The Weekend Yankeeland

Joe Girardi has set the spring rotation up so that Chien-Ming Wang would be the opening day starter. The Wanger was supposed to get the assignment last season, but he was one of the many Yankees to suffer hamstring pulls. It's still hard to believe Carl Pavano made that start.

Joba Chamberlain may only be 22-yrs old, but he's one of the guys who are keeping the Yankees clubhouse loose. It was revealed a week ago that he and rookie Andrew Brackman were sporting nipple rings. Joba the Pitcher is a live wire who can even bring out humor, even in the sometimes curmudgeonly Mike Mussina. Just take this exchange reported by the NY Times' Joe LaPointe.

Addressing Mussina by his nickname, Moose, Chamberlain asked if he wanted to join in playing video games. "No", the 39-year-old Mussina told the 22-year-old Chamberlain; he does not play video games.

"Want to watch me play video games?" Chamberlain asked. "No thanks", Mussina said. "Well", Chamberlain continued, would Mussina like to play Ping-Pong? Without answering, Mussina kept walking out the door and turned left down the corridor.

So Chamberlain added in a loud voice, “Hey, is the hearing the first thing to go when you get old?”

Suddenly, Mussina reappeared in the doorway and replied, “I hear everything!” in a way that made Chamberlain smile and onlookers chuckle.

For a team that has long been the model of a corporate personality, guys like Joba and Shelley Duncan are a welcome addition.

The Daily News' Mark Feinsand has a good piece on Ian Kennedy, who may not have the same spotlight on him as Joba, but may make just as big a splash in the majors.

Speaking of guys not in the spolight- Damon Oppenheimer, the Yankees' Director of Scouting is one such person. He's the guy responsible for the Yankees getting Kennedy, Chamberlain, and Mark Melancon in the same draft. John Harper of the News gives us an in-depth look at the man responsible for much of the team's young talent.

Steve Serby of the NY Post has a Q&A with freshly minted Hall-of-Famer, Goose Gossage. Topics included Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte.

Ed Price of the Star Ledger has a story on the "other" Duncan- Eric Duncan, who is still trying to live up to his draft hype. Still just 23 years old, Duncan knows he needs to start putting up consistently good numbers.

Peter Abraham talks about the possibly new and improved Brian Bruney. The portly righty has lost 20 pounds and some of his bad attitude.

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