Around the Empire: Yankees news - 2/14/17

Good morning and happy Yankees pitchers & catchers day! I’m your not-quite-Greg-or-Shah filling in today, but since it’s pitchers & catchers day and there’s plenty to be happy about, hopefully that should fill the void. Anyway:

Players’ Tribune | Hannah Jeter: Derek Jeter is going to be a father, per fairly reliable sources. The former Hannah Davis is pregnant with a baby girl due in May. Yes, it’s about as far from real Yankees news as there is, but it was definitely the biggest feature related to the Yankees yesterday—the benefits of being Derek Jeter. Anyway, congratulations to the Jeters and now I’m wondering what happens if her due date is May 14th, the day they retire his number. Whoops!

NY Daily News | Mike Mazzeo: Tyler Austin said that he was out fishing when he heard the news of the Yankees signing Chris Carter. Give him credit though, as he’s not letting it deter his hopes of making the Opening Day roster, and he’s hoping that an increased focus on his versatility could give him a boost.

Newsday | Erik Boland: In a similar vein, Aaron Judge has his eyes on proving his worth as well, going as far as saying that he considers himself an “underdog” for the Opening Day right field job. Aaron Hicks appears to be his main competitor. He knows that he has to work on his swing more, but is ready to show that he’s worth the spot. It’s the right attitude to have, for sure.

NY Daily News | Mike Mazzeo: Want to hear the origins of why Gary Sanchez and co. were inspired to create the glorious #IAmGary trend on Twitter? Absolutely. The dingers were the main reason, but Sanchez’s fun social media presence also made him a hit with the fans.