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Around the Empire
New York Daily News | Mike Mazzeo: Pitching is still very much a question going into the season. CC Sabathia being the Yankees’ #2 starter is one of the reasons. It’s still spring training and CC has been a slow starter for the majority of his career. Having said all of that, they still need Sabathia to repeat what he did last year. CC feels that he’s coming along well and Girardi thought he pitched better yesterday. Praise be.
Newsday | Erik Boland: In case you were unaware, the Yankees signed Ernesto Frieri to a minor-league contract on Thursday. Frieri is very happy that the Yankees are giving him a chance to show what he can do, or what he use to be able to do anyway. He has no expectation to join the team in Flavortown and is happy to accept a stint in the minors to work his way back up. Shut the front door!
New York Post | George A. King III: Billy McKinney is making the most of his spring training opportunity. With the injuries to Tyler Austin and Mason Williams resulting in his call up, McKinney has done nothing but hit and hit well. In the fifteen games he’s played this spring, McKinney is batting .412 with three dingers and seven RBI. Obviously Gleyber was the best part of the trade with the Cubs, but McKinney has been an unexpected bonus. He will probably start in Double-A Trenton.
MLB.com | Barry M. Bloom: The WBC rolls onward and Didi Gregorius is still rolling with Team Netherlands. They head to the semi-finals at Dodger Stadium to face Team Puerto Rico. Sir Didi is coming off his best year in the majors and he is hopeful that Team Netherlands will emerge victorious in the WBC. He is currently playing second base, as the team has three great shortstops on it. Go Didi Go.
New York Daily News | Mike Mazzeo: Alex Rodriguez was back in the Yankees’ camp this Saturday and Jennifer Lopez accompanied him. Celebrity gossip aside, A-Rod went to say hi to Hal, then met with Yankees’ hot SS prospect Gleyber Torres. Coach-Rod asked Gleyber how he felt and questions about his routine. According to a tweet from Gleyber himself, he was Gleytful for everything that A-Rod had done for him.