The final home opener at Yankee Stadium was rained out today. The preliminary makeup is scheduled for tomorrow night at 7:05 (EST) with the same two starting pitchers slated to go again. There were no player introductions today. Rain is in the forecast for tomorrow but is expected to be out of the area by night.

More from Yahoo Sports (link here)

The beginning of the end will have to wait.

The final opening day at Yankee Stadium was postponed because of rain Monday, pushing back New York’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays.

It was rescheduled for 7:05 p.m. on Tuesday, previously an off day in the series. Yankees right-hander Chien-Ming Wang and Toronto ace Roy Halladay remained slated to pitch.

“It’s obviously a little anticlimactic. You want to get the first one in,” Alex Rodriguez said. “Just have to wait.”

New York owner George Steinbrenner showed up around noon for the 84th opening day at Yankee Stadium, but history was put on hold by steady rain and a wet forecast that washed away batting practice and the planned festivities.

The tarp was still on the field when the game was called at about 2:30 p.m. after a delay of approximately 85 minutes. Players never got introduced, and Joe Girardi’s debut as Yankees manager was postponed.

“I’m cautious about tomorrow, too,” New York GM Brian Cashman said. “Tomorrow night is supposed to be dry, tomorrow day is supposed to be similar to what we just had.

“It’s obviously not the way you want to start. You’d like to have opening day instead of opening night. But you do what you’ve got to do. It’s still going to be opening day.”

Next year, the Bronx Bombers will move into a $1.3 billion new Yankee Stadium, under construction just across 161st Street.

“You see the new stadium, but it still seems like that’s years away, even though it’s only one,” Derek Jeter said. “Just 100 yards away? That’s not too far for the ghosts to go.”

The Yankees have won 10 consecutive home openers, the best run in franchise history and the longest active streak in the majors, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

The last time a Yankee Stadium opener was postponed came in 2003, when New York’s game against Minnesota was snowed out. The next day, Hideki Matsui hit a grand slam during his debut in pinstripes.

“There’s so many memories here that go beyond baseball,” Jeter said.

The irony of the schedule, of course, is that Toronto plays its home games in a dome. If the teams had opened in Canada, weather wouldn’t have been an issue.

“It would make sense, you would think,” Jeter said with a chuckle.

New York is now scheduled to play 20 days in a row before its first off day April 21. But the Yankees have trips to Kansas City, Boston, Baltimore, Chicago and Cleveland in April, so bad weather could force a few more postponements.

“Earlier in the year your starters aren’t conditioned to go six, seven innings, so you may have to use your bullpen,” Girardi said. “But we feel we have enough arms down there.”

Girardi is taking over this season from his mentor, Joe Torre, who spent the past 12 years in charge.

Torre guided New York to the playoffs every season from 1996-2007 and won four World Series rings in his first five years. He walked away in the offseason when the club offered him just a one-year contract with a pay cut, then quickly was hired to manage the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Girardi met with reporters Monday morning and said he slept great the previous night.

“This is an awesome day for me,” he said.

In the end, though, it surely wasn’t what he—or the Blue Jays—had in mind.

“Yeah, you’re disappointed,” Toronto manager John Gibbons said. “You know opening day is always special and then you’ve got to delay it one more day, but you’re better off that way than playing in lousy conditions.”

The rainout means there still has never been a regular-season game in March at Yankee Stadium, christened by Babe Ruth’s homer before 74,200 fans on opening day in 1923. The Yankees played at Shea Stadium, home of the Mets, from 1974-75 while Yankee Stadium was being remodeled.

“Everyone gets excited. You have butterflies and those kind of things. You want to get the games under way,” Jeter said. “It’s disappointing, but we couldn’t have played today.”

Hideki Matsui was married yesterday in a chapel in New York City. The service and wedding was "hush-hush" as Matsui asked Girardi for the day off on Tuesday. Derek Jeter, Bobby Abreu, and Matsui had a ongoing bet with the winner becoming married first. (See the NY Post Story here).

Andy Pettitte continues to nurse a sore elbow in Spring Training. The Yankees desperately need Andy to eat innings and starts this coming season especially with Phil Hughes being relatively unimpressive in most outings. One has to wonder if Joba Chamberlain will stay in the bullpen for the season. What is more important, a solid setup man for Mariano Rivera or a 1 of every 5 day starter with an innings limitation?

Jose Canseco's sequel has been leaked with accusations flying...especially toward Yankee's third baseman Alex Rodriguez. SUPPOSEDLY, Alex made passes towards Canseco's ex-wife and "met" a steroid supplier. Once again the accusations seem crazy, but they also seemed crazy in his first book which now seems somewhat true.

Joe Torre will be greatly missed this season in New York. It has yet to be played out how Joe Girardi handles the New York press and deflects any media pressure off his players and onto himself. Many pick the Yankees to finish second again to the Red Sox and out of Wildcard contention. I also feel the Larry Bowa's presence on the field and in the Yankee dugout will be missed. Think of the impact Bowa had on Robinson Cano!

The Yankees and Mets are in secret talks with the city to buy their old ballparks before the wrecking balls hit - so they can plunder them for lucrative memorabilia to peddle to fans, The Post has learned.

A spokesman for Mayor Bloomberg confirmed the negotiations but would not say how the deals might go down - specifically, whether the city would hope to get a lump sum from the teams or a percentage of the profits of any sale or auction of items.

"At other stadiums, everything from the scoreboards to the dugout urinals have been snatched up by fans, but Yankee Stadium is in a whole other league of collectibles," said Mike Heffner, president of Lelands.com, which has handled several stadium garage sales.

"Each brick could sell for $100 to $300," Heffner said. "I doubt we'd have any trouble selling every seat in the house for as much as $1,000.

"With its huge fan base, Shea Stadium will also fetch a big payday."

Yankee sources and a Mets spokesman separately confirmed the teams' negotiations with the city but refused to give details, citing their ongoing talks.

While the city owns the two stadiums, experts said the teams are in a far better position to bring in bigger bucks from a sell-off because of the emotion factor.

A tiny baggy of infield dirt from Yankee Stadium could fetch $25, experts said.

Each of the 55,000 bright orange seats at Shea could sell for as much as $500 - a drop in the bucket for the same fans willing to pay $12 for a cup of lukewarm beer at the game.

Click here for the whole article from the New York Post

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP)—Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and the rest of the New York Yankees stood on the third-base line, caps over their hearts while they gazed toward the outfield.

As 32 oversized orange balloons were released into the air, the storied team in its famous pinstripes watched right along with Virginia Tech players, fans and family members of victims from last year’s campus massacre.

And when the national anthem was finished and the players headed for their dugouts, it was time to play a game that was less about baseball than it was about healing.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi could feel it when 200 people were waiting as the team bus made its first stop at the memorial to 32 people slain last April, and in the first inning while Girardi was sitting in the stands with football coach Frank Beamer.

“A young lady came up to me and said her brother was one of the children killed, and her mother thanks us for being here,” Girardi said. “That really hit me hard.”

From beginning to end, the visit Yankees owner George Steinbrenner promised moments after seeing the tragedy unfolding on television last April 16 was one to remember.

The Yankees had made a $1 million contribution to the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund, created to cover grief counseling, memorials and other costs for the victims and their families after Virginia Tech student Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 people in two campus buildings before committing suicide.

The Yankees presented the donation to school president Charles Steger last May in New York, but said the visit to Blacksburg was a key part of the assistance.

Rodriguez said starting out at the on-campus memorial was powerful.

“There are certain things that happen that are so devastating that time stops,” he said, comparing the shootings to the terrorists attacks in 2001. “For me, this is one of them. This is probably the proudest day I’ve ever (had) to wear a Yankee uniform.”

Hearing that, Hokies coach Pete Hughes said, “knocks you on your heels.”

Girardi looked at the 32 stones at the memorial and thought of the parents.

“To think of the anxious moments of all the parents who had students here and especially the ones who lost loved ones, how difficult that must have been,” he said.

Jeter posed for a picture with a woman in front of the stone that memorialized her fiance. His only request to her was that she smile, which she did.

“It’s part of the reason that we’re here,” Jeter said. “People always ask, well, what can you do? How does this help? I really don’t know. If it just makes people smile or enjoy themselves for the three hours that we’re here, it’s all worthwhile.”

During batting practice, the Yankees wore caps in the Hokies’ orange and maroon, their `NY’ emblem on the front and a `VT’ logo on the side. Those were also the caps worn by Virginia Tech, while the Yankees switched to a Navy blue for the game, still with both emblems.

The pregame ceremony also included presentations to the Yankees of four nameplates engraved in “Hokie stone,” the limestone building material of choice on campus.

As the balloons drifted high above and out of sight, chants of “Let’s go Hokies” broke out. But the cheers were just as loud for the Yankees.

Rodriguez batted in the first with the bases loaded, and hit the first pitch for a sacrifice fly to right. When Hokies starter Andrew Wells got Jason Giambi to ground into an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play, the Hokies bench emptied to greet him.

“Seeing how they were pumped to have little moments that will last the rest of their lives, to have the conversations of, `Remember when?’ That was neat,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. “This was fun for them and fun for our guys.

“What we did puts everything else in a little more perspective.”

Rodriguez and Jeter and most of the starters came out in the fourth inning, and A-Rod strolled across the field with two bats and sat with the Hokies in their dugout.

“He was giving our guys trivia questions for his battings gloves and his bat,” Hokies coach Pete Hughes said. “He signed everything they threw at him.”

Jeff Karstens pitched four innings for the Yankees in their 11-0 victory, allowing both Virginia Tech hits and striking out two. Nine Hokies pitchers combined to walk 10 batters and allow 10 hits, but the score meant nothing.

“I think it was just the sort of thing we were looking for,” said Virginia Tech pitcher Rob Waskiewicz, who retired the side in order in the third. “We’ve been through some hard times, and people are starting to feel better, but I think this was a great thing.”

Second baseman Matt Hacker agreed.

“It was everything everybody wanted it to be,” he said.

Associated Press Writer Sue Lindsey contributed to this report.

Hidden by the semi-brawl yesterday between the Yankees and Rays was another nice outing by Mike Mussina. His last two starts have given Yankee fans hope for 2008. His first start of Spring Training was not as promising. Mussina was spotting the ball well yesterday and getting the calls. He was also pitching inside; something he has not done much during his career. The 12-6 curve looked good as well. Let's hope "Moose" continues to roll as the Yankees plan to limit innings for Chamberlain, Kennedy, and Hughes. That means Wang, Pettitte, and Mussina must give the Yankees 185+ innings each.

Melky Cabrera and Shelley Duncan will sit the first three games of the 2008 season:

Cabrera, Duncan suspended 3 games each; Gomes 2 games

NEW YORK (AP)—Yankees center fielder Melky Cabrera and first baseman Shelley Duncan were suspended for three games each for their roles in Wednesday’s spring-training fracas between New York and the Tampa Bay Rays.

Tampa outfielder Jonny Gomes was suspended for two games Friday. All three players were fined along with Yankees manager Joe Girardi, third-base coach Bobby Meacham and hitting coach Kevin Long.

The suspensions, unless appealed, will start at the beginning of the regular season.

Bob Watson, baseball’s vice president for discipline, cited Duncan for “violent and reckless actions, which incited the bench-clearing incident,” and penalized Cabrera for “violent and aggressive actions during the incident.” Gomes was suspended for “violent actions, which escalated” the situation.

Benches cleared during the second inning of Wednesday’s game, four days after Girardi complained about Tampa Bay’s aggressive play after a collision at the plate that injured catcher Francisco Cervelli.

Duncan slid into Rays second baseman Akinori Iwamura with spikes raised after hitting a hard grounder off third baseman Evan Longoria’s glove and trying to advance to second base on the play.

Duncan, thrown out by at least 10 feet, was immediately tossed. Gomes was ejected after racing in from right field and barreling into Duncan as other players poured onto the field. No punches appeared to have been thrown as order was restored.

Well, now it is an issue:

March 12, 2008 -- The Yankees and Rays exploded into a mini-brawl today at Progress Energy Park, with a total of four players and coaches ejected.

It was a follow-up to Saturday's episode, in which Tampa Bay's Elliot Johnson crashed into Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli at the plate, breaking Cervelli's wrist. Afterward, Joe Girardi was upset about the play, and he and Tampa Bay coach Don Zimmer made conflicting comments about whether it was an acceptable play in an exhibition game.

There was a question whether there might be a carryover today, and there was.

In the bottom of the first inning, Yankees pitcher Heath Phillips hit Rays batter Evan Longoria with a pitch, and Phillips was immediately ejected by home plate umpire Chad Fairchild.

In the top of the second, Shelley Duncan attempted to leg out a double, and sure enough, there was a play at second base. Duncan slid high into Akinori Iwamura, cleats up, and was called out. But following the slide, Tampa Bay right fielder Jonny Gomes raced in and shoved Duncan.

That set things off, and there was a huge scrum on the infield with both teams, with Zimmer actually walking onto the field eventually. There appeared to be some pushing and shoving before the teams walked off. As they walked off, someone on Tampa Bay was yelling at the Yankees' side, though it's unclear who that was or who specifically his target was.

Girardi and Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon met with the umpires between the mound and home. Play eventually resumed, but Duncan and Gomes were ejected, along with Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long and third base coach Bobby Meachem.

The next question is whether there will be fines and/or suspensions.

Ironically, before the game Zimmer told The Post, "There's no hard feelings between Joe Girardi and I."

Yankees-Rays Revisited

The Yankees take on the Rays again in a Spring Training game. It will be interesting to see what, if any, retaliation comes from the Yankees. There has not been a lot of chatter from any Yankees player; only the manager.

"I don't see why anything would carry over. Why would it carry over?" Derek Jeter said. "I think it makes for a good story but . . . we're in spring training. I don't see the reason why something should carry over."

Added Jorge Posada, "Spring training game, guys. Spring training game. Happens. It's a freak accident. Move on. Be able to move on."

Said Shelley Duncan, "Everything I said, we're still going to go out there and we're going to play the game hard. Just like I said before. They showed us what is acceptable. We're just going to go play the game."

The issue doesn't sound as though it's pervading the Yankees clubhouse much. Jeter insisted, "I haven't heard a person talk about it till now," and Posada said there was no feeling in the clubhouse of wanting to take care of something.

"It's not even an issue," Duncan said.

The collision at home vs. the Rays with Francisco Cervelli on Saturday is still making news. (Article Here) There doesn't seem to a lot of chatter coming from the Yankee side other than Joe Girardi. The Press and Girardi seem to think that because Elliot Johnson has little chance of making the Rays, he should have slid.

Don Zimmer (ex-Yankee bench coach, friend of Joe Girardi, and adviser for the Rays) has a different opinion:

"If I slide into him and break a leg, nothing is said. Instead of breaking my leg I bowl him over and it's not the right play? Well, to me it's the right play, spring training or no spring training. Play the game the right way.

"To me, our kid played it the way he thought it was right, and I think it was right. I'm surprised they made such a big thing out if it. I was dumbfounded. Of all people, I mean Girardi's a tough guy, a tough catcher. I don't know what spring training has got anything to do with it."

Zimmer said Girardi was wrong to criticize Johnson's play.

"This guy's my friend," Zimmer said. "He's his own man. I'm my own man. I think he was out of line.

"Whether he likes that or not, that's the way I feel."

I like Joe Girardi, but this is one situation in which he is way off. The Rays are coming upon a season in which they are predicted to be competitive; possibly for the first time in their organization's history. They are pumped! They are excited! They are letting the league know not to take them for granted. On the other hand, the Yankees no longer have Joe Torre. There is some loss of respect for the way that issue was handled. The Yankees are getting older. The free agents signed during the winter were: Yankees. The Yankees failed for the first time since '96 to win the Division.

Go Yankees, but grow up Joe Girardi. Yankees don't cry!

#1. Ross Ohlendorf, RHP
Position: P Full Name: Curtis Ross Ohlendorf
Born: August 8, 1982 Austin,Texas
Height: 6-4 Weight: 235 Bats: R Throws: R
College: Princeton University

Don't be too critical of this pick early. Remember, this ranking is based on the players we think we have a major impact on the 2008 Yankees and not including the young prospects listed above. Ross Ohlendorf was the key player obtained by the Yankees in the Randy Johnson deal to Arizona.

He began his Yankee career as a starter in AAA and was hit hard. After a shift to the bullpen, Ross found his niche. Despite only six games with the Yankees at the end of 2007, Joe Torre added Ohlendorf to the playoff roster.

Ross Ohlendorf was a 4th round draft pick out of Princeton by the Diamondbacks in 2004. At Princeton, as a freshman pitcher, he was named the Ivy League Rookie of the Year. Ohlendorf, a second-team All-Ivy selection, was 3rd in the League with a 3.02 ERA. He finished with a 6-2 record. Once moved to the bullpen his fastball velocity picked up a notch or two and now hits 94-95 on the gun. He backs up his fastball with an average curveball and a below average changeup. Ross Ohlendort also sports a recently added splitter. Ohlendorf is competing against pitchers such as Brian Bruney, Chris Britton, Jose Veras, Jonathan Albaladejo, Sean Henn and Edwar Ramirez.

Ohlendorf may not be the marquee player found on most prospect lists, but we believe that the Yankee bullpen is a vital cog for making another run at a World Series. This has been true the past 3 or 4 years as the bullpen struggles to get to the ninth and Mariano Rivera. Younger and more effective arms such as Ohlendor can make this happen.

#2. Austin Jackson, OF
Position: OF Full Name: Austin J. Jackson
Born: February 1, 1987 Denton,Texas
Height: 6-1 Weight: 185 Bats: R Throws: R
High School: Ryan (Denton,TX)

Austin Jackson was an 8th round draft pick out of Denton (TX) high school in 2005 passing on a basketball scholarship at Georgia Tech. Austin had

a great 2007 moving to the #2 overall prospect of the New York Yankees by Baseball America. He was also rated the #2 overall propect in the

Hawaiian Winter Baseball League. Jackson is probably the best pure athlete in the Yankee farm system today.

Jackson is a 4 tool player with power being the question mark. The Yankees have been working with Austin and making swing changes during the 2007 campaign. He seems to project 20-25 home runs per year at this point. He has significant opposite-field power, which should keep his line drive rate and batting average up. Jackson does take walks but has a tendency to strike out too much. Jackson plays the outfield extremely well; center field is most likely his best fit.

Austin Jackson should start the season in AA Trenton before moving to AAA. 2009 looks like the most realistic date for the emergence of Austin Jackson in Yankee Stadium. However, an injury among the aging Yankee outfielders could get Austin a callup during the 2008 season. And if he does get the call, he may never go back.

#3. Scott Patterson, RHP
Position: P Full Name: Scott Patterson
Born: June 20, 1979 Oakdale,Pennsylvania
Height: 6-7 Weight: 225 Bats: R Throws: R
College: West Virginia State College

Scott Patterson is a lanky right-hand pitcher that looked extremely good at AA Trenton last season striking out 91 and walking only 15 in 74+ innings and equally impressive in Winter Ball. Patterson was signed by the Yankees as a free agent on November 16, 2007, after spending most of the previous two seasons with their minor league AA affiliate, the Trenton Thunder. Prior to spending time in the Yankees organization, he was in the Atlantic League, an independent baseball league.

Patterson spots the ball well and is listed on the Yankees 40-man roster in 2008. He will be given the chance to make the club during Spring Training and could be a major impact player in the Bomber relief corps. We don't see Patterson as nothing more than one who could eat up a lot of 5th and 6th innings. However this role is key to the Yankees; not only in saving the bullpen over the course of 162 games, but also in keeping New York in the game early giving their high powered offense a chance to come back.

Even if Patterson doesn't make the team out of the 2008 Spring Training, he hopes to make an impression on the new Yankee management team for a look when a need arises. If Patterson is unsuccessful in his first attempt, expect him to begin the season at AAA Scranton/Willkes-Barre.

#4. Jose Tabata, OF
Position: OF Full Name: Jose Nicolas Tabata
Born: August 12, 1988 Anzoategui,Venezuela
Height: 5-11 Weight: 160 Bats: R Throws: R

Jose Tabata was signed in 2005 out of Venezuela. Tabata joins the likes of Marcos Vechionacci, Irwill Rojas, and Luis Nunez as prospects the Yankees have signed in recent years out of baseball's newest talent hotbed, Venezuela. Jose won't be 20 until this August! Tabata's progress in the Yankee Minor League system has been slowed due to a wrist injury that occurred in July of 2006. He eventually had the hamate bone removed via surgery in August of 2007. Despite the fact that Tabata has been injured, he has still put up decent numbers hitting above or near .300 in his three seasons at Rookie and A level ball.

There are question marks about his power (or lack of) and whether or not his body thickness could limit his pure athletic ability. But he remains a likely replacement for Bobby Abreu in right field...as soon as 2009. He rates as an above average fielder with good range and a decent arm. Baseball America rates Jose Tabata as their number 3 Yankee prospect in 2008.

Look for a healthy Tabata to put up big numbers at AA Trenton this season; moving along to AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre later in the season. Tabata will become an option should one of the Yankee outfielders go down this year (Matsui, Abreu, Cabrera, Damon). Keep an eye on Tabata and his numbers this season in the Minor Leagues. Big numbers could come early and earn Jose a fast promotion to the Yankees.

#5. Alan Horne, RHP
Position: P Full Name: William A. Horne
Born: January 5, 1983
Height: 6-4 Weight: 195 Bats:R Throws:r

Alan Horne was drafted out of the University of Florida in the 11th round by the Yankees in 2005. Horne was ranked by some as the top high school pitcher in the 2001 draft, but fell to the Cleveland Indians at #27 due to signability concerns. Horne is a 6' 4" righty who sports four effective pitches with a peak 94-95 MPH fastball. Horne did have Tommy John surgery while at the University of Mississippi (he's played for a total of three colleges).

Horne is ranked by Baseball America as the Yankees number 5 overall prospect. He had a impressive 2007 season at Trenton where he was named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Year, after leading the Thunder to their first ever Championship. Horne should begin the season at AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, but there does seem to be a logjam at this level. Are we actually presuming that the Yankees have multiple pitching prospects? Wow!

Anyway, we see Horne making a mid-season impression at the Major League level. Possible injuries and the doubtful future of Mike Mussina (could not put anyone away in his Spring Training start yesterday) should push Horne into the Yankee rotation; if not just for a couple of starts. Right now, Horne projects somewhere along the lines of a number 3 or 4 starter.

#6. Juan Miranda, 1B
Position: P Full Name: David Robertson
Born: April 25, 1983 Consulacion del Sur, Cuba
Height: 6' 0" Weight: 220 Bats: L Throws: L

Signed by the Yankees in 2006 with a 4-year, $4 million contract after being in limbo for two years as a Cuban defector. Miranda can hit! His 16 HRs and 96 RBIs in A-AA ball last season is an indication. Juan does strike out a little too much (when his swing gets long; 106 Ks in 446 ABs), but he did sport a .350 OBP and .471 SLG last season. Considering his two-year layoff from professional baseball, the Yankees were extremely pleased with his offensive showing last season and they believe he could provide a powerful left-handed soon; especially since this is the final year of Jason Giambi's contract.

“Juan Miranda has impressed our scouts with his talent and his strength,” Yankees Dominican Republic scouting supervisor Ramon Valdivia said. “His biggest asset is his bat. He has the ability to hit for power while showing excellent plate discipline. We’re excited to see what he can contribute to the future of this ballclub.”

Despite Miranda's weakness with LHP, we feel that Juan could see significant playing time; especially in the second half of this season. Jason Giambi can be expected to miss playing time and the rest (Shelly Duncan, etc.) have yet to prove themselves. Another powerful left-handed bat could be in the future soon for the New York Yankees.

#7. David Robertson, RHP
Position: P Full Name: David Robertson
Born: April 9, 1985 Birmingham, Alabama
Height: 5' 11" Weight: 185 Bats: R Throws: R

David Robertson, a 17th rounder in 2006, continued to impress beyond the University of Alabama (second-team Freshman All-American by Baseball America as a relief pitcher) throwing 84 innings in relief, striking out 113 while walking 32. David held his opposition (primarily A ball) to a .154 overall average giving up just 45 hits.

David is undersized, with a quick arm and clean delivery. Robertson throws both 2-seamer and 4-seamer in the mid-90s. He has a devastating mid-80s plus slider along with an average cutter. He will cut his fastball in any count.

Robertson won't make the Yankees out of spring training, but should get a look or two later in the season. He'll probably start out at AA Trenton (where he finished last season). Robertson's numbers seem to project a closer, however scouts point to his size as a reason not to over emphasize those numbers. We think David will make a nice contribution to the Yankees this season and an be in position in 2009 for a possible setup man for Mariano Rivera.

#8. Humberto Sanchez, RHP
Position: P Full Name: Humberto A. Sanchez
Born: May 28, 1983 Santo Domingo,Dominican Republic
Height: 6-6 Weight: 230 Bats: R Throws: R
High School: South Bronx (Bronx,NY)
College: Rockland Community College

Humberto Sanchez, acquired from the Detroit Tigers in the Gary Sheffield trade, has yet to throw a meaningful pitch for the New York Yankees.

After missing the latter part of the 2006 season with elbow inflammation. The Yankees shut Humberto down in April of 2007 for Tommy John surgery.

Sanchez sports (pre-surgery) a 95+ fastball, plus slider, and average to above-average curveball and changeup. His durability is questioned as is his conditioning. Sanchez has struggled with health problems in the past and suffered from a number of injuries in 2004 and 2005 which resulted in missing time, including a sore elbow, knee surgery, and an oblique strain.Sanchez has been as much as 40 pounds above his listed playing weight.

He was throwing and following a conditioning program in late 2007 and it will be interesting to see what condition he is in during Spring Training of 2008.

Sanchez has had the best stuff of any prospect out there; however surgery and other problems question whether or not his will just be a suspect or a prospect. I would rate him higher but now sure how he will return from surgery. The Yankees have a lot of solid pitching prospects and won't have to rush Humberto to the majors. We see Humberto Sanchez as a long reliever or possible short man out of the bullpen. Until he proves that conditioning is a priority, a major league starter he is not.