Spring Training has barely started and one has to wonder is all the hype surrounding Yankees camp really valid or is it a case of a press corps yearning for or wishing they were covering the old 'Bronx Zoo' of the 1970's just hoping to gin up any kind of controversy possible?  Oddly enough the ring leader of that circus George Steinbrenner, has been the most quiet and out of sight figure of them all. 

Excuse me but wasn't there supposed to be more stability with this ballclub after GM Brian Cashman wrestled away the reigns from the Tampa contingent?  Anyhow here's the Spring Training breakdown and no this breakdown doesn't  involve shavers or tattoos.

Brian Cashman: From sympathetic figure to cold-hearted and calculating?  Not necessarily a bad thing when one considers how he's managed to trim the payroll, re-stock the farm system and acquire more young pitching prospects for the future or as trading chips.  Cashman has also rid the team of percieved malcontents in Randy Johnson, Gary Sheffield and Jaret Wright, while bringing in character guys like Bobby Abreu and Andy Pettitte.  Cashman does have a lot to explain for and do as well, such as why Bernie Williams has yet to be re-signed, Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada have yet to be given contract extensions, Kei Igawa was given a pantload of money for never having touched a MLB baseball until last fall, Carl Pavano is still on this team, they plan to carry a platoon of no-hit firstbasemen, Phil Hughes isn't in the rotation and why wasn't Mel Stottlemyre invited to Spring Training to be a special pitching instructor?

Joe Torre: He's still the manager until Don Mattingly, Joe Girardi or Buck Showalter is.  Nobody questions Torre's ability to win and handle the pressure of New York and one assumes he still comands respect in the clubhouse, especially when backed up by the leaders from the dynasty teams in Derek Jeter, Rivera, Posada and Pettitte.  There's no question that given the Yankees poor pitching in 2005 and slew of injuries in 2006 that Torre was the one who was able to keep the team together, to handle and massage the egos while acting as a buffer between the media and Tampa.  However since after the 2003 season when Don Zimmer left, it's fair to question in the post-season if Torre has lost a little off the strategical fastball.  Though aside from Showalter, Torre's ability to give the Yankees organization stability has been un-matched since the days of Casey Stengel.

Bernie Williams: Except for the fact that he has created no leverage for himself and as much as I'd love to see him in camp and on the team, I really can't blame Bernie for telling the Yankees to shove it.  At least Don Mattingly was pushed out by Tino Martinez, but are you gonna tell me that the Yankees are seriously pushing out Williams for Doug Mientkiewicz and either Andy Phillips or Josh Phelps?  Why that would be like replacing Paul O'Neill in rightfield with a platoon of Shane Spencer and John Vanderwal and trading for a moody overpriced Raul Mondesi to replace them... oh wait they already did do that, whoops.

A-Rod and Jeet: Oh heavens there's no more sleepovers?  Who did all of you guys in the media think they were exactly Bert and Ernie?  They aren't openly trashing eachother and as long as they both produce, just leave it alone.

Mariano Rivera: Still no contract extension.  Kind of like the Boston Red Sox still have no closer.  It's incredible how Mo never says a peep, pitches through injury, gets worn out by Torre when the Yankees have a taxed bullpen and the Yankees won't budge on giving him an extension.  Tell me how it is that Mo was the tenth highest paid Yankee last season and now that he's asking for an extension the Yankees won't guarantee loyalty back?  Mo isn't worth more than Mike Mussina and Jason Giambi?  Not worth more than an un-proven Igawa?  Don't tell me he's too old or has a tender elbow because that didn't stop you from paying gobs of money to Kevin Brown, Randy Johnson, Jaret Wright, Carl Pavano, Kyle Farnsworth and Steve Karsay.  Ask yourself if Mo is worth $50 million over the next two years as you reach into your endless pockets to pay 45 year old Roger Clemens to pitch three months of five inning baseball for half of that this season. 

Carl Pavano and Mike Mussina: So already Pavano says he has heavy legs after running sprints huh?  Well perhaps if Pavano put down the gun and ski mask he wears everytime he picks up a paycheck from the Yankees, it would significantly help his cause.  Who could blame Mussina or anyone for blasting this guy? 

Phil Hughes: I've said it before and will say it again, Phil Hughes should be the Yankees 4th or 5th starter this season.  Tell me right now as of this moment who is better suited than Hughes to slide into one of those two rotation spots?  It seems to me that the Yankees never want to give "their guys" a shot, though recent history would prove them wrong on Hughes.  In 1996 rookie Derek Jeter took over for the injured and horrible signing of Tony Fernandez.  In 2005 Robinson Cano took over for another terrible signing in Tony Womack and in that same season Chien Ming Wang stepped in for injured and putrid signings Pavano and Wright.  And in 2006 Melky Cabrera stepped in and probably made the Yankees wish they hadn't overspent on Hideki Matsui or Johnny Damon.  Thus when one looks to the 2007 season, Phil Hughes could be the star and saviour of this team far before anyone thinks.