The Daily Yankeeland - 3/2

A foot of snow is falling on the tri-state area; even more reason to wish we were in Tampa right now. Here's what's going on down there.

Alex Rodriguez met with MLB investigators for a couple hours on Sunday and was "cooperative", according to a press release. With A-Rod off to the WBC now, the Yankees will gladly welcome less distractions.

Former Yankees pitcher Tom Sturdivant passed away Saturday at the age of 78. He was a member of the Yankees from 1955-1959 before being part of one of the many trades the Yankees that made with the Kansas City Athletics back then. The deal brought Ralph Terry and Hector Lopez to the Bombers.

Sturdivant enjoyed a 10 year career, but his first two full seasons in Pinstripes were his best, winning 16 games in back to back seasons, and he posted an AL second best 2.54 ERA in 1957. He was a member of four pennant winners and two world champions while in the Bronx, contributing with a victory in the 1956 series with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Our thoughts go out to his friends and family.

The Yankees are in Kissimmee today for a game with the Astros. This will mark the first spring appearance for Chien-Ming Wang. We went to a game in Kissimmee back in 2000, seeing El Duque face off against Doc Gooden, who was trying to make the Astros. He later joined the Yankees that year and won some key games. It's a 1:00 start and you can hear Ma and Pa Yankee on WCBS radio.; turns out the game is NOT on WCS radio.

Jack Curry of the Times has a great piece today on Mark Teixeira's admiration for Don Mattingly. Though Teixeira grew up in Maryland and was an Orioles fan, Donnie Baseball was the man. A poster of the hit man still hangs in his parent's house in his old room.

Mark Carig is the new guy on the block at the Star Ledger. He's got an interview with the Yankees new guy on the block, Nick Swisher. Swish was miserable in Chicago last season, when he hit a career low .219 and found himself in Ozzie Guillen's dog house.

Ron Gardenhire thinks the Yankees will end up with Manny Ramirez. Might be a little sun stroke. Manny and the Dodgers are now $1.5 million apart from a deal.