Jeter's farewell receives seven GIBBY nominations

"I couldn't believe what had happened," Jeter said then. "I've been a part of a lot of big moments in my career. I've been fortunate and lucky to be on the field, and that was just another one. I couldn't have thought of a better way for it to end in New York."

The Yankees' April 17 triple play on a ball hit by the Rays' Sean Rodriguez earned recognition as a candidate for the year's top Play: third baseman Yangervis Solarte to second baseman Brian Roberts to first baseman Scott Sizemore, with CC Sabathia pitching.

There are off-beat items included, like eccentric infielder Brendan Ryan catching raindrops in his mouth (Oddity) and an appearance by Jeter's nephew, Jalen, whose adorable cap tips highlighted this year's Cut4 topics.

Major League Baseball's A-listers will take home 2014 GIBBY trophies -- the ultimate honors of the industry's awards season -- based on votes by media, front-office personnel, MLB alumni, fans at MLB.com and the Society for American Baseball Research.

This year's GIBBY Awards feature nominees in 23 categories. Individual honors will go to the MLB MVP, in addition to the year's best Starting Pitcher, Hitter, Closer, Setup Man, Rookie, Breakout Hitter, Breakout Pitcher, Bounceback Player, Defensive Player, Manager, Executive and Postseason Performer.

GIBBY trophies also will be awarded for the year's top Play, Outfield Throw, Storyline, Hitting Performance, Pitching Performance, Oddity, Walk-Off, Cut4 Topic, Regular-Season Moment and Postseason Moment, with video available via MLB.com's Must C highlight reels.

Over the past several seasons, fans have cast millions of votes across the GIBBY categories -- none of which are restricted to individual league affiliation. That's how you know the GIBBYs consider the best of the best.

All 30 clubs are represented among the award candidates. In fact, every team will have multiple nominees to begin voting -- a testament to the parity of talent around the game.

Several categories -- Play, Oddity, Walk-Off and Cut4 Topic -- will each open balloting with at least one nominee per club. After a week, the four lists will be pared to 10 finalists per group by an expert panel.

Fans can vote as many times as they want through Nov. 21 at 11:59 p.m. ET by visiting mlb.com/gibbys, and winners will be announced live on the MLB Network and MLB.com on Dec. 6.

Tanaka and Betances are both mentioned as candidates for this year's top Rookie, and Betances is included in the Setup Man category.

"It's been a long, long journey for me coming up the Minor League system," Betances said, "and for me to have the year I've had this year, I'm definitely honored and thankful."

Jeter's farewell is listed among the year's best Storylines -- and three Moments focus on Jeter: the All-Star Game, the Sept. 7 date at Yankee Stadium in Jeter's honor and Jeter's last home game on Sept. 25.

Jeter's game-winning single off the Orioles' Evan Meek in his final home game draws a nomination as the best Walk-Off of the year. Jeter's final nomination is of the light-hearted variety, when he answered the ringing cell phone of Bergen Record columnist Tara Sullivan during a press conference.

"I'm ready for my career to be over with," Jeter said, "so I tried to have as much fun as I could."

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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Judge continues raking with two homers in AFL win

Box Score

Judge, the Yankees' No. 5 prospect according to MLBpipeline.com, was selected in the first round of the 2013 Draft and went 2-for-4 with two homers and four RBIs on Thursday.

The 22-year-old began the scoring with a towering two-run homer to left in the top of the first.

In the fourth, Judge hammered a fastball and hit a line drive over the wall to straightaway center for another two-run homer, his fourth of the Arizona Fall League season.

"It all started with our pitching and great defense," Judge said. "[Pirates prospect Tyler Glasnow] came out and had a good start. Against a good offensive team like Mesa, only holding them to one or two runs in the first few innings was huge for us. Then our defense, Tyler [Austin] had a good throw to get [Dalton] Pompey, who is a really fast runner, makes hitting a little easier for us."

Judge's Scottsdale teammates may have made things easier for him Thursday, but hitting for power has never been troublesome for the right fielder.

Judge won the TD Ameritrade College Home Run Derby in 2012 while at Fresno State and also hit .308 with 17 homers in 131 games at Class A Advanced Tampa and Class A Charleston this season.

Judge also left his mark on the game defensively as he showed off his arm on back-to-back plays in the seventh.

With no outs and Blue Jays prospect Dalton Pompey on third, Angels prospect Chad Hinshaw flew out to right. Judge unleashed a strong throw home and Pompey, who had initially tagged up, retreated back to third.

However, the very next batter, Angels prospect Cal Towey, hit a fly ball to right, and this time Pompey elected to challenge Judge's arm. He lost.

"A little bit, but you've always got to be prepared," Judge said when asked if he was surprised Pompey took off. "I wanted to make a play for [Tyler Rogers]. He was pitching his butt off out there, so I wanted to make a play for him."

The multi-hit effort extended Judge's AFL hitting streak to five games, but he's far from the only Yankee prospect thriving at the plate and will be joined by another Yankees prospect in Saturday's Fall Stars Game.

"I'm excited," Judge said. "It's an honor to represent the Yankees. Greg Bird's going to be there with me too, so I'm just going to go out there and have some fun and play some ball."

Bird, the No. 11 prospect in the Yankees organization, finished 2-for-2 with a pair of walks and now has 19 hits in 24 AFL games.

Tyler Austin, the Yankees 2012 Minor League Player of the Year and No. 15 prospect, had his third multi-hit game in the last four contests, as he went 3-for-4 with a run scored and a stolen base.

"It's huge when you affiliate teammates do well like that," Judge said. "It's fun watching them. Bird's a great competitor and Tyler Austin, he's always hungry. It's fun to watch."

Austin, like Judge, was credited with an outfield assist.

In the bottom of the third, Mesa had a runner on third with one out and A's prospect Daniel Robertson hit a fly ball to left. Pompey thought he could tag up and score on the play, but Austin caught the fly ball and promptly fired a strike to the plate to complete the double play.

The New York trio finished 7-for-10 as Scottsdale stopped its two-game skid and fought its way back to a game under .500.

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

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Yankees prep for busy Hot Stove season

As general manager Brian Cashman returns with a new three-year extension in hand, he is being challenged to restore the Yankees' roster to one that can truly be considered championship-caliber, coming off a second dark October in as many seasons.

Free agents/options
Closer David Robertson is a good bet to receive a qualifying offer, valued at $15.3 million for one season, though Robertson seems primed to test the open market. In the rotation, Brandon McCarthy pitched well in a half-season audition and expressed willingness to return, while Hiroki Kuroda is considering retirement.

Player Profile: David Robertson 5:06

David Robertson was stellar in replacing Mariano Rivera as the Yankees closer and finished third in the American League with 39 saves

Even with Alex Rodriguez reinstated from suspension, the Yankees could re-sign veteran Chase Headley for help at the infield corners. Stephen Drew was disappointing, but he is one year removed from being the starting shortstop on a World Series winner and represents one option to replace Derek Jeter.

Ichiro Suzuki has said that he intends to continue playing at age 41, but he is likely to seek more regular playing time in a different uniform. Other free agents include left-hander Chris Capuano, left-hander Rich Hill and outfielder Chris Young.

Needs
Managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner has said that the Yankees need to secure at least one starting pitcher this offseason, with Ivan Nova not expected to return from Tommy John surgery until at least May. The club also needs to obtain a shortstop who would represent an upgrade over Brendan Ryan.

The Yankees are veteran-heavy and counting on bounce-back campaigns from players like Carlos Beltran and Mark Teixeira, but they have spoken about the need to get younger and more athletic. They could have an opening at second base, where prospects Rob Refsnyder and Jose Pirela might get a good look in the spring.

Cashman will chase contingency options at third base in the event A-Rod isn't ready for everyday duty. Martin Prado, already on the roster, is one choice. Replacements for hitting coach Kevin Long and first-base coach Mick Kelleher, both dismissed in October, are also on the agenda.

Yankees dismiss Long, Kelleher 00:01:34

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman discusses the team letting go of hitting coach Kevin Long and first-base coach Mick Kelleher

Potential targets
Pitching wasn't the Yankees' problem in 2014, but it would not be a surprise to see them pursue a big arm like Jon Lester, Max Scherzer or James Shields to upgrade the rotation. They spent big on bats (and Masahiro Tanaka) last winter, but missing the playoffs could motivate them to open the checkbooks once more.

The crop of free-agent shortstops includes Clint Barmes, Asdrubal Cabrera, Drew, Jed Lowrie and Hanley Ramirez; Korean star Jung-Ho Kang is also expected to be posted. If the Yankees were to pursue a trade, they could check in on the D-backs' Didi Gregorius, the Tigers' Jose Iglesias or the White Sox's Alexei Ramirez.

If the Yankees crave a bigger name (and can stomach a contract to match), you could dream on dealing for the Blue Jays' Jose Reyes or the Rockies' Troy Tulowitzki.

In the event that the Yankees are convinced that Beltran will be healthy enough to play right field and A-Rod can handle third base, free agent Victor Martinez has appeal as a DH and a part-time first baseman.

Duquette on '14-15 free agents 5:12

MLB.com's Jim Duquette starts off the Hot Stove season with a preview of the 2014-2015 MLB free-agent class

Trade assets
The Yankees have a wealth of catching behind starter Brian McCann. Francisco Cervelli is arbitration-eligible and out of options. John Ryan Murphy has seen big league time already, and slugging prospect Gary Sanchez was mentioned in trade rumors this past summer.

Outfielder Aaron Judge and infielder Greg Bird were among the top talent representing the club in the Arizona Fall League. Young pitching like Dellin Betances, Ian Clarkin, Shane Greene, David Phelps, Luis Severino and Adam Warren may also draw interest.

Bottom line
The Yankees are banking that their 84-win showing was an aberration and that improved health will permit them to improve on their 633 runs scored. Expect them to stir excitement with a few big splashes -- and incremental upgrades when possible in other areas.

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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Sabathia's PitCCh In Foundation fields NYC Marathon team

"This was definitely not something on my bucket list," Amber Sabathia said. "I have never run in my life. Even when I worked out, I would never get on the treadmill. I've totally transformed into something that I never thought I could be, which is amazing."

The Sabathias' PitCCh In Foundation is fielding a 15-member team for the marathon, raising funds for signature programs in the tri-state area that include youth backpacks and a holiday caravan. Former NFL star Tiki Barber and Alexis Stoudemire, the wife of Knicks standout Amar'e Stoudemire, are also on the roster.

The PitCCh In Foundation backed a five-runner team for last year's marathon, and while tracking their progress over the 26.2-mile course, Amber told foundation program director Candy Crary that she was feeling inspired to lace up her sneakers.

"I turned to Candy and said, 'I'm doing it next year,'" Amber recalled. "She said, 'No, Amber, you can't. This takes a lot of time.' I said, 'If they can run for our foundation and they're fundraising, then I'm going to do it, too.'"

The baseball family has lent its support. Amber's CrowdRise page has raised more than $70,000 in donations, with contributors including the families of Carlos Beltran, Prince Fielder, Joe Girardi, Cliff Lee, Brandon McCarthy and David Robertson.

"They're so tired of me sending them e-mails for support. They can't wait for it to be over," Amber said, with a laugh. "I've been getting so much support from the wives and the baseball world. There are so many players that have sent out and are supporting."

Amber said that her marathon preparations started 16 weeks ago, walking four miles on the first day of training. She could hardly walk the next day, an important lesson on the importance of recovery; CC has been able to help with some of his baseball gear, like an ice machine and compression pants.

"As athletes, they know what goes into it," Amber said. "Even eating -- I'm so hungry all the time. I didn't know that by running, you can be burning 2,500 calories. You've got to replenish, because that helps the recovery."

Training has been a common theme in the household; CC is recovering from right knee surgery with expectations of being ready for Spring Training, recently saying that he expects to pitch 200 innings in 2015. The offseason has allowed him to be available to help in other ways.

"He's very supportive," Amber said. "The next day after I do a long run, he'll always get the kids up and take them to school for me. I told him, 'Monday and Tuesday, I'm out. I'm not here, I'm not available after this marathon.'

"One question he did ask me, which was really funny, he said, 'You know, we would be in the World Series right now. Which one would be more important?' I said, after these 16 weeks of training, it would be the marathon."

Amber said that her goal on Sunday is to finish in under five hours, and she has been picking up bits and pieces of advice along the way -- removing her earbuds along Manhattan's First Avenue, for example, to absorb the roar of the crowd. She also plans to use landmarks to count down the miles to the finish line.

"I'm excited about the bridges, and being able to run on those to really get a push," Amber said. "I just looked at the map right now and counted the bridges, so in my mind once I get out of the Bronx after that fourth bridge, it's six miles. Mentally, I'll know that and be ready."

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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Judge to represent Yankees in Fall Stars Game

NEW YORK -- Power-hitting Yankees outfield prospect Aaron Judge has been selected to represent the East Division in the Arizona Fall League's Fall Stars Game, which can be seen at 8 p.m. ET on MLB Network and MLB.com on Nov. 1 at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Rosters are selected by scouting and farm directors from every Major League organization, in consultation with Arizona Fall League Director Steve Cobb and his baseball personnel staff. Each organization is offered the opportunity to be represented by at least one player.

Judge, 22, is ranked as Yankees' No. 5 prospect by MLB.com. He posted a split line of .250/.311/.475 in his first 10 Fall League games, spanning 40 at-bats, with three doubles, two home runs and nine RBIs. Judge worked four walks and struck out nine times.

The 32nd overall selection in the 2013 First-Year Player Draft, the 6-foot-7, 230-pound Judge split this past season with Class A Charleston and Tampa.

He batted .333 with nine home runs, 45 RBIs and a .958 OPS in 65 games at Charleston before being promoted to Tampa, where he batted .283 with eight home runs, 33 RBIs and an .853 OPS in 66 games.

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's farewell receives seven GIBBY nominations

"I couldn't believe what had happened," Jeter said then. "I've been a part of a lot of big moments in my career. I've been fortunate and lucky to be on the field, and that was just another one. I couldn't have thought of a better way for it to end in New York."

The Yankees' April 17 triple play on a ball hit by the Rays' Sean Rodriguez earned recognition as a candidate for the year's top Play: third baseman Yangervis Solarte to second baseman Brian Roberts to first baseman Scott Sizemore, with CC Sabathia pitching.

There are off-beat items included, like eccentric infielder Brendan Ryan catching raindrops in his mouth (Oddity) and an appearance by Jeter's nephew, Jalen, whose adorable cap tips highlighted this year's Cut4 topics.

Major League Baseball's A-listers will take home 2014 GIBBY trophies -- the ultimate honors of the industry's awards season -- based on votes by media, front-office personnel, MLB alumni, fans at MLB.com and the Society for American Baseball Research.

This year's GIBBY Awards feature nominees in 23 categories. Individual honors will go to the MLB MVP, in addition to the year's best Starting Pitcher, Hitter, Closer, Setup Man, Rookie, Breakout Hitter, Breakout Pitcher, Bounceback Player, Defensive Player, Manager, Executive and Postseason Performer.

GIBBY trophies also will be awarded for the year's top Play, Outfield Throw, Storyline, Hitting Performance, Pitching Performance, Oddity, Walk-Off, Cut4 Topic, Regular-Season Moment and Postseason Moment, with video available via MLB.com's Must C highlight reels.

Over the past several seasons, fans have cast millions of votes across the GIBBY categories -- none of which are restricted to individual league affiliation. That's how you know the GIBBYs consider the best of the best.

All 30 clubs are represented among the award candidates. In fact, every team will have multiple nominees to begin voting -- a testament to the parity of talent around the game.

Several categories -- Play, Oddity, Walk-Off and Cut4 Topic -- will each open balloting with at least one nominee per club. After a week, the four lists will be pared to 10 finalists per group by an expert panel.

Fans can vote as many times as they want through Nov. 21 at 11:59 p.m. ET by visiting mlb.com/gibbys, and winners will be announced live on the MLB Network and MLB.com on Dec. 6.

Tanaka and Betances are both mentioned as candidates for this year's top Rookie, and Betances is included in the Setup Man category.

"It's been a long, long journey for me coming up the Minor League system," Betances said, "and for me to have the year I've had this year, I'm definitely honored and thankful."

Jeter's farewell is listed among the year's best Storylines -- and three Moments focus on Jeter: the All-Star Game, the Sept. 7 date at Yankee Stadium in Jeter's honor and Jeter's last home game on Sept. 25.

Jeter's game-winning single off the Orioles' Evan Meek in his final home game draws a nomination as the best Walk-Off of the year. Jeter's final nomination is of the light-hearted variety, when he answered the ringing cell phone of Bergen Record columnist Tara Sullivan during a press conference.

"I'm ready for my career to be over with," Jeter said, "so I tried to have as much fun as I could."

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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Fall Bombers: Yankees' prospect trio powers up

• Box score

Judge and Bird wasted no time showing off their power Saturday. The pair hit back-to-back home runs off right-hander Matt Magill in the first inning to give the Scorpions a lead they would never relinquish.

After Judge pulled a homer over the left-field fence, Bird drove Magill's next pitch out to right-center field. Bird said Magill left a fastball up in the zone.

"I was looking for something over the plate," he said. "Just a fastball over the plate and I got one."

The Scorpions scored three more runs in the third inning. Bird drove in his second run of the game on a sacrifice fly and Austin followed with his homer, a two-run shot to left-center field off Magill.

Glendale got on the scoreboard in the first but couldn't keep pace as Scottsdale's offense continued to score in bunches. Center fielder Daniel Fields and first baseman Nick Basto each collected two hits and scored once to lead the Desert Dogs' offense. Third baseman Jason Esposito added two hits and an RBI.

The Scorpions built on their lead, adding four runs in the fifth and three more in the seventh when Mets No. 20 prospect Matt Reynolds homered.

Reynolds on his 2014 season 00:02:45

9/15/14: Mets' Sterling Award winner Matt Reynolds discusses his improvements in the 2014 season and his confidence increasing at the plate

The beneficiary of the offensive explosion was Pirates left-hander Joely Rodriguez. He struck out three and held Glendale to one run on three hits in four innings to win his third game this fall.

The Scorpions' offense was driven by the Yankees' trio. Judge, the designated hitter, finished the game 1-for-4 with a walk. Bird played first base and went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Austin went 2-for-5 with two RBIs and manned right field.

Bird played with both Judge and Austin during the regular season and said he's enjoying the opportunity to do so again.

"It's awesome to see them having success," he said. "We were getting good pitches to hit and putting good wood on them."

The home run was Bird's fifth in 15 games in the Arizona Fall League. He is hitting .349/.382/.651 and leads the circuit in homers, runs (14) and RBIs (14).

Bird said he has been able to carry his success from the regular season into the AFL.

"I finished the year off where I wanted to be and I've been able to continue that," he said. "It's been a lot of fun out here."

Bird on AFL expectations 00:02:37

Yankees 11th-ranked prospect Greg Bird talks about working on his defense and other expectations while playing in the Arizona Fall League

After missing April due to a back injury, Bird began the season with Class A Advanced Tampa and earned a late-season promotion to Double-A Trenton. In 102 games between Tampa and Trenton, the 21-year-old hit .271/.376/.472 with 14 home runs.

While Bird is excelling offensively, he said he has worked hard at his defense this year. He was a catcher in high school when the Yankees selected him in the fifth round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft, but he has since moved to first base.

Bird is still learning his new position. He said the good weather in Arizona and the developmental focus of the AFL has given him plenty of opportunity to practice his defense.

"That's been a major priority the whole year," Bird said. "I think I've made some major strides and I still have a lot of room left to grow."

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

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Inbox: Is Robertson in Yankees' plans for 2015?

What are the Yankees thinking with regards to David Robertson? Will they bring him back or are they leaning toward giving the closer's job to Dellin Betances?
-- Mark N., New York

The first step with Robertson will revolve around the decision of issuing him a qualifying offer, which is valued at $15.3 million this year. No player has accepted one to date, but a case can be made for Robertson becoming the first; it would nearly triple his $5.215 million salary from 2014 for just one more year of service in pinstripes.

This will be Robertson's first crack at free agency, and there is understandable temptation to see what the market may provide on a multiyear basis -- especially after the Yankees did not engage him about an extension at any point this year. Given how many clubs had closer issues this past season, Robertson should draw interest out there. For reference, only one closer has received a qualifying offer: Rafael Soriano, who got one from the Yankees and instead signed a two-year, $28 million deal with the Nationals before the 2013 season.

Robertson, 29, converted 39 of 44 save opportunities in his first year as a full-time closer, posting a 3.08 ERA and 13.4 strikeouts per nine innings. In taking over Mariano Rivera's old job, general manager Brian Cashman recently said that Robertson "graduated with honors -- he mastered that and he is a bona fide closer without question," while acknowledging that the ninth inning is always a greater challenge than setup work.

Betances offers a fail-safe in the event that Robertson should exit, much the way that Rivera was thrust into the closer's role after John Wetteland left the Yankees as a free agent after the 1996 season. Given that the bullpen was a season-long strength, the Yankees' preference would likely be to keep Robertson for one more year in the closer's role and allow Betances more time to develop and flourish.

Do you think the departure of hitting coach Kevin Long is going to help or hurt the offense, especially guys like Carlos Beltran and Brian McCann?
-- Chad R., Nampa, Idaho

It was not a huge surprise that the Yankees decided to make changes on the coaching staff after missing the playoffs for the second consecutive season. Long took the fall because the team ranked 13th in the American League in runs scored (and 10th the year before). That dictated that a change of some sort was inevitable.

Whatever the issue was, it cannot be traced to Long's work ethic and preparation, both of which were judged to be exemplary by the organization. The fact that Long was snapped up so quickly by the Mets speaks to his reputation around the game. Still, a new voice and approach may create the difference that the Yankees are looking for -- though in the case of Beltran, better health should be the biggest factor.

Outside of a few weeks in April, Beltran was never able to be the player that the Yankees expected; the bone spur was an obvious issue, and that tumble over the right-field wall on April 17 at Tropicana Field may have had more of a cumulative effect than anyone let on. As for McCann, if the Yankees can get a full year that is more like what he produced from July 1 on (14 homers, .749 OPS), the back of his baseball card would look a lot more respectable.

Beltran takes a tumble 00:01:15

4/17/14: Carlos Beltran takes a nasty tumble over the wall down the right-field line trying to track down Desmond Jennings' foul popup

If they re-sign Brandon McCarthy, do the Yanks still need to sign another pitcher?
-- Steve P., Burlington, Vt.

Not necessarily. McCarthy would be a solid fit for the middle of a Yankees rotation that has injury-related question marks in CC Sabathia, Masahiro Tanaka and Ivan Nova, plus the possible retirement of Hiroki Kuroda. It's likely that the Yankees will flirt with the market for big-name talent like Max Scherzer, Jon Lester and James Shields, but the urgency to land a huge fish would be reduced by bringing back McCarthy at a more reasonable price.

Tanaka and Michael Pineda could be a dominant 1-2 punch at the top, even with the danger of losing one or both to the disabled list. The Yankees had four of their five Opening Day starters on the shelf this past year, and even though most people say you can't prepare for that kind of impact, Cashman's staff did a remarkable job patching the ship. They'll also have depth options like Shane Greene and David Phelps on board.

Should the Yankees consider using a six-man rotation to help the health issues that come later in the season?
-- Greg G., White City, Fla.

This was a topic that pitching coach Larry Rothschild floated in August, looking at the possibility on a limited basis in September to accommodate Tanaka's return, and it's something that organizations will talk about given the rash of pitching injuries -- particularly Tommy John surgeries -- that have plagued the game in recent years. It would cut the bullpen short and force some extra creativity, but we've already seen teams move the norm from four starters to five. This could be an inevitable next step.

Will the Yankees try to re-sign Ichiro Suzuki and see him to 3,000 hits?
-- Brink M., Alpharetta, Ga.

Ichiro is 156 hits shy of 3,000 in the Majors and intends to keep playing, but it's doubtful that he will be back in the Bronx. He is looking for at-bats that the Yankees don't figure to be able to provide, not after he started 2014 as a fifth outfielder without a clear role. And Ichiro's cryptic comments after the season's final game hinted he might be ready for a change of scenery:

"Obviously, a lot of things go on that the fans and the media don't see, but what I can say is that the experiences I've had this year will help me in the future," Ichiro said on Sept. 28. "It will be somewhat of a support for me because of the experiences I had this year. It will help me in the future."

Though his skills have been in decline from his All-Star days and there's a solid argument that the Yankees played him too much out of necessity in 2014, it's easy to picture Ichiro bouncing back in a complementary role elsewhere -- especially for a National League club, where he could come off the bench to pinch-run, pinch-hit and play the outfield in the late innings.

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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Judge to represent Yankees in Fall Stars Game

NEW YORK -- Power-hitting Yankees outfield prospect Aaron Judge has been selected to represent the East Division in the Arizona Fall League's Fall Stars Game, which can be seen at 8 p.m. ET on MLB Network and MLB.com on Nov. 1 at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Rosters are selected by scouting and farm directors from every Major League organization, in consultation with Arizona Fall League Director Steve Cobb and his baseball personnel staff. Each organization is offered the opportunity to be represented by at least one player.

Judge, 22, is ranked as Yankees' No. 5 prospect by MLB.com. He posted a split line of .250/.311/.475 in his first 10 Fall League games, spanning 40 at-bats, with three doubles, two home runs and nine RBIs. Judge worked four walks and struck out nine times.

The 32nd overall selection in the 2013 First-Year Player Draft, the 6-foot-7, 230-pound Judge split this past season with Class A Charleston and Tampa.

He batted .333 with nine home runs, 45 RBIs and a .958 OPS in 65 games at Charleston before being promoted to Tampa, where he batted .283 with eight home runs, 33 RBIs and an .853 OPS in 66 games.

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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Fall Bombers: Yankees' prospect trio powers up

• Box score

Judge and Bird wasted no time showing off their power Saturday. The pair hit back-to-back home runs off right-hander Matt Magill in the first inning to give the Scorpions a lead they would never relinquish.

After Judge pulled a homer over the left-field fence, Bird drove Magill's next pitch out to right-center field. Bird said Magill left a fastball up in the zone.

"I was looking for something over the plate," he said. "Just a fastball over the plate and I got one."

The Scorpions scored three more runs in the third inning. Bird drove in his second run of the game on a sacrifice fly and Austin followed with his homer, a two-run shot to left-center field off Magill.

Glendale got on the scoreboard in the first but couldn't keep pace as Scottsdale's offense continued to score in bunches. Center fielder Daniel Fields and first baseman Nick Basto each collected two hits and scored once to lead the Desert Dogs' offense. Third baseman Jason Esposito added two hits and an RBI.

The Scorpions built on their lead, adding four runs in the fifth and three more in the seventh when Mets No. 20 prospect Matt Reynolds homered.

Reynolds on his 2014 season 00:02:45

9/15/14: Mets' Sterling Award winner Matt Reynolds discusses his improvements in the 2014 season and his confidence increasing at the plate

The beneficiary of the offensive explosion was Pirates left-hander Joely Rodriguez. He struck out three and held Glendale to one run on three hits in four innings to win his third game this fall.

The Scorpions' offense was driven by the Yankees' trio. Judge, the designated hitter, finished the game 1-for-4 with a walk. Bird played first base and went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Austin went 2-for-5 with two RBIs and manned right field.

Bird played with both Judge and Austin during the regular season and said he's enjoying the opportunity to do so again.

"It's awesome to see them having success," he said. "We were getting good pitches to hit and putting good wood on them."

The home run was Bird's fifth in 15 games in the Arizona Fall League. He is hitting .349/.382/.651 and leads the circuit in homers, runs (14) and RBIs (14).

Bird said he has been able to carry his success from the regular season into the AFL.

"I finished the year off where I wanted to be and I've been able to continue that," he said. "It's been a lot of fun out here."

Bird on AFL expectations 00:02:37

Yankees 11th-ranked prospect Greg Bird talks about working on his defense and other expectations while playing in the Arizona Fall League

After missing April due to a back injury, Bird began the season with Class A Advanced Tampa and earned a late-season promotion to Double-A Trenton. In 102 games between Tampa and Trenton, the 21-year-old hit .271/.376/.472 with 14 home runs.

While Bird is excelling offensively, he said he has worked hard at his defense this year. He was a catcher in high school when the Yankees selected him in the fifth round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft, but he has since moved to first base.

Bird is still learning his new position. He said the good weather in Arizona and the developmental focus of the AFL has given him plenty of opportunity to practice his defense.

"That's been a major priority the whole year," Bird said. "I think I've made some major strides and I still have a lot of room left to grow."

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

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Inbox: Is Robertson in Yankees' plans for 2015?

What are the Yankees thinking with regards to David Robertson? Will they bring him back or are they leaning toward giving the closer's job to Dellin Betances?
-- Mark N., New York

The first step with Robertson will revolve around the decision of issuing him a qualifying offer, which is valued at $15.3 million this year. No player has accepted one to date, but a case can be made for Robertson becoming the first; it would nearly triple his $5.215 million salary from 2014 for just one more year of service in pinstripes.

This will be Robertson's first crack at free agency, and there is understandable temptation to see what the market may provide on a multiyear basis -- especially after the Yankees did not engage him about an extension at any point this year. Given how many clubs had closer issues this past season, Robertson should draw interest out there. For reference, only one closer has received a qualifying offer: Rafael Soriano, who got one from the Yankees and instead signed a two-year, $28 million deal with the Nationals before the 2013 season.

Robertson nails down save 00:00:34

9/26/14: David Robertson gets Garin Cecchini to fly out to left, ending the game and preserving the Yankees' 3-2 victory for his 39th save

Robertson, 29, converted 39 of 44 save opportunities in his first year as a full-time closer, posting a 3.08 ERA and 13.4 strikeouts per nine innings. In taking over Mariano Rivera's old job, general manager Brian Cashman recently said that Robertson "graduated with honors -- he mastered that and he is a bona fide closer without question," while acknowledging that the ninth inning is always a greater challenge than setup work.

Betances offers a fail-safe in the event that Robertson should exit, much the way that Rivera was thrust into the closer's role after John Wetteland left the Yankees as a free agent after the 1996 season. Given that the bullpen was a season-long strength, the Yankees' preference would likely be to keep Robertson for one more year in the closer's role and allow Betances more time to develop and flourish.

Do you think the departure of hitting coach Kevin Long is going to help or hurt the offense, especially guys like Carlos Beltran and Brian McCann?
-- Chad R., Nampa, Idaho

It was not a huge surprise that the Yankees decided to make changes on the coaching staff after missing the playoffs for the second consecutive season. Long took the fall because the team ranked 13th in the American League in runs scored (and 10th the year before). That dictated that a change of some sort was inevitable.

Whatever the issue was, it cannot be traced to Long's work ethic and preparation, both of which were judged to be exemplary by the organization. The fact that Long was snapped up so quickly by the Mets speaks to his reputation around the game. Still, a new voice and approach may create the difference that the Yankees are looking for -- though in the case of Beltran, better health should be the biggest factor.

Outside of a few weeks in April, Beltran was never able to be the player that the Yankees expected; the bone spur was an obvious issue, and that tumble over the right-field wall on April 17 at Tropicana Field may have had more of a cumulative effect than anyone let on. As for McCann, if the Yankees can get a full year that is more like what he produced from July 1 on (14 homers, .749 OPS), the back of his baseball card would look a lot more respectable.

Beltran takes a tumble 00:01:15

4/17/14: Carlos Beltran takes a nasty tumble over the wall down the right-field line trying to track down Desmond Jennings' foul popup

If they re-sign Brandon McCarthy, do the Yanks still need to sign another pitcher?
-- Steve P., Burlington, Vt.

Not necessarily. McCarthy would be a solid fit for the middle of a Yankees rotation that has injury-related question marks in CC Sabathia, Masahiro Tanaka and Ivan Nova, plus the possible retirement of Hiroki Kuroda. It's likely that the Yankees will flirt with the market for big-name talent like Max Scherzer, Jon Lester and James Shields, but the urgency to land a huge fish would be reduced by bringing back McCarthy at a more reasonable price.

Tanaka and Michael Pineda could be a dominant 1-2 punch at the top, even with the danger of losing one or both to the disabled list. The Yankees had four of their five Opening Day starters on the shelf this past year, and even though most people say you can't prepare for that kind of impact, Cashman's staff did a remarkable job patching the ship. They'll also have depth options like Shane Greene and David Phelps on board.

Should the Yankees consider using a six-man rotation to help the health issues that come later in the season?
-- Greg G., White City, Fla.

This was a topic that pitching coach Larry Rothschild floated in August, looking at the possibility on a limited basis in September to accommodate Tanaka's return, and it's something that organizations will talk about given the rash of pitching injuries -- particularly Tommy John surgeries -- that have plagued the game in recent years. It would cut the bullpen short and force some extra creativity, but we've already seen teams move the norm from four starters to five. This could be an inevitable next step.

Will the Yankees try to re-sign Ichiro Suzuki and see him to 3,000 hits?
-- Brink M., Alpharetta, Ga.

Ichiro is 156 hits shy of 3,000 in the Majors and intends to keep playing, but it's doubtful that he will be back in the Bronx. He is looking for at-bats that the Yankees don't figure to be able to provide, not after he started 2014 as a fifth outfielder without a clear role. And Ichiro's cryptic comments after the season's final game hinted he might be ready for a change of scenery:

"Obviously, a lot of things go on that the fans and the media don't see, but what I can say is that the experiences I've had this year will help me in the future," Ichiro said on Sept. 28. "It will be somewhat of a support for me because of the experiences I had this year. It will help me in the future."

Though his skills have been in decline from his All-Star days and there's a solid argument that the Yankees played him too much out of necessity in 2014, it's easy to picture Ichiro bouncing back in a complementary role elsewhere -- especially for a National League club, where he could come off the bench to pinch-run, pinch-hit and play the outfield in the late innings.

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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Judge to represent Yankees in Fall Stars Game

NEW YORK -- Power-hitting Yankees outfield prospect Aaron Judge has been selected to represent the East Division in the Arizona Fall League's Fall Stars Game, which can be seen at 8 p.m. ET on MLB Network and MLB.com on Nov. 1 at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Rosters are selected by scouting and farm directors from every Major League organization, in consultation with Arizona Fall League Director Steve Cobb and his baseball personnel staff. Each organization is offered the opportunity to be represented by at least one player.

Judge, 22, is ranked as Yankees' No. 5 prospect by MLB.com. He posted a split line of .250/.311/.475 in his first 10 Fall League games, spanning 40 at-bats, with three doubles, two home runs and nine RBIs. Judge worked four walks and struck out nine times.

The 32nd overall selection in the 2013 First-Year Player Draft, the 6-foot-7, 230-pound Judge split this past season with Class A Charleston and Tampa.

He batted .333 with nine home runs, 45 RBIs and a .958 OPS in 65 games at Charleston before being promoted to Tampa, where he batted .283 with eight home runs, 33 RBIs and an .853 OPS in 66 games.

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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Flying high in AFL, Bird named Player of the Week

Bird is an up-and-coming first baseman who might be next in line to take over after Mark Teixeira leaves in a few years. He divided his time between Class A Advanced Tampa and Double-A Trenton in 2014 and had a solid season.

"The way we do things is second to none. It is an honor to represent them," Bird said on Monday after learning that he had been selected as the Arizona Fall League's Player of the Week, representing the Scottsdale Scorpions. "I don't think people on the outside understand what it is like. It is something special.

"To put on the uniform -- just to wear it, just to be a part of it -- is amazing, being in the same clubhouse [in Tampa, the Yankees' spring home] where all of the older players have been is a great place to be."

The left-handed-hitting 21-year-old, ranked 11th in the Yankees' system by MLB.com, had quite a week leading up to the honor.

In four games, he hit .353, had a .421 on-base percentage, a .706 slugging percentage, a 1.130 OPS, two home runs, five RBIs, a pair of walks and three runs scored.

Entering this week's play, he was hitting .368 overall and was tied for the league lead in home runs (three), RBIs (10) and extra-base hits (six), and he was second in slugging percentage (.684) and hits (14).

Other Fall League Player of the Week nominees were Mesa Solar Sox outfielder Boog Powell (A's), Salt River Rafters infielder Rio Ruiz (Astros), Glendale Desert Dogs outfielder Scott Schebler (Dodgers) and Surprise Saguaros outfielder Nick Williams (Rangers).

Bird once was a catcher who switched to first, which he had played at various points.

He was born in Aurora, Colo., spent most of his first 10 years in Memphis before returning to Colorado. He was selected out of high school by the Yankees in the fifth round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft.

Bird has been pleased with his progress through the Yankees' system. He knew coming into the Fall League that it would be an upgrade from what he had been used to, even in Double-A.

"The talent level here is phenomenal," Bird said. "The guys are older [than I am], there is more consistency and everybody makes more plays. I knew a lot of the guys [from the Yankees' system], so it has been a smooth transition."

Bird plays two or three games at first each week and serves as the DH on other occasions.

"I want to make sure that I am prepared in whatever I'm going to be doing," he said. "[The Yankees] want you to be prepared every day, week-in, week-out, every day. That was a focus this year. They devoted the resources, used video. And their [coaching] staff really helped us."

Bird characterizes himself as a patient hitter, starting with walks. He has averaged 64 walks a season over his four Minor League campaigns, and had a career-high 107 with Class A Charleston in 2013.

"I've always tried to take a patient approach. I'd say I'm a gap-to-gap hitter, but I take what they give me. I haven't hit a lot of home runs [36 total], but I do have power," said the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Bird.

After the Fall League wraps up in mid-November, Bird said he will take a bit of time off, spending some time at Thanksgiving in San Antonio with his sister, who just gave birth to twins, and enjoying the Christmas holidays with his parents in Denver before returning to Tampa, where he makes his home.

The organization has not told Bird what it has in mind for him in 2015 -- what he does in the spring likely will have an impact -- but wherever he lands, he will have that Yankees feeling.

Don Ketchum is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Sabathia nearly '100 percent,' ready to anchor rotation

NEW YORK -- Three months removed from season-ending right knee surgery, Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia said on Tuesday that he feels "pretty much back to 100 percent" and expects to be ready for a full workload of 32 starts and 200 innings in 2015.

"My only goal is to stay healthy and get back to that -- eating up innings and being able to start every fifth day," Sabathia told reporters at a book signing in midtown Manhattan.

The 34-year-old Sabathia was at a Barnes & Noble on Tuesday afternoon promoting "CC Claus: A Baseball Christmas Story," which he co-authored with Yankees advisor Ray Negron.

Sabathia started throwing off flat ground in late September and has been working out at Yankee Stadium twice a week. He said that he plans to report to Spring Training early, ahead of the Feb. 20 official report date for pitchers and catchers.

After having an arthroscopic debridement of his knee performed in late July, Sabathia feels ready to again help lead the Yankees' rotation. He was limited to just eight starts this past season, going 3-4 with a 5.28 ERA. He did not pitch in the Majors after May 10.

"It's definitely a huge relief," Sabathia said. "I feel good enough to do all my workouts, to play catch and kind of have a normal offseason."

The Yankees have question marks in their rotation looking ahead to next season. Sabathia is coming back from injury, Masahiro Tanaka was able to make just two starts after sustaining a torn ulnar collateral ligament, Ivan Nova is not expected to be ready to return from Tommy John surgery until at least May and Hiroki Kuroda may retire.

Brandon McCarthy and Chris Capuano are among the players eligible for free agency.

"I think the rotation is going to be fine," Sabathia said. "I think they pitched great this year, [and] four of us went [on the disabled list]."

Sabathia said that he has not spoken recently with Alex Rodriguez, who will be reinstated from his season-long suspension after the World Series, but Sabathia said that he believes Rodriguez will be able to help the Yankees' lineup.

"He's a great player. He's had a year off, but he's been working and hopefully he's had some time to get healthy," Sabathia said. "Obviously, he's not going to be the A-Rod of winning MVPs, but he can come in and contribute."

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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Yanks' Austin starts late rally in Fall League win

Box score

The late rally proved to be enough and Scottsdale held on for a 7-6 victory, its second against Glendale in as many days.

Tyler Austin started the Scorpions rally with a leadoff single in the eighth. The inning snowballed from there and Scottsdale batted around and scored four runs on four hits, a walk and two errors. The second error, on catcher Michael Ohlman, allowed Dante Bichette Jr. to score the go-ahead run from first base on Kelby Tomlinson's double.

Austin said even after the Scorpions fell behind early in the game, they were confident in their ability to mount a comeback.

"Nobody on the team felt like we were going to lose the game, honestly," Austin said. "We got down early and fought back made it a good game. It was a quality win."

Austin, the Yankees' No. 15 prospect, finished the day 2-for-5 with a double, a run and two RBIs. His ninth-inning double was his second extra-base hit in nine games this fall.

Austin played for Double-A Trenton during the regular season. He hit .275/.336/.419 with nine home runs in 105 games.

With Scottsdale, Austin is hitting .278/.366/.361. He said he is still making adjustments at the plate.

"It's still a process and there's still things I'm working on," Austin said. "But I feel pretty good. Just got to keep my head up and keep improving."

Tomlinson was the only other Scorpion to record two hits Tuesday. The second baseman went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a stolen base. Bichette, Austin's teammate in the Yankees' organization, added a hit and two runs.

Glendale took the lead with four runs in the second off Scottsdale starter Adam Morgan. Garabez Rosa and Nick Ramirez hit back-to-back home runs in the inning and Brewers top prospect Tyron Taylor added an RBI single. The Desert Dogs built on their lead with two more runs in the fifth.

Rosa finished the game 2-for-4 with a run and two RBIs. Shortstop Corey Seager, the Dodgers' top prospect, added two hits.

Given the early lead, Montas and Bridwell did their best to make it stand up. Montas, the White Sox No. 3 prospect, struck out three batters, walked two and allowed one run in four innings. Bridwell, the Orioles' No. 12 prospect , struck out two, walked three and also allowed one run -- his first in four games this fall - in two innings.

Austin said Montas and Bridwell did a good job keeping hitters off balance, but the Scorpions stayed confident at the plate.

"They're a couple of good pitchers hitting their spots and throwing everything for strikes," Austin said. "But we didn't give up. We kept battling and we came out on top."

This year is Austin's second trip to the AFL. His time in the league was cut short last year by wrist discomfort and he was replaced on the roster early in the fall after playing in four games.

In Austin's return to the desert this year, he is working to improve his defense in both corner outfield positions. He has mostly played right field in his career and is now learning left field, where he said he is making progress.

Mostly, however, Austin wants to win some games.

"I just want to help this team win and maybe bring home an AFL championship," he said. "You never know. But there's nothing better than winning."

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

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Flying high in AFL, Bird named Player of the Week

Bird is an up-and-coming first baseman who might be next in line to take over after Mark Teixeira leaves in a few years. He divided his time between Class A Advanced Tampa and Double-A Trenton in 2014 and had a solid season.

"The way we do things is second to none. It is an honor to represent them," Bird said on Monday after learning that he had been selected as the Arizona Fall League's Player of the Week, representing the Scottsdale Scorpions. "I don't think people on the outside understand what it is like. It is something special.

"To put on the uniform -- just to wear it, just to be a part of it -- is amazing, being in the same clubhouse [in Tampa, the Yankees' spring home] where all of the older players have been is a great place to be."

The left-handed-hitting 21-year-old, ranked 11th in the Yankees' system by MLB.com, had quite a week leading up to the honor.

In four games, he hit .353, had a .421 on-base percentage, a .706 slugging percentage, a 1.130 OPS, two home runs, five RBIs, a pair of walks and three runs scored.

Entering this week's play, he was hitting .368 overall and was tied for the league lead in home runs (three), RBIs (10) and extra-base hits (six), and he was second in slugging percentage (.684) and hits (14).

Other Fall League Player of the Week nominees were Mesa Solar Sox outfielder Boog Powell (A's), Salt River Rafters infielder Rio Ruiz (Astros), Glendale Desert Dogs outfielder Scott Schebler (Dodgers) and Surprise Saguaros outfielder Nick Williams (Rangers).

Bird once was a catcher who switched to first, which he had played at various points.

He was born in Aurora, Colo., spent most of his first 10 years in Memphis before returning to Colorado. He was selected out of high school by the Yankees in the fifth round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft.

Bird has been pleased with his progress through the Yankees' system. He knew coming into the Fall League that it would be an upgrade from what he had been used to, even in Double-A.

"The talent level here is phenomenal," Bird said. "The guys are older [than I am], there is more consistency and everybody makes more plays. I knew a lot of the guys [from the Yankees' system], so it has been a smooth transition."

Bird plays two or three games at first each week and serves as the DH on other occasions.

"I want to make sure that I am prepared in whatever I'm going to be doing," he said. "[The Yankees] want you to be prepared every day, week-in, week-out, every day. That was a focus this year. They devoted the resources, used video. And their [coaching] staff really helped us."

Bird characterizes himself as a patient hitter, starting with walks. He has averaged 64 walks a season over his four Minor League campaigns, and had a career-high 107 with Class A Charleston in 2013.

"I've always tried to take a patient approach. I'd say I'm a gap-to-gap hitter, but I take what they give me. I haven't hit a lot of home runs [36 total], but I do have power," said the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Bird.

After the Fall League wraps up in mid-November, Bird said he will take a bit of time off, spending some time at Thanksgiving in San Antonio with his sister, who just gave birth to twins, and enjoying the Christmas holidays with his parents in Denver before returning to Tampa, where he makes his home.

The organization has not told Bird what it has in mind for him in 2015 -- what he does in the spring likely will have an impact -- but wherever he lands, he will have that Yankees feeling.

Don Ketchum is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Sabathia nearly '100 percent,' ready to anchor rotation

NEW YORK -- Three months removed from season-ending right knee surgery, Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia said on Tuesday that he feels "pretty much back to 100 percent" and expects to be ready for a full workload of 32 starts and 200 innings in 2015.

"My only goal is to stay healthy and get back to that -- eating up innings and being able to start every fifth day," Sabathia told reporters at a book signing in midtown Manhattan.

The 34-year-old Sabathia was at a Barnes & Noble on Tuesday afternoon promoting "CC Claus: A Baseball Christmas Story," which he co-authored with Yankees advisor Ray Negron.

Sabathia started throwing off flat ground in late September and has been working out at Yankee Stadium twice a week. He said that he plans to report to Spring Training early, ahead of the Feb. 20 official report date for pitchers and catchers.

After having an arthroscopic debridement of his knee performed in late July, Sabathia feels ready to again help lead the Yankees' rotation. He was limited to just eight starts this past season, going 3-4 with a 5.28 ERA. He did not pitch in the Majors after May 10.

"It's definitely a huge relief," Sabathia said. "I feel good enough to do all my workouts, to play catch and kind of have a normal offseason."

The Yankees have question marks in their rotation looking ahead to next season. Sabathia is coming back from injury, Masahiro Tanaka was able to make just two starts after sustaining a torn ulnar collateral ligament, Ivan Nova is not expected to be ready to return from Tommy John surgery until at least May and Hiroki Kuroda may retire.

Brandon McCarthy and Chris Capuano are among the players eligible for free agency.

"I think the rotation is going to be fine," Sabathia said. "I think they pitched great this year, [and] four of us went [on the disabled list]."

Sabathia said that he has not spoken recently with Alex Rodriguez, who will be reinstated from his season-long suspension after the World Series, but Sabathia said that he believes Rodriguez will be able to help the Yankees' lineup.

"He's a great player. He's had a year off, but he's been working and hopefully he's had some time to get healthy," Sabathia said. "Obviously, he's not going to be the A-Rod of winning MVPs, but he can come in and contribute."

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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Yanks' Austin starts late rally in Fall League win

Box score

The late rally proved to be enough and Scottsdale held on for a 7-6 victory, its second against Glendale in as many days.

Tyler Austin started the Scorpions rally with a leadoff single in the eighth. The inning snowballed from there and Scottsdale batted around and scored four runs on four hits, a walk and two errors. The second error, on catcher Michael Ohlman, allowed Dante Bichette Jr. to score the go-ahead run from first base on Kelby Tomlinson's double.

Austin said even after the Scorpions fell behind early in the game, they were confident in their ability to mount a comeback.

"Nobody on the team felt like we were going to lose the game, honestly," Austin said. "We got down early and fought back made it a good game. It was a quality win."

Austin, the Yankees' No. 15 prospect, finished the day 2-for-5 with a double, a run and two RBIs. His ninth-inning double was his second extra-base hit in nine games this fall.

Austin played for Double-A Trenton during the regular season. He hit .275/.336/.419 with nine home runs in 105 games.

With Scottsdale, Austin is hitting .278/.366/.361. He said he is still making adjustments at the plate.

"It's still a process and there's still things I'm working on," Austin said. "But I feel pretty good. Just got to keep my head up and keep improving."

Tomlinson was the only other Scorpion to record two hits Tuesday. The second baseman went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a stolen base. Bichette, Austin's teammate in the Yankees' organization, added a hit and two runs.

Glendale took the lead with four runs in the second off Scottsdale starter Adam Morgan. Garabez Rosa and Nick Ramirez hit back-to-back home runs in the inning and Brewers top prospect Tyron Taylor added an RBI single. The Desert Dogs built on their lead with two more runs in the fifth.

Rosa finished the game 2-for-4 with a run and two RBIs. Shortstop Corey Seager, the Dodgers' top prospect, added two hits.

Given the early lead, Montas and Bridwell did their best to make it stand up. Montas, the White Sox No. 3 prospect, struck out three batters, walked two and allowed one run in four innings. Bridwell, the Orioles' No. 12 prospect , struck out two, walked three and also allowed one run -- his first in four games this fall - in two innings.

Austin said Montas and Bridwell did a good job keeping hitters off balance, but the Scorpions stayed confident at the plate.

"They're a couple of good pitchers hitting their spots and throwing everything for strikes," Austin said. "But we didn't give up. We kept battling and we came out on top."

This year is Austin's second trip to the AFL. His time in the league was cut short last year by wrist discomfort and he was replaced on the roster early in the fall after playing in four games.

In Austin's return to the desert this year, he is working to improve his defense in both corner outfield positions. He has mostly played right field in his career and is now learning left field, where he said he is making progress.

Mostly, however, Austin wants to win some games.

"I just want to help this team win and maybe bring home an AFL championship," he said. "You never know. But there's nothing better than winning."

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

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Sabathia nearly '100 percent,' ready to anchor rotation

NEW YORK -- Three months removed from season-ending right knee surgery, Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia said on Tuesday that he feels "pretty much back to 100 percent" and expects to be ready for a full workload of 32 starts and 200 innings in 2015.

"My only goal is to stay healthy and get back to that -- eating up innings and being able to start every fifth day," Sabathia told reporters at a book signing in midtown Manhattan.

The 34-year-old Sabathia was at a Barnes & Noble on Tuesday afternoon promoting "CC Claus: A Baseball Christmas Story," which he co-authored with Yankees advisor Ray Negron.

Sabathia started throwing off flat ground in late September and has been working out at Yankee Stadium twice a week. He said that he plans to report to Spring Training early, ahead of the Feb. 20 official report date for pitchers and catchers.

After having an arthroscopic debridement of his knee performed in late July, Sabathia feels ready to again help lead the Yankees' rotation. He was limited to just eight starts this past season, going 3-4 with a 5.28 ERA. He did not pitch in the Majors after May 10.

"It's definitely a huge relief," Sabathia said. "I feel good enough to do all my workouts, to play catch and kind of have a normal offseason."

The Yankees have question marks in their rotation looking ahead to next season. Sabathia is coming back from injury, Masahiro Tanaka was able to make just two starts after sustaining a torn ulnar collateral ligament, Ivan Nova is not expected to be ready to return from Tommy John surgery until at least May and Hiroki Kuroda may retire.

Brandon McCarthy and Chris Capuano are among the players eligible for free agency.

"I think the rotation is going to be fine," Sabathia said. "I think they pitched great this year, [and] four of us went [on the disabled list]."

Sabathia said that he has not spoken recently with Alex Rodriguez, who will be reinstated from his season-long suspension after the World Series, but Sabathia said that he believes Rodriguez will be able to help the Yankees' lineup.

"He's a great player. He's had a year off, but he's been working and hopefully he's had some time to get healthy," Sabathia said. "Obviously, he's not going to be the A-Rod of winning MVPs, but he can come in and contribute."

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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Flying high in AFL, Bird named Player of the Week

Bird is an up-and-coming first baseman who might be next in line to take over after Mark Teixeira leaves in a few years. He divided his time between Class A Advanced Tampa and Double-A Trenton in 2014 and had a solid season.

"The way we do things is second to none. It is an honor to represent them," Bird said on Monday after learning that he had been selected as the Arizona Fall League's Player of the Week, representing the Scottsdale Scorpions. "I don't think people on the outside understand what it is like. It is something special.

"To put on the uniform -- just to wear it, just to be a part of it -- is amazing, being in the same clubhouse [in Tampa, the Yankees' spring home] where all of the older players have been is a great place to be."

The left-handed-hitting 21-year-old, ranked 11th in the Yankees' system by MLB.com, had quite a week leading up to the honor.

In four games, he hit .353, had a .421 on-base percentage, a .706 slugging percentage, a 1.130 OPS, two home runs, five RBIs, a pair of walks and three runs scored.

Entering this week's play, he was hitting .368 overall and was tied for the league lead in home runs (three), RBIs (10) and extra-base hits (six), and he was second in slugging percentage (.684) and hits (14).

Other Fall League Player of the Week nominees were Mesa Solar Sox outfielder Boog Powell (A's), Salt River Rafters infielder Rio Ruiz (Astros), Glendale Desert Dogs outfielder Scott Schebler (Dodgers) and Surprise Saguaros outfielder Nick Williams (Rangers).

Bird once was a catcher who switched to first, which he had played at various points.

He was born in Aurora, Colo., spent most of his first 10 years in Memphis before returning to Colorado. He was selected out of high school by the Yankees in the fifth round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft.

Bird has been pleased with his progress through the Yankees' system. He knew coming into the Fall League that it would be an upgrade from what he had been used to, even in Double-A.

"The talent level here is phenomenal," Bird said. "The guys are older [than I am], there is more consistency and everybody makes more plays. I knew a lot of the guys [from the Yankees' system], so it has been a smooth transition."

Bird plays two or three games at first each week and serves as the DH on other occasions.

"I want to make sure that I am prepared in whatever I'm going to be doing," he said. "[The Yankees] want you to be prepared every day, week-in, week-out, every day. That was a focus this year. They devoted the resources, used video. And their [coaching] staff really helped us."

Bird characterizes himself as a patient hitter, starting with walks. He has averaged 64 walks a season over his four Minor League campaigns, and had a career-high 107 with Class A Charleston in 2013.

"I've always tried to take a patient approach. I'd say I'm a gap-to-gap hitter, but I take what they give me. I haven't hit a lot of home runs [36 total], but I do have power," said the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Bird.

After the Fall League wraps up in mid-November, Bird said he will take a bit of time off, spending some time at Thanksgiving in San Antonio with his sister, who just gave birth to twins, and enjoying the Christmas holidays with his parents in Denver before returning to Tampa, where he makes his home.

The organization has not told Bird what it has in mind for him in 2015 -- what he does in the spring likely will have an impact -- but wherever he lands, he will have that Yankees feeling.

Don Ketchum is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Yanks' Austin starts late rally in Fall League win

Box score

The late rally proved to be enough and Scottsdale held on for a 7-6 victory, its second against Glendale in as many days.

Tyler Austin started the Scorpions rally with a leadoff single in the eighth. The inning snowballed from there and Scottsdale batted around and scored four runs on four hits, a walk and two errors. The second error, on catcher Michael Ohlman, allowed Dante Bichette Jr. to score the go-ahead run from first base on Kelby Tomlinson's double.

Austin said even after the Scorpions fell behind early in the game, they were confident in their ability to mount a comeback.

"Nobody on the team felt like we were going to lose the game, honestly," Austin said. "We got down early and fought back made it a good game. It was a quality win."

Austin, the Yankees' No. 15 prospect, finished the day 2-for-5 with a double, a run and two RBIs. His ninth-inning double was his second extra-base hit in nine games this fall.

Austin played for Double-A Trenton during the regular season. He hit .275/.336/.419 with nine home runs in 105 games.

With Scottsdale, Austin is hitting .278/.366/.361. He said he is still making adjustments at the plate.

"It's still a process and there's still things I'm working on," Austin said. "But I feel pretty good. Just got to keep my head up and keep improving."

Tomlinson was the only other Scorpion to record two hits Tuesday. The second baseman went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a stolen base. Bichette, Austin's teammate in the Yankees' organization, added a hit and two runs.

Glendale took the lead with four runs in the second off Scottsdale starter Adam Morgan. Garabez Rosa and Nick Ramirez hit back-to-back home runs in the inning and Brewers top prospect Tyron Taylor added an RBI single. The Desert Dogs built on their lead with two more runs in the fifth.

Rosa finished the game 2-for-4 with a run and two RBIs. Shortstop Corey Seager, the Dodgers' top prospect, added two hits.

Given the early lead, Montas and Bridwell did their best to make it stand up. Montas, the White Sox No. 3 prospect, struck out three batters, walked two and allowed one run in four innings. Bridwell, the Orioles' No. 12 prospect , struck out two, walked three and also allowed one run -- his first in four games this fall - in two innings.

Austin said Montas and Bridwell did a good job keeping hitters off balance, but the Scorpions stayed confident at the plate.

"They're a couple of good pitchers hitting their spots and throwing everything for strikes," Austin said. "But we didn't give up. We kept battling and we came out on top."

This year is Austin's second trip to the AFL. His time in the league was cut short last year by wrist discomfort and he was replaced on the roster early in the fall after playing in four games.

In Austin's return to the desert this year, he is working to improve his defense in both corner outfield positions. He has mostly played right field in his career and is now learning left field, where he said he is making progress.

Mostly, however, Austin wants to win some games.

"I just want to help this team win and maybe bring home an AFL championship," he said. "You never know. But there's nothing better than winning."

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

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Sabathia nearly '100 percent,' ready to anchor rotation

NEW YORK -- Three months removed from season-ending right knee surgery, Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia said on Tuesday that he feels "pretty much back to 100 percent" and expects to be ready for a full workload of 32 starts and 200 innings in 2015.

"My only goal is to stay healthy and get back to that -- eating up innings and being able to start every fifth day," Sabathia told reporters at a book signing in midtown Manhattan.

The 34-year-old Sabathia was at a Barnes & Noble on Tuesday afternoon promoting "CC Claus: A Baseball Christmas Story," which he co-authored with Yankees advisor Ray Negron.

Sabathia started throwing off flat ground in late September and has been working out at Yankee Stadium twice a week. He said that he plans to report to Spring Training early, ahead of the Feb. 20 official report date for pitchers and catchers.

After having an arthroscopic debridement of his knee performed in late July, Sabathia feels ready to again help lead the Yankees' rotation. He was limited to just eight starts this past season, going 3-4 with a 5.28 ERA. He did not pitch in the Majors after May 10.

"It's definitely a huge relief," Sabathia said. "I feel good enough to do all my workouts, to play catch and kind of have a normal offseason."

The Yankees have question marks in their rotation looking ahead to next season. Sabathia is coming back from injury, Masahiro Tanaka was able to make just two starts after sustaining a torn ulnar collateral ligament, Ivan Nova is not expected to be ready to return from Tommy John surgery until at least May and Hiroki Kuroda may retire.

Brandon McCarthy and Chris Capuano are among the players eligible for free agency.

"I think the rotation is going to be fine," Sabathia said. "I think they pitched great this year, [and] four of us went [on the disabled list]."

Sabathia said that he has not spoken recently with Alex Rodriguez, who will be reinstated from his season-long suspension after the World Series, but Sabathia said that he believes Rodriguez will be able to help the Yankees' lineup.

"He's a great player. He's had a year off, but he's been working and hopefully he's had some time to get healthy," Sabathia said. "Obviously, he's not going to be the A-Rod of winning MVPs, but he can come in and contribute."

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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Flying high in AFL, Bird named Player of the Week

Bird is an up-and-coming first baseman who might be next in line to take over after Mark Teixeira leaves in a few years. He divided his time between Class A Advanced Tampa and Double-A Trenton in 2014 and had a solid season.

"The way we do things is second to none. It is an honor to represent them," Bird said on Monday after learning that he had been selected as the Arizona Fall League's Player of the Week, representing the Scottsdale Scorpions. "I don't think people on the outside understand what it is like. It is something special.

"To put on the uniform -- just to wear it, just to be a part of it -- is amazing, being in the same clubhouse [in Tampa, the Yankees' spring home] where all of the older players have been is a great place to be."

The left-handed-hitting 21-year-old, ranked 11th in the Yankees' system by MLB.com, had quite a week leading up to the honor.

In four games, he hit .353, had a .421 on-base percentage, a .706 slugging percentage, a 1.130 OPS, two home runs, five RBIs, a pair of walks and three runs scored.

Entering this week's play, he was hitting .368 overall and was tied for the league lead in home runs (three), RBIs (10) and extra-base hits (six), and he was second in slugging percentage (.684) and hits (14).

Other Fall League Player of the Week nominees were Mesa Solar Sox outfielder Boog Powell (A's), Salt River Rafters infielder Rio Ruiz (Astros), Glendale Desert Dogs outfielder Scott Schebler (Dodgers) and Surprise Saguaros outfielder Nick Williams (Rangers).

Bird once was a catcher who switched to first, which he had played at various points.

He was born in Aurora, Colo., spent most of his first 10 years in Memphis before returning to Colorado. He was selected out of high school by the Yankees in the fifth round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft.

Bird has been pleased with his progress through the Yankees' system. He knew coming into the Fall League that it would be an upgrade from what he had been used to, even in Double-A.

"The talent level here is phenomenal," Bird said. "The guys are older [than I am], there is more consistency and everybody makes more plays. I knew a lot of the guys [from the Yankees' system], so it has been a smooth transition."

Bird plays two or three games at first each week and serves as the DH on other occasions.

"I want to make sure that I am prepared in whatever I'm going to be doing," he said. "[The Yankees] want you to be prepared every day, week-in, week-out, every day. That was a focus this year. They devoted the resources, used video. And their [coaching] staff really helped us."

Bird characterizes himself as a patient hitter, starting with walks. He has averaged 64 walks a season over his four Minor League campaigns, and had a career-high 107 with Class A Charleston in 2013.

"I've always tried to take a patient approach. I'd say I'm a gap-to-gap hitter, but I take what they give me. I haven't hit a lot of home runs [36 total], but I do have power," said the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Bird.

After the Fall League wraps up in mid-November, Bird said he will take a bit of time off, spending some time at Thanksgiving in San Antonio with his sister, who just gave birth to twins, and enjoying the Christmas holidays with his parents in Denver before returning to Tampa, where he makes his home.

The organization has not told Bird what it has in mind for him in 2015 -- what he does in the spring likely will have an impact -- but wherever he lands, he will have that Yankees feeling.

Don Ketchum is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Yanks' Austin starts late rally in Fall League win

Box score

The late rally proved to be enough and Scottsdale held on for a 7-6 victory, its second against Glendale in as many days.

Tyler Austin started the Scorpions rally with a leadoff single in the eighth. The inning snowballed from there and Scottsdale batted around and scored four runs on four hits, a walk and two errors. The second error, on catcher Michael Ohlman, allowed Dante Bichette Jr. to score the go-ahead run from first base on Kelby Tomlinson's double.

Austin said even after the Scorpions fell behind early in the game, they were confident in their ability to mount a comeback.

"Nobody on the team felt like we were going to lose the game, honestly," Austin said. "We got down early and fought back made it a good game. It was a quality win."

Austin, the Yankees' No. 15 prospect, finished the day 2-for-5 with a double, a run and two RBIs. His ninth-inning double was his second extra-base hit in nine games this fall.

Austin played for Double-A Trenton during the regular season. He hit .275/.336/.419 with nine home runs in 105 games.

With Scottsdale, Austin is hitting .278/.366/.361. He said he is still making adjustments at the plate.

"It's still a process and there's still things I'm working on," Austin said. "But I feel pretty good. Just got to keep my head up and keep improving."

Tomlinson was the only other Scorpion to record two hits Tuesday. The second baseman went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a stolen base. Bichette, Austin's teammate in the Yankees' organization, added a hit and two runs.

Glendale took the lead with four runs in the second off Scottsdale starter Adam Morgan. Garabez Rosa and Nick Ramirez hit back-to-back home runs in the inning and Brewers top prospect Tyron Taylor added an RBI single. The Desert Dogs built on their lead with two more runs in the fifth.

Rosa finished the game 2-for-4 with a run and two RBIs. Shortstop Corey Seager, the Dodgers' top prospect, added two hits.

Given the early lead, Montas and Bridwell did their best to make it stand up. Montas, the White Sox No. 3 prospect, struck out three batters, walked two and allowed one run in four innings. Bridwell, the Orioles' No. 12 prospect , struck out two, walked three and also allowed one run -- his first in four games this fall - in two innings.

Austin said Montas and Bridwell did a good job keeping hitters off balance, but the Scorpions stayed confident at the plate.

"They're a couple of good pitchers hitting their spots and throwing everything for strikes," Austin said. "But we didn't give up. We kept battling and we came out on top."

This year is Austin's second trip to the AFL. His time in the league was cut short last year by wrist discomfort and he was replaced on the roster early in the fall after playing in four games.

In Austin's return to the desert this year, he is working to improve his defense in both corner outfield positions. He has mostly played right field in his career and is now learning left field, where he said he is making progress.

Mostly, however, Austin wants to win some games.

"I just want to help this team win and maybe bring home an AFL championship," he said. "You never know. But there's nothing better than winning."

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

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Sabathia nearly '100 percent,' ready to anchor rotation

NEW YORK -- Three months removed from season-ending right knee surgery, Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia said on Tuesday that he feels "pretty much back to 100 percent" and expects to be ready for a full workload of 32 starts and 200 innings in 2015.

"My only goal is to stay healthy and get back to that -- eating up innings and being able to start every fifth day," Sabathia told reporters at a book signing in midtown Manhattan.

The 34-year-old Sabathia was at a Barnes & Noble on Tuesday afternoon promoting "CC Claus: A Baseball Christmas Story," which he co-authored with Yankees advisor Ray Negron.

Sabathia started throwing off flat ground in late September and has been working out at Yankee Stadium twice a week. He said that he plans to report to Spring Training early, ahead of the Feb. 20 official report date for pitchers and catchers.

After having an arthroscopic debridement of his knee performed in late July, Sabathia feels ready to again help lead the Yankees' rotation. He was limited to just eight starts this past season, going 3-4 with a 5.28 ERA. He did not pitch in the Majors after May 10.

"It's definitely a huge relief," Sabathia said. "I feel good enough to do all my workouts, to play catch and kind of have a normal offseason."

The Yankees have question marks in their rotation looking ahead to next season. Sabathia is coming back from injury, Masahiro Tanaka was able to make just two starts after sustaining a torn ulnar collateral ligament, Ivan Nova is not expected to be ready to return from Tommy John surgery until at least May and Hiroki Kuroda may retire.

Brandon McCarthy and Chris Capuano are among the players eligible for free agency.

"I think the rotation is going to be fine," Sabathia said. "I think they pitched great this year, [and] four of us went [on the disabled list]."

Sabathia said that he has not spoken recently with Alex Rodriguez, who will be reinstated from his season-long suspension after the World Series, but Sabathia said that he believes Rodriguez will be able to help the Yankees' lineup.

"He's a great player. He's had a year off, but he's been working and hopefully he's had some time to get healthy," Sabathia said. "Obviously, he's not going to be the A-Rod of winning MVPs, but he can come in and contribute."

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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Flying high in AFL, Bird named Player of the Week

Bird is an up-and-coming first baseman who might be next in line to take over after Mark Teixeira leaves in a few years. He divided his time between Class A Advanced Tampa and Double-A Trenton in 2014 and had a solid season.

"The way we do things is second to none. It is an honor to represent them," Bird said on Monday after learning that he had been selected as the Arizona Fall League's Player of the Week, representing the Scottsdale Scorpions. "I don't think people on the outside understand what it is like. It is something special.

"To put on the uniform -- just to wear it, just to be a part of it -- is amazing, being in the same clubhouse [in Tampa, the Yankees' spring home] where all of the older players have been is a great place to be."

The left-handed-hitting 21-year-old, ranked 11th in the Yankees' system by MLB.com, had quite a week leading up to the honor.

In four games, he hit .353, had a .421 on-base percentage, a .706 slugging percentage, a 1.130 OPS, two home runs, five RBIs, a pair of walks and three runs scored.

Entering this week's play, he was hitting .368 overall and was tied for the league lead in home runs (three), RBIs (10) and extra-base hits (six), and he was second in slugging percentage (.684) and hits (14).

Other Fall League Player of the Week nominees were Mesa Solar Sox outfielder Boog Powell (A's), Salt River Rafters infielder Rio Ruiz (Astros), Glendale Desert Dogs outfielder Scott Schebler (Dodgers) and Surprise Saguaros outfielder Nick Williams (Rangers).

Bird once was a catcher who switched to first, which he had played at various points.

He was born in Aurora, Colo., spent most of his first 10 years in Memphis before returning to Colorado. He was selected out of high school by the Yankees in the fifth round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft.

Bird has been pleased with his progress through the Yankees' system. He knew coming into the Fall League that it would be an upgrade from what he had been used to, even in Double-A.

"The talent level here is phenomenal," Bird said. "The guys are older [than I am], there is more consistency and everybody makes more plays. I knew a lot of the guys [from the Yankees' system], so it has been a smooth transition."

Bird plays two or three games at first each week and serves as the DH on other occasions.

"I want to make sure that I am prepared in whatever I'm going to be doing," he said. "[The Yankees] want you to be prepared every day, week-in, week-out, every day. That was a focus this year. They devoted the resources, used video. And their [coaching] staff really helped us."

Bird characterizes himself as a patient hitter, starting with walks. He has averaged 64 walks a season over his four Minor League campaigns, and had a career-high 107 with Class A Charleston in 2013.

"I've always tried to take a patient approach. I'd say I'm a gap-to-gap hitter, but I take what they give me. I haven't hit a lot of home runs [36 total], but I do have power," said the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Bird.

After the Fall League wraps up in mid-November, Bird said he will take a bit of time off, spending some time at Thanksgiving in San Antonio with his sister, who just gave birth to twins, and enjoying the Christmas holidays with his parents in Denver before returning to Tampa, where he makes his home.

The organization has not told Bird what it has in mind for him in 2015 -- what he does in the spring likely will have an impact -- but wherever he lands, he will have that Yankees feeling.

Don Ketchum is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Yanks' Austin starts late rally in Fall League win

Box score

The late rally proved to be enough and Scottsdale held on for a 7-6 victory, its second against Glendale in as many days.

Tyler Austin started the Scorpions rally with a leadoff single in the eighth. The inning snowballed from there and Scottsdale batted around and scored four runs on four hits, a walk and two errors. The second error, on catcher Michael Ohlman, allowed Dante Bichette Jr. to score the go-ahead run from first base on Kelby Tomlinson's double.

Austin said even after the Scorpions fell behind early in the game, they were confident in their ability to mount a comeback.

"Nobody on the team felt like we were going to lose the game, honestly," Austin said. "We got down early and fought back made it a good game. It was a quality win."

Austin, the Yankees' No. 15 prospect, finished the day 2-for-5 with a double, a run and two RBIs. His ninth-inning double was his second extra-base hit in nine games this fall.

Austin played for Double-A Trenton during the regular season. He hit .275/.336/.419 with nine home runs in 105 games.

With Scottsdale, Austin is hitting .278/.366/.361. He said he is still making adjustments at the plate.

"It's still a process and there's still things I'm working on," Austin said. "But I feel pretty good. Just got to keep my head up and keep improving."

Tomlinson was the only other Scorpion to record two hits Tuesday. The second baseman went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a stolen base. Bichette, Austin's teammate in the Yankees' organization, added a hit and two runs.

Glendale took the lead with four runs in the second off Scottsdale starter Adam Morgan. Garabez Rosa and Nick Ramirez hit back-to-back home runs in the inning and Brewers top prospect Tyron Taylor added an RBI single. The Desert Dogs built on their lead with two more runs in the fifth.

Rosa finished the game 2-for-4 with a run and two RBIs. Shortstop Corey Seager, the Dodgers' top prospect, added two hits.

Given the early lead, Montas and Bridwell did their best to make it stand up. Montas, the White Sox No. 3 prospect, struck out three batters, walked two and allowed one run in four innings. Bridwell, the Orioles' No. 12 prospect , struck out two, walked three and also allowed one run -- his first in four games this fall - in two innings.

Austin said Montas and Bridwell did a good job keeping hitters off balance, but the Scorpions stayed confident at the plate.

"They're a couple of good pitchers hitting their spots and throwing everything for strikes," Austin said. "But we didn't give up. We kept battling and we came out on top."

This year is Austin's second trip to the AFL. His time in the league was cut short last year by wrist discomfort and he was replaced on the roster early in the fall after playing in four games.

In Austin's return to the desert this year, he is working to improve his defense in both corner outfield positions. He has mostly played right field in his career and is now learning left field, where he said he is making progress.

Mostly, however, Austin wants to win some games.

"I just want to help this team win and maybe bring home an AFL championship," he said. "You never know. But there's nothing better than winning."

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

23.49 | 0 komentar | Read More

Flying high in AFL, Bird named Player of the Week

Bird is an up-and-coming first baseman who might be next in line to take over after Mark Teixeira leaves in a few years. He divided his time between Class A Advanced Tampa and Double-A Trenton in 2014 and had a solid season.

"The way we do things is second to none. It is an honor to represent them," Bird said on Monday after learning that he had been selected as the Arizona Fall League's Player of the Week, representing the Scottsdale Scorpions. "I don't think people on the outside understand what it is like. It is something special.

"To put on the uniform -- just to wear it, just to be a part of it -- is amazing, being in the same clubhouse [in Tampa, the Yankees' spring home] where all of the older players have been is a great place to be."

The left-handed-hitting 21-year-old, ranked 11th in the Yankees' system by MLB.com, had quite a week leading up to the honor.

In four games, he hit .353, had a .421 on-base percentage, a .706 slugging percentage, a 1.130 OPS, two home runs, five RBIs, a pair of walks and three runs scored.

Entering this week's play, he was hitting .368 overall and was tied for the league lead in home runs (three), RBIs (10) and extra-base hits (six), and he was second in slugging percentage (.684) and hits (14).

Other Fall League Player of the Week nominees were Mesa Solar Sox outfielder Boog Powell (A's), Salt River Rafters infielder Rio Ruiz (Astros), Glendale Desert Dogs outfielder Scott Schebler (Dodgers) and Surprise Saguaros outfielder Nick Williams (Rangers).

Bird once was a catcher who switched to first, which he had played at various points.

He was born in Aurora, Colo., spent most of his first 10 years in Memphis before returning to Colorado. He was selected out of high school by the Yankees in the fifth round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft.

Bird has been pleased with his progress through the Yankees' system. He knew coming into the Fall League that it would be an upgrade from what he had been used to, even in Double-A.

"The talent level here is phenomenal," Bird said. "The guys are older [than I am], there is more consistency and everybody makes more plays. I knew a lot of the guys [from the Yankees' system], so it has been a smooth transition."

Bird plays two or three games at first each week and serves as the DH on other occasions.

"I want to make sure that I am prepared in whatever I'm going to be doing," he said. "[The Yankees] want you to be prepared every day, week-in, week-out, every day. That was a focus this year. They devoted the resources, used video. And their [coaching] staff really helped us."

Bird characterizes himself as a patient hitter, starting with walks. He has averaged 64 walks a season over his four Minor League campaigns, and had a career-high 107 with Class A Charleston in 2013.

"I've always tried to take a patient approach. I'd say I'm a gap-to-gap hitter, but I take what they give me. I haven't hit a lot of home runs [36 total], but I do have power," said the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Bird.

After the Fall League wraps up in mid-November, Bird said he will take a bit of time off, spending some time at Thanksgiving in San Antonio with his sister, who just gave birth to twins, and enjoying the Christmas holidays with his parents in Denver before returning to Tampa, where he makes his home.

The organization has not told Bird what it has in mind for him in 2015 -- what he does in the spring likely will have an impact -- but wherever he lands, he will have that Yankees feeling.

Don Ketchum is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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