heard he threw strikes."

Ichiro took in the crowd's applause, bowing and doffing his helmet and saying, "Thank you." Even Kuroda cracked a smile on the mound.

"They knew it was coming, I heard," Girardi said.

Bombers bits

• Girardi said right-hander Phil Hughes, who revealed Wednesday that he had a bulging disk in his upper back that will keep him sidelined for about two weeks, was feeling better Thursday. Hughes is still taking anti-inflammatory medication and isn't expected to progress to the next step of his recovery, working out in a pool, for a few more days.

"Good sign for me," Girardi said.

• Right-hander Mark Montgomery, who had been sidelined with back spasms but began throwing, was also feeling "much better," according to Girardi. Montgomery has been playing catch since Tuesday.

• Girardi joked again Thursday about the idea of designated hitter Travis Hafner playing the field. Hafner hasn't been doing any defensive drills, and Girardi said it would have to be an "emergency, emergency situation" for Hafner to put on a glove in a game. Hafner hasn't played defense since 2007 due to an arthritic right elbow, and Girardi quipped that the only gloves the 35-year-old slugger will need are batting gloves.

"When we do fielding drills, he goes to the cage," Girardi said. "He's a DH."

• With the Yankees' Grapefruit League schedule beginning Saturday with a road trip to face the Braves in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., the Bombers will have a shorter workout Friday.

Adam Berry is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at @adamdberry. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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