Joe Girardi gave his thoughts on the players the Yankees lost and gained this offseason:
I like what we've done, but I'm going to miss the players that we had. Whenever you win as a group, you're going to miss not only what they did on the field, but their personalities.
... but we've gotten younger, we've added rotation depth, and our young relievers have another year of experience. Are we better? I don't know, but I like our club again.
I think they are better.
- Perhaps trying to stir up controversy, Johnny Damon said he hoped the Yankees wouldn't offer Derek Jeter a '40-45% pay cut' after the season, which is almost exactly what the Yanks offered Damon. He also reiterated that he would still enjoy playing in New York: "Whether I start the season with them, or whether they trade for me at the deadline, or if they sign me next year or what not, I love New York."
- Curtis Granderson said he'd be 'more than fine' with a position switch. Grandy will begin Spring Training as the centerfielder, but Brian Cashman called Brett Gardner "one of the best defensive center fielders in the game." It's anyone's guess as to the opening day centerfielder.
- The fifth starter job is apparently open to five candidates. In addition to Hughes and Joba, Aceves, Mitre and Gaudin will have shots at it.
- The Yankees will bring their World Series trophy on a week-long tour of East Asia, going from Tokyo to Beijing to Hong Kong.
- A lawsuit alleging George Steinbrenner stole the idea for the YES Network was dismissed from court. The plaintiff was the former president of Madison Square Garden Corporation and the MSG Network.