Yankees Invite Twenty-One to Spring Training

The Yankees have issued twenty-one invites to Spring Training. There are a wide range of players who receive an invite. Some are youngsters who have no realistic chance of breaking camp with the big club. They are there so that the coaching staff can observe them for future reference and so that they can get some experience playing with top players, forcing them to raise their respective levels of play and giving them a better idea of what they need to work on to make it to the Majors. Players in this category include Brett Gardner, Jose Tabata, and Eric Duncan. Some of these players are youngsters looking to make an impression and break into the Majors for the first time. This category includes Phillip Hughes, Tyler Clippard, Ross Ohlendorf, Steven Jackson, Steve White, and others who will battle for a spot in the rotation when Carl Pavano comes down with his inevitable season-ending injury. The final category consists of veterans looking to latch on with a team to extend their careers. Todd Pratt and Ben Davis help make up this list. That pair will battle Wil Nieves for the backup catcher spot. Both men have experience, which should give them the inside track since neither could be much worse than Nieves.