 Meredith Maroccovitz alongside Erin Boone, Erin just a couple days away from the full squad reporting Can you just describe your excitement now that you know baseball's coming back in 2020? Yeah, we're excited. I mean, we've we've we've been working real hard behind the scenes to kind of get ready for this moment Obviously, you know, we're walking into some unchartered waters But I really give everyone behind the scenes, you know, Doug Bihar and our training staff and in front office of just really doing a lot to get things ready and prepare us to Hopefully hit the ground running here in the next couple of days as we kick off summer summer training So but I'm really excited. I know the players are and you know, hopefully We can go out and live up to what we had hoped to hope we started in March And there are clearly guidelines in place to try to keep everyone safe How do you go about doing the scheduling for summer training summer camp as they're called? Yeah, um, you know Working hard with with Carlos Mendoza. Obviously our bench coach who who does so much of the planning and is so good at that Um, you know, so we'll work closely with with the guidelines with with trainers With how we have to you know, space guys out and work things out We feel like we've got a pretty good plan in place. We know we're gonna have to remain flexible as we go as things change um, but I do feel like we're ready to um You know kick things off and hopefully make the most of the of the three weeks we have building up into the season Have you had to think outside the box at all because there's only one field It's not like you're down in Tampa with multiple fields as far as getting guys ready in training in maybe different ways Yeah, you know, we'll look to be pretty aggressive, you know We feel like we have a pretty good handle on our guys and have kept Cabs on them and spoken to them. So we feel like we have a decent idea of where they are You know kind of physically coming in but that's something that we'll have to gauge in the early days Um, you know, and I feel like overall we're in a pretty good spot coming in Um, it's going to be different than a normal spring training. We're we're gonna, you know Put a lot of value on live reps, you know pictures facing hitters hitters facing pitchers Getting live defensive reps trying to build guys up as safely and as smartly as we can But we are going to put a value on on competition From pretty early on in camp How do you manage the pitching staff? They were ramped up during the first spring training and then they dialed it back a little bit Even though they were throwing I imagine that's a major concern for you guys. Yeah, no question Again, that's something that we've tried to keep tabs on Matt Blake and Mike Harky have done a really good job as far as You know logging information logging exactly what they've been able to do on a daily basis Knowing what guys have been able to do from from not only throwing standpoint, but from a working out standpoint I feel like most of our guys come in physically in a good spot to get ramped up But you know, we'll also err on the side of caution as far as making sure we as best we can build guys up safely And smartly and it's going to be important to to lean on our depth along the way Especially early on with the starters in particular Do you have in your mind a universal pitch count? Will it vary by picture or is it more? How is he feeling when he's on the mound? Is he laboring too much? Yeah, it's it'll vary by picture Um, you know, it'll kind of depend where they are, you know And and obviously as we start here in the next couple days and with our starters as they You know get into live batting practice or or sim or inner squad game situations It'll be a steady build-up. I do feel like most of our starters Come in ready to hit the ground running ready to face live hitters Probably ready to go a couple innings and we'll see how the progression is over that three weeks We won't force anything But we'll try and safely build them up to when you know the 23rd 24th hit. We're ready to go Brian Cashman said yesterday that he expects as long as nothing goes wrong over the next three weeks that Aaron judge Most likely will be a part of it on opening day. I know you were down in Tampa when he was there What did you see from him? Does he look okay in the batter's box? He does Everything to this point has gone. Well, um, there's no question that the the time off I feel like he is used wisely As far as being able to you know, keep himself in shape working hard day in and day out while also giving The injury in the rib the chance to heal and and and by all accounts and by our latest You know imaging and everything it looks like it has healed how we hope and that's really good news And as he started to ramp up here these last couple weeks with with swinging We do feel like he's ready to come in and and uh and be a full A full go. Um, the the big challenge now will be how does he handle and bounce back day in and day out And how is he able to build up and that's that's kind of the question remaining now with Aaron Because it's a sprint do you need guys that can go every day or do you have the luxury of saying you can go One day off the next day on one day off the day, you know, everyone can be a little bit different It's it's certainly a fluid situation, especially when we're talking about guys that are returning You know, one of the luxuries we have when you look at our club if if we're healthy, you know, we feel like You know, we have 14 or 15 guys that are that are starting type players. So We're always gonna especially early on air on the side of caution with these guys and make sure we're not pushing them too much um, but also understanding the value that And knowing that these guys in their mind will want to Come out of the gates knowing that it's a shortened season But uh, we'll try and be as smart as we can and read every individual on an individual basis What are your expectations for Aaron Hicks? Aaron's been doing really well too. I think his rehab process has gone according to plan. Um, you know, obviously he He got down to Tampa a few weeks ago and and has been hitting and throwing and um, so he's another guy that comes in and will be You know, we'll put him into live live game situations And again just seeing how he handles the build up how he handles the daily grind and the ability to bounce back That's something with Aaron and with the tj surgery that we'll have to monitor But we do feel like uh, he he enters here in a good spot You mentioned the depth you mentioned the roster. How do you see this roster shaking out for opening day? We'll see. You know, obviously we start the season with 30 And then and then get it down to 28. I believe a couple weeks in and then 26. So You know, I do feel like it'll in a lot of ways declare itself Um, you know, hopefully we're healthy and everyone's ready to go In the next few weeks and and and then and then we have some tough decisions obviously But but I feel like it'll declare itself here over these next few weeks and and know that We're excited that, you know, some of our guys that needed to heal up have had that opportunity And and we think that'll serve us well moving forward Two young arms that are potential options in davie garcia and clark schmitt. Do you expect them to play a role? We'll say um, obviously they They they've impressed. Um, you know, davie was such a great season last year And both guys came in to camp and And performed really well and you know, we were excited to see them And you know after seeing them for three or four weeks or what for whatever we were down there Um, you know, they validated A lot of those reasons that we're excited. So we'll say they're going to be part of our 58 or so I believe to start and uh, you know, we'll see we'll see how it unfolds There's also some new rules because of the circumstances runner on second base and extra innings Do you like the tweaks that they've made here in the 60 game season? I'm fine with it. Um You know, not sure how I like that. Um, if it became something permanent, maybe maybe it would be great I'm not really sure yet. Um, you know, I know kind of behind the scenes We're we're trying to kind of break that down and and see the best way to to handle those situations Obviously being at a road club or a home club, you know, the strategy changes a little bit Um, but I do I do think it makes some sense for this season as far as Trying to keep, you know, that random 16 18 inning game from happening When we're in the situation we are so I'm I'm totally fine with it Erin you're a guy that's been around baseball your entire life You're used to doing things a certain way with all the new protocols Do you think it will be difficult for guys to police themselves Against things that they're used to doing such as social distancing in the dugout. Well, I mean that'll be Probably the first and biggest message that we have Um, you know that I have to our team and that we have as a group, you know We're in this for the next hopefully three or four months And there's going to be things that are challenging. They're going to be things on a daily basis that You know, frankly are probably a nuisance and and and are going to get tedious and annoying But it's all part of where we are and it's you know I talk to our guys all the time about You know the adversity that you that you face in a season in 162 game season and that adversity is inevitable We didn't account necessarily for this kind of adversity, but I do feel like our guys are Um built to handle this. I feel like they are equipped to handle this and the expectation is That we need to handle it and make sure we're looking out for one another taking care of one another being smart Not only at the field but away from the field as well and that will be Um, you know one of the overarching messages that we try and Deliver almost on a daily basis In talking to your team over the past couple of days, what is the feeling been surrounding the 2020 Yankees guys are excited. Um, You know, it's Um, it's been a long long grind to get to this point in and not just baseball terms But obviously just all that's going on in our world in 2020 Um, so my sense and my overall sense from the guys is that they're really excited to get back and play And trying to chase down that championship. You know, that's what we're showing up to do That's going to be our focus and and I feel like our guys will have that singular mindset and in my sense from them is that, um They're they're excited to get rolling I know it's out of everyone's control with the virus, but do you think The league will be able to make it through the season and the postseason. I hope so. I mean, you know I will see. I mean that's we're getting ready for that. I mean, we're planning ahead like we've got a three Three months season and then hopefully a month in the postseason. So Um, that's what we're preparing for that's the hope and hopefully we can all kind of do our part Not only as a team but individually to uh, to to to give us a greater chance at pulling this off You mentioned the planning aspect. You've mentioned planning a lot throughout the course of this interview When do you start planning for that opening day lineup? Are you already thinking about scenarios writing out the lineup? I wrote down a couple actually yesterday. Um Yeah, again, that that's also something that'll kind of declare itself, you know, um, you know, obviously the matchup, you know Who's available? Um, you know where guys are at physically? Um, you know you know It's some good choices right now and uh, hopefully it remains that way in the next few weeks I have some time you can go through all of them if you want to No, we're good. We're good All right, maybe next time erin as always. Thank you so much for the time. You bet. Thanks. Marietta. See you soon