New York Yankees: 10 Things to Take Away from Yankees Spring Training

The New York Yankees' drawn-out spring training is over, and their regular season is getting underway.

Often, spring training will give some indication of how each player will do that season. The Yankees are set to make another run at the World Series, and they need each player to fulfill his role.

Here is a look at 10 things to take away from the Yankees' spring training.

Alex Rodriguez Is Healthy and Hitting

The Yankees' "biggest investment" is in Alex Rodriguez. The last few seasons, he has had issues with with his health, and the goal for A-Rod in 2012 is to stay healthy.

Rodriguez has struggled lately, and the Yankees believe that his health directly relates to his performance on the field.

This spring, Rodriguez has managed to stay healthy and has played well. He has hit .300 with two HR and 14 RBI.

His performance in the spring shows that if he can stay healthy and on the field, Rodriguez could be back to his MVP form.

What Happened to Ivan Nova?

Ivan Nova was the Yankees' best starter behind CC Sabathia in 2011. He was 16-4 with a 3.70 ERA.

You would think that his performance in 2011 was enough to guarantee him a spot in the Yankees rotation in 2012. But while he is in the rotation, he was battling for a spot all spring.

In his career, Nova has a 17-6 record and a 3.86 ERA. However, he has struggled this spring, which is alarming and should be a concern.

This spring, Nova was 1-2 with an 8.06 ERA. What happened to Ivan Nova of 2011? Was it a fluke?

Phil Hughes Is Back

2011 is a year that Phil Hughes wants to forget. He went from winning 18 games in 2010 to having a 5-5 record the following year.

With the Yankees' surplus in starting pitching, Hughes had to "put up or shut up."

The former first-round draft pick has had a 1.56 ERA in five games this spring. He has earned a spot in the Yankees rotation and is currently the No. 3 starter.

Derek Jeter of Old

Derek Jeter can prove that 2010 was just a fluke with another solid season in 2012.

He hit .327 in the second half of last season and looked like the same player he has been his whole career.

This spring, Jeter hit .318 with a home run. He has been hitting the ball hard and all over the field.

Brett Gardner Can't Be Caught

Obviously, Brett Gardner will steal bases. He is one of the fastest players in baseball.

The biggest thing he brings to the Yankees is his speed. He stole 47 stolen bases in 2010 and 49 in 2011.

However, one issue he had in the early part of the 2011 season was getting caught stealing. But if Gardner gets a good jump, he has the kind of speed that is almost impossible for a catcher to throw out.

He got caught stealing 13 times in 2011. Ten of those 13 came in the first half of the season. The Yankees would like for his caught-stealing number to be somewhere around six or seven.

In the spring, Gardner had 10 stolen bases and did not get caught stealing once, which shows that he is getting good jumps and is confident when swiping bases.

Gardner's legs will be very important for the Yankees' success in 2012.

Russell Martin Fighting off Young Talent

The Yankees have plenty of solid catching prospects. So much so, that they traded their top prospect, Jesus Montero, this offseason.

Russell Martin is the Yankees' starting catcher, but for how long?

With guys like Austin Romine and Gary Sanchez breathing down his neck, Martin played well. This spring, Martin has hit .275.

If he can hit anywhere near .275 in 2012, the Yankees will definitely re-sign Martin after this season.

Mark Teixeira Is a Mystery

Yankees fans know that Mark Teixeira gets off to slow starts. He starts the season off looking like he belongs in the minors, then he has to dig himself out of the hole.

Teixeira has lost some weight and is noticeably thinner. This could cause him to lose some power as well.

This spring, Teixeira has hit .283 in 53 at-bats. Hitting .283 isn't bad for a guy who has hit .237 in his career in April. But what is alarming is that he didn't hit any home runs and only drove in four runs.

The question is, would you rather have Teixeira hit .285 with 30 home runs or .265 with 40 home runs?

Who Should DH?

The Yankees are going to need to use the DH spot a little, to give older players a rest. However, they still need a regular DH. 

When the Yankees signed Raul Ibanez, he became the favorite to fill that role. He has really struggled this spring and left everyone wondering if he has anything left in the tank.

Other candidates to be the everyday DH include Andruw Jones and Eric Chavez.

This spring, Ibanez has hit .150 with three home runs and 10 RBI. Jones has hit .208 with no home runs and four RBI. Chavez has hit .279, with no home runs and six RBI.

If Mariano Rivera Retires, It's on His Own Terms

Mariano Rivera dropped a bombshell on Yankees fans this spring. He said that he knows if he is going to retire but won't tell anyone.

The idea of Rivera not pitching in the ninth should worry Yankees fans.

If Rivera retires, it's not because he can't perform. He has shown this spring that he can still dominate.

In eight games, Rivera was 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA.

Michael Pineda Is Scaring Brian Cashman

GM Brian Cashman made a big move this offseason by trading the team's top prospect, Jesus Montero, for Michael Pineda.

Pineda came into spring training overweight and out of shape. He struggled with velocity early on. He went 1-0, but he had a 5.68 ERA. 

It looked as if Pineda would start the season in the minors, but he was diagnosed with shoulder tendinitis and put on the 15-day DL instead.

Cashman is hoping Pineda will soon be the Yankees' No. 2 starter. The way Pineda's Yankee career has started, Cashman has to be a little nervous.