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In the 11 seasons, since 1997, that I have been coming to Yankees Spring Training, this is by far the best group of young pitchers and young talent I have seen in Yankees camp. There is definitely strength in numbers and the Yankees new Triple-A affiliate, Scranton Wilkes-Barre, is going to have a heck of a starting rotation.

Just looking at the Yankees, and every team in baseball over the last couple of years, it is comforting to know that there is a lot of talent down on the farm especially when starters or relievers have injuries throughout the long season. Last season alone, the Yankees used 12 different starters and 25 total pitchers.

Spring Training is a good time to see what these pitchers and position players have to offer and who can make an impact on the big club this season.

I would be remiss not to start by mentioning Jeff Karstens and what he has done this spring. In three games and two starts he has allowed no runs, and that's in nine innings of work. There has been talk of Karstens starting the season as the long man in the bullpen, but early in the season the way the schedule is set-up, the Yankees can use their fifth starter to be their long man. As for winning the fifth spot in the rotation, that job is almost certainly going to Kei Igawa or Carl Pavano, but Karstens has made it extremely hard for the Yankees to demote him to the Triple-A level. If he doesn't get the chance to start the season with the major-league team, it is not because he didn't deserve the opportunity.

Phil Hughes needs to work on his changeup on the Triple-A level. One problem with Hughes in Spring Training was that he has Major League stuff, but he does not have that really effective third pitch to keep hitters off balance. Ross Ohlendorf has shown that he has good stuff and a hard sinker, which will be very effective once he reaches the big club. Chase Wright and Tyler Clippard have each pitched in three spring games and looked very good in their appearances. Humberto Sanchez, when healthy, looked like he threw very hard and had the makings of a nice breaking pitch. One obstacle with his breaking pitch is with his mechanics, which Ron Guidry is trying to rectify. Darrell Rasner proved to be effective for the Yankees last season and has allowed only two runs in 7.1 innings pitched this spring. Sean Henn is a left-handed pitcher, which definitely helps his case, and he pitched well in four spring training appearances.

It is not just the young pitchers that have impressed. Two position players have looked particularly superb in camp. Bronson Sardinha, who will turn 24 on April 6, is hitting .333 and has a lefty bat that has big league potential. Jose Tabata has many Yankees seeing the future of the outfield in this young talent. Talk about young, Tabata won't even turn 19 until August 12.

A lot of the credit for the improved minor league system certainly has to go to Brian Cashman and the Yankees front office for their commitment to rebuilding the farm, and recognizing that young talent and growth within the organization is a key component to a successful franchise. One man that truly deserves credit for this complete turnaround is Gene Michael, the Yankees' Vice President and Special Advisor to the Principal Owner. Michael is acknowledged as one of the best talent evaluators and scouts in the business, and that is not an underestimation.

More observations from camp:
• The return of Andy Pettitte to the clubhouse and the mound is already paying dividends. Pettitte is a standup pitcher that knows what it means to pitch, win and play for the New York Yankees.

• The bullpen is definitely going to be a strong part of this team. The bridge to Mariano Rivera is deeper this year than it has been in some time. The addition of Luis Vizcaino means less strain on some of the key arms, such as the proven Scott Proctor and hard throwing Kyle Farnsworth. Once Brian Bruney is healthy, he can also be a big time arm in the bullpen. The bullpen pitchers can flat out throw gas and strike batters out. This fact alone makes it hard for the opponent to advance runners in big situations.

• The only questions surrounding the team, as far as a spot on the squad going into the season is; can Ron Villone comeback after last season's bad second half and who will win the backup catcher job?

• All in all this is a very good team, that is going to have a very good season and is, in my opinion, an improved squad from last season.