Those final roster spots

The Yankees are pretty much set in terms of the 25-man roster:

Catchers:

Posada
Flaherty

Infielders:

Martinez
Giambi
Sanchez
Womack
Jeter
A-Rod

Outfielders:

Williams
Matsui
Sheffield
Sierra

Pitchers:

Johnson
Mussina
Pavano
Wright
Brown
Rivera
Gordon
Quantrill
F. Rodriguez
Stanton
Sturtze

That is 23 players, Bubba Crosby and Damien Rolls are fighting over that final OF spot, and Steve Karsay has the inside track on making the squad. However that would mean 12 pitchers and certainly in the opening few weeks of the season, you do not need that extra pitcher. We do have a hitter though who is ready for the bigs and is simply tearing it up throughout Spring Training.

Andy Phillips can field at 1st and 2nd and no doubt at a push over at 3rd as well. He is hitting .357 so far and slugging .786 with three Home Runs and a triple in 28 AB's. As it stands the Yankees only really have Ruben Sierra as a genuine bench pinch hitting threat and carrying Phillips would be extremely wise as he has learnt his craft down in the Minors, and is ready for a job in the Bigs.

Most Yankee fans know that Phillips is on his way back to Columbus but he shouldn't be. He is a player who could seriously make an impact from the bench and would, in my view at least, make a more significant contribution to the New York Yankees than Steve Karsay. To have a RH hitter in addition to the switch hitting Sierra, it would really help the manager, giving him genuine options late in a ball game.

As for the final OF spot, I do want Bubba to get it. Great defense, good speed, he can hit and he has youth on his side.