Yankees Spring Training Notes 2/14

Happy Valentines Day once again! The Yankees continued to have their pitchers and catchers work out down in Tampa and today all the talk seemed to be about the Yankees 5th starter competition. David Phelps was a sight for sore eyes last year especially when Freddy Garcia was getting bombed and Ivan Nova had a plus 7 ERA after the All Star Break. David Phelps is at a disadvantage though, according to Joe Girardi, because he has shown in the past that he can be successful out of the bullpen. Ivan Nova threw a 35 pitch bullpen session and told reporters that he does not plan on doing anything different this year to try and rebound from his horrible 2012 that he did not do last year. That is scary to think about and at the same time kind of reassuring that we will not have another AJ Burnett trying this pitch and scrapping it a month later scenario. Let's hope the fresh start and the clean slate can clear his mind and let him just go out there and pitch. David Phelps threw to live hitters today, about 30 pitches, and seems to be way ahead of schedule at this point in Spring Training. This seems like it will be a fierce competition all the way down the wire of Spring Training.

Michael Pineda full his first full mound bullpen session today since his major shoulder surgery that cost him the entire 2012 season and looks to have another one tomorrow. I know that Brian Cashman and Joe Girardi basically tell us not to get our hopes up and count on Pineda at all in 2013 but this news has got me kind of encouraged.

There was a Kevin Youkilis and an Eduardo Nunez sighting at Yankees camp today. Nothing major to report other than that but I felt like it was worth noting anyway. Joe Girardi does not think any positional players will be late to camp this year.

Joe Girardi and Brian Cashman had nothing but praises for newly acquired Shawn Kelley noting his swing and miss slider, ability to pitch late in ball games, and ability to go multiple innings. In typical General Manager fashion Brian Cashman was quick to point out that Kelley did have an option remaining so he could conceivably start the 2013 season down in AAA with Scranton. Either way I figure him and Cody Eppley are now in direct competition for one spot in the Yankees bullpen.