New York Yankees

We've read the accounts and chronology of how Andy Pettitte reconsidered retirement and signed a one-year minor league contract with an invitation to spring training with the New York Yankees.

General manager Brian Cashman is said to have wanted Pettitte to return since the end of the 2010 season, but that Pettitte felt it was time to retire.

In a move that shocked nearly everyone in the baseball world, Andy Pettitte and the New York Yankees agreed on a one-year deal, this morning, worth $2.5 million, effectively ending Pettitte's retirement.

The deal is a minor league pact with an invitation to the Major League Spring Training.

Pettitte retired after an 11-3 season with a 3.28 ERA in 2010, leaving many fans wanting more. He was an All-Star that season, and many believed that he had retired too soon.

23-year-old Michael Pineda has been the target of the firestorm known as New York media since his arrival via trade in mid-January. The New York Post criticized him for showing up to camp pushing 280 pounds, nearly ten pounds heavier than at the end of the season.

The Yankees were no match for the newly-extended Andrew McCutchen and the Pirates today in Bradenton. To celebrate his new six-year contract with Pittsburgh, McCutchen killed the Yankees for two hits and two RBI.

In his first outing this Spring, Phil Hughes looked closer to his 2010 form. After dropping some weight, Hughes was hitting 92-93 on the gun, according to scouts. 

Now these numbers aren't staggering, but for someone who was having trouble breaking 90 last year, this is a great sign. 

You never want to say a guy has a lack of velocity after the first start of spring training, but Michael Pineda has been known to throw much harder than what we saw in his debut with the New York Yankees.

According to a tweet from Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, scouts were slightly concerned over Pineda's declined velocity from his first start of the Spring.

The Yankees dropped their first game of the spring today against the Phillies in Bright House Park.

Fans got their first chance to see the team's biggest offseason acquisition, Michael Pineda, in his start today against Joe Blanton.

Michael Pineda made his first start for the New York Yankees against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Yes, it is only spring training and not a regular season game in New York, but he was impressive nonetheless.

Almost nobody questioned Pineda's pure stuff, but there have been questions about his mental status because of his big move to New York.

In his first start of spring training and as a member of the New York Yankees, Michael Pineda looked very strong over the two scoreless innings of work he put in against the Philadelphia Phillies today.

The 2012 MLB season is getting closer, and teams are currently seeing which prospects have the stuff to make it to the big leagues at some point this season, and which prospects still need to improve on a particular area before being promoted.

The New York Yankees are no exception. Although most of their 25-man roster is likely set, there are still a number of prospects who have the potential to find their way onto the major league roster at some this year.