New York Yankees news and notes

The New York Yankees were essentially rained out on Saturday in Tampa.  They did some indoor work but it was a light day.  There were pitchers scheduled for batting practice who will now do that on Sunday and the ones regularly scheduled for Sunday will still throw as well.  It will be a busy Sunday in camp.  The Yankees were going to have an intrasquad game on Sunday but that may happen on Monday now and then the exhibition games begin on Tuesday. 

There are 13 pitchers throwing live BP on Sunday morning.  Luis Severino is throwing a bullpen with Brian McCann catching him which is interesting because McCann usually only catches guys that will be on the team or have a good chance of making it.  Andrew Miller will be throwing live BP and Esmil Rogers is scheduled for a two inning simulated game.  He is being stretched out to be a starter just in case. 

It took a while but Didi Gregorius the new shortstop finally got some attention on Saturday.  He is the replacement for Jeter but the Yankees have focused on telling him he can't replace him, he is just the guy that comes after.  Gregorius seems to be taking it in stride, he is a happy guy, always smiling and says he knows he can't avoid being compared to him but he also knows that no one is Jeter.  He said he isn't worried about the attention, that doesn't bother him at all.  He said he came a little early to camp to start to get to know everyone.  The Yankees were going to have their regular infield on the field on Saturday but that didn't happen.  It was going to be Stephen Drew at second and Gregorius at short with Rob Refsnyder going with the minor league guys and Jose Pirela being with the major league guys.  I am not sure if it really means anything but they are clearly looking at Drew and Gregorius as the starters with Pirela being a likely bench/utility guy and Refsnyder being in AAA.  Things can change with injuries or complete ineffectiveness. 

If that is the case and it looks like Drew will be spending most of his time at second and very little at short then Brendan Ryan seems to be secure on the roster as the backup SS.  He was feeling a little better on Saturday.  Joe Girardi left no doubt on Saturday that Garrett Jones will play both 1B and the OF this season.  Girardi said he will play both in spring training as well, he is not focused on one or the other.  The Yankees have eased Carlos Beltran into defensive drills.  He is on track to play in the early exhibition games but the Yankees don't want him to overdo it. 

Joe Girardi is expected to announce his starters for the first few exhibition games on Sunday.  He was going to do it on Saturday but with the rain that changed.  Alex Rodriguez should be making his spring debut Tuesday or Wednesday.  We should find that out either today or tomorrow most likely.