NEW YORK (AP) -Downstairs, Joe Girardi has taken over the Legends Field manager’s office from Joe Torre. Upstairs on the fourth floor, Hank and Hal Steinbrenner have filled the decision-making role made famous by their tempestuous father.
The New York Yankees, baseball’s most traditional team, have a new look as they start spring training, at least on the management side. They haven’t won the World Series since 2000 and head into their last season at Yankee Stadium obsessed with overtaking the champion Boston Red Sox.
“The Yankees aren’t about losing,” Hank Steinbrenner said. “I don’t like losing, and the fans don’t like losing. So we’ll see what happens. I think by playoff time, if we get there, we could be pretty tough, if those young pitchers come along right at the right time.”
di over Don Mattingly to replace Torre, then decided to re-sign Alex Rodriguez even after A-Rod opted out of his contract. He followed Cashman’s recommendation and resisted trading top young talent for Johan Santana, who wound up with the Mets.
Yankees’ fans will pay close attention to whether Hank Steinbrenner stays in the executive suite in a silent role during spring training or becomes a daily presence in the papers, as his father did.
And the fans will focus on whether Girardi sets a markedly different course than Torre, a father figure to many of his players who steadied the team through nearly constant turmoil for much of his 12 seasons.
“I can’t predict what it’s going to be like with Joe Girardi vs. Joe Torre because we’ve never gone through that before,” Cashman said. “I can’t predict, obviously, a spring training with Hank or Hal as opposed to the last few years because I haven’t gone through it before.”
Girardi makes his opening address to the media Wednesday, pitchers and catchers report the following day and workouts begin Friday, with position players joining next week. It will be pretty much the same crew that flopped against Cleveland in the first round of last October’s playoffs, a four-game loss that led to Torre’s departure.
questions remain about the depth and quality of the starting rotation. The middle relievers still appear to be suspect.
Derek Jeter was looking forward to playing for Girardi, his former teammate.
“I think he’s the perfect guy for it. He’s played here. He’s played under Mr. T. He’ll probably have his own style,” Jeter said. “You’re going to miss Mr. T. He did some great things here, but you have to move on.”
Jeter will be less formal with Girardi.
“One, I’ll call him Joe,” the captain said with a smile. “They’re different personalities. It’s going to be a different feel.”
Only Chien-Ming Wang, Mike Mussina and Pettitte are guaranteed spots in the starting rotation. Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy – two of the Yankees’ prized young prospects – are top candidates for the other two.
Also competing are Kei Igawa – remember him? – Jeff Karstens, Chase Wright, Steven White, Jeffrey Marquez, Alan Horne and Darrell Rasner. Even much maligned Carl Pavano will be on hand, working on his rehab from elbow surgery.
Joba Chamberlain, spectacular as Mariano Rivera’s setup man during the final two months of the season, will begin spring training as a starter but could wind up staying in the bullpen. He’s just 22, and the Yankees have told Girardi they will limit his use once again.
inbrenner said. “He wants to be a starter in the long run, and we all want him to be a starter in the long run, so that’s what we’re going to do. He can start him out as the setup guy. It certainly isn’t going to hurt us. It will help out in the bullpen big time in April, in May, and whenever, and it’s up to them how to shift him over.”
Cashman won’t reveal where Chamberlain will wind up.
“The bottom line is we want to limit innings, and there’s a number of different avenues to do so,” he said. “It just depends on how the rest of the staff shakes out.”
As for the rest of the bullpen, LaTroy Hawkins has replaced Luis Vizcaino, and Ross Ohlendorf could merit a long look after working on a splitter during the Arizona Fall League.
And then there are the injury concerns. Left fielder Hideki Matsui is coming off knee surgery. Johnny Damon had leg injuries last year and lost the center field job to Melky Cabrera. Jason Giambi was limited by a foot injury to just 18 games at first base.
Cashman said all start spring training healthy.
“Right now, no issues,” he said. Then he paused and added: “We haven’t done anything yet.”
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AP freelance writer Mark Didtler in Tampa, Fla., contributed to this report.
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