New York Yankees

The New York Yankees entered the 2014 spring training schedule with several important tasks.

First, they needed to introduce several new players to the Yankees culture.

Helping injured players return to form and shake off some rust would also be important.

But what is of the utmost importance is seeing which players can win the remaining position battles and which young players can earn a spot on the Opening Day roster while turning heads.

Anything can happen between now and when the New York Yankees break from spring training at the end of March, but barring injuries, it doesn't appear as if the 25-man roster will be too difficult to project.

The long-awaited debut of Masahiro Tanaka finally took place Saturday afternoon, when the New York Yankees' prized pitcher took the mound for two innings of spring training work against the Philadelphia Phillies.

In March, it's common to introduce an opinion of a player or performance by reminding readers that it's very early, spring training statistics don't count and the real games are about a month away from reality.

With New York Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, that edict isn't just necessary—it's vital.

Entering the official start of spring training 2014, one thing is clear: the New York Yankees are Major League Baseball's most talked about team.

Despite the half-billion dollars the New York Yankees slammed down this summer, they still seem to have a half-baked idea of an infield.

For having only four infield spots, they appear to face a far greater number of realistic questions. They also carry more catchers on the 40-man roster (five) than they do MLB-caliber infielders whom they can trust for 162 games.

Last season was a rough one for the New York Yankees.

For every team, spring training marks the start of a new beginning, as a fresh slate is presented to them. For the teams that struggled in 2013, they look to put last season behind them.  For a team such as the Boston Red Sox, who won the World Series, they look to build on their foundation of success.  

Maybe the New York Yankees' search for Derek Jeter's successor isn't on just yet. But when Jeter announced his pending retirement on Facebook last week, he surely moved that search higher up on the organization's list of priorities. 

At this time last season, New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter attempted to stay positive regarding his health when he began his spring training workouts. Unfortunately, his optimistic nature was not enough to carry him into the regular season remotely healthy.