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Every Spring Training, every manager in the Major Leagues makes a similar speech. He stands in a clubhouse filled with 63, 73 or maybe even 83 players. He tells them that the goal is to win a title and, get ready for the memorable quote, that the team will need more than 25 players to achieve that goal.

The statement is true. For instance, the 2009 Yankees used 45 players. Every club will endure injuries or have struggling players, so depth is vital during a 162-game season. Still, I always wonder if every player sitting in that clubhouse in February really believes what the managers says and believes that he can have an impact on that upcoming season.

Did the pitcher who was only two years removed from being on an Independent League team believe it? Did the pitcher who had only one forgettable

NEW YORK -- Andy Pettitte was so disappointed in the way he contributed to the New York Yankees' unsightly 9-1 loss to the Houston Astros on Monday that he said he felt "sick to my stomach." Catcher Austin Romine spoke in a whisper and a half about needing to have better communication with Pettitte so that the pitcher could establish a rhythm. The clubhouse emptied in a few minutes on a forgettable night for the Yankees.

But, hidden beneath the debris of the worst loss of the season, there was one Yankee that didn't consider it a forgettable night. For Vidal Nuno, the ugly defeat was a memorable night because he made his Major League debut and pitched three scoreless innings. Nuno was surely the only Yankee that saved a baseball from the game.

"Never thought I would be here," said Nuno.

Actually,

There was something different about the way Phil Hughes pitched on Tuesday night. He had an edge. Hughes exhibited the body language of a pitcher who expected to win or a pitcher who was weary of having to explain what went wrong. He wanted to make some things go right for the Yankees.

So Hughes was aggressive, throwing his 93-mile per hour fastball to get ahead in counts, and using his slider and his curveball to bury hitters. So Hughes attacked, tossing strike after strike and not relenting when he needed 10 or 11 pitches to finish off one at-bat. So Hughes was resilient, overcoming what could have been a fiasco of a 32-pitch first inning to work seven solid innings.

 It was a night where the Yankees played one of their most rewarding and complete games of the season in defeating

CC Sabathia understood the importance of Sunday's game against the Detroit Tigers, even if it was only the sixth game of the season. The Yankees were wobbly, a team that was still trying to play a reliable brand of baseball, so the Yankees needed Sabathia to be a stabilizer and help guide them to a win. He did.
In a titanic matchup where Justin Verlander was the more celebrated pitcher, Sabathia ended up as the more successful pitcher. Sabathia tossed seven scoreless innings in silencing a talented lineup and powering the Yankees to a 7-0 victory. For the Yankees, a 2-4 record felt a lot better than 1-5, especially because of the significance of Sabathia's performance.

Sabathia's fastball was a bit more robust as he maxed out at 92.5 miles per hour and averaged 90 to 91, but his command was

TAMPA - Ichiro Suzuki was listening to my questions intently. At least that's what I wanted to believe. He nodded over and over as Allen Turner, his translator, told him my questions. He answered them quickly. We were talking about the Yankees' offense and Suzuki seemed engaged with the topic.

An interview with Suzuki can be an interesting experience. He might suddenly mention how he once pitched in a professional game in Japan 17 years ago, which is the curveball he tossed at me. We'll cover that compelling tidbit later, but Suzuki can be intriguing because he is in perpetual motion. He did a lengthy interview while doing a series of stretching experiences on the clubhouse carpet last October.

On this recent morning, Suzuki was sitting in a folding chair. But, as the conversation continued,

TAMPA - Derek Jeter has repeatedly said that playing for the Yankees on Opening Day was an achievable goal following surgery on his left ankle.  But, after Jeter felt some stiffness in the ankle and was removed from Tuesday's starting lineup, general manager Brian Cashman said on Wednesday that Jeter could open the season on the disabled list.

Cashman said Jeter received a cortisone shot in his ankle on Wednesday and won't play for at least a few days. With 12 days left before the season opener against the Red Sox on April 1, Cashman acknowledged that Jeter might run out of time to be fully prepared to play.   

"It's possible he might not be ready," Cashman said.

The Yankees still need to have Jeter play nine innings at shortstop and also play back-to-back games at the

TAMPA - Even from about 100 feet away, the man's confident walk looked familiar. Even in a darkened concourse outside the Yankees' clubhouse, it was easy to peek at the man's back and realize exactly who it was. There is style in everything Mariano Rivera does, even when he is walking from the clubhouse to the parking lot.

On this sunny Friday at Steinbrenner Field, Rivera's stroll was interrupted when reporters caught up to him and inquired about the press conference he is having on Saturday. Rivera, the greatest closer of all-time, is expected to announce that he is retiring after the 2013 season. But, naturally, Rivera wasn't ready to disclose that one day early.

"I told you guys that I would talk one day," Rivera said. "Tomorrow is the day."

Tomorrow is the day the Yankees knew would eventually

TAMPA - We all knew this day was coming. Someday soon, Mariano Rivera would sit down, thank everyone for attending his news conference and then tell the world he wasn't planning to play baseball anymore. When Rivera first arrived for Spring Training with the Yankees last month, he strongly hinted that 2013 would be his final season. Now he is expected to finally confirm that decision.

After ESPN's Buster Olney tweeted that Rivera could announce his retirement as early as Saturday, Joel Sherman of The New York Posttweeted that Rivera would have a news conference at 10 a.m. on Saturday. While Rivera's retirement announcement is probable, one source added that there was a remote chance that Rivera could change his mind.

Rivera has a rarified place in baseball history. He is the greatest

TAMPA -- Curtis Granderson began working out in left field for the Yankees on Thursday, which is a precursor to Granderson moving from center field to left. Brett Gardner will move from left to center.

There has been speculation about the Yankees starting Gardner, who is the better defensive player, in center this offseason. While manager Joe Girardi has addressed questions about the possible switch, it didn't come to fruition until he spoke to both players about the plan.

According to defensive metrics, Gardner has been one of the best defensive left fielders in the Major Leagues while Granderson has been one of the worst center fielders. Gardner considers center field his natural position. The Yankees aren't concerned about Gardner transitioning to center, but they do want Granderson