AL East

The Yankees' pitchers and catchers officially reported to Tampa, Florida today to begin spring training. The Mets will begin camp tomorrow when pitchers and catchers report in Port St. Lucie.

The Yankees come in to spring training as the defending World Series champions. As they look to repeat, some changes have been made this offseason. Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, and Melky Cabrera are out. Curtis Granderson Nick Johnson are in. And Javier Vasquez is back.

Jesus Montero has been a hot issue with the Yankees lately. Should they trade him or keep him? Is he good enough to stay behind the plate or should they move him to another position? If they move him to another position where should it be? Is he ready for the major leagues now? Should he be a midseason call-up or should they take it slow with him?

After the Joba Chamberlain/Phil Hughes debate, the topic that we have focused on the most this offseason has probably been the state of the Yankees bench.

It seems like it's one spot on the Yankees that is always in flux, and that was no different this offseason after they lost Eric Hinske, Jerry Hairston Jr., and Jose Molina.

Brian Cashman has been the Yankees general manager since 1998, but it was only after 2004 when he really started taking over the team. Today, Hal Steinbrenner runs the budget, but Cashman seems like he’s in charge of everything else. That is why when he speaks it’s probably smart to listen.

When he speaks to NoMaas.org, you’d damn well better listen .

The Yankees have signed 28-year-old right handed pitcher Dustin Moseley to a minor league deal, and invited him to spring training as a non-roster invitee. The Yankees have also announced that they have invited four of their other minor leaguers to camp.

The other minor leaguers are infielders Brandon Laird and Jorge Vazquez, as well as right handed pitchers DJ Mitchell and Ryan Pope  That brings the amount of players in camp to 65 (the full squad won’t report until Feb. 24).

Young arms are becoming a more and more precious commodity in baseball, and the Yankees, with Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes, have two of the better ones in baseball.

Protecting those arms has become paramount. That’s why the Yankees enacted the “Joba Rules” last year, and in 2010 we may even see the Phil-osophy. It’s about keeping Joba and Hughes healthy and out on the mound.

With his days as shortstop behind him, Miguel Tejada is set to begin this season as the Orioles primary third baseman:

According to George King of the NY Post , longtime Yankees trainer Gene Monahan will miss spring training and possibly the start of the season with what is termed as a “significant illness.”

As a starter coming up through the Yankees minor league system Phil Hughes was pretty much a two pitch pitcher—fastball/curveball. Sure, he had a slider, and even a changeup, but the two pitches were works in progress at best.