Stanton Already Helping Yankees Move Tickets; Team Returning To Old Form With Signings

Yankees President Randy Levine said DH Giancarlo Stanton has already been a "huge addition," as the team is "selling a lot of tickets" for next season, according to Mark Herrmann of NEWSDAY. Levine said, "He’s the MVP of the National League, he’s a great player and our fan base is excited. We’re doing very well. ... He’s an exciting player, he seems to be very excited to be here.” Levine said of the Yankees, “At the end of the day, I think this is a really likable team. That’s the great thing about the Yankees. It has been going on. Mike Royko wrote back in the ’30s or ’40s: ‘Hating the Yankees is as American as eating pizza pie and cheating on your taxes.’ As long as we’re relevant and people are thinking about us, that’s the best part." He added, "This team has a lot of personality, has a lot of great, great young players” (NEWSDAY, 12/28). In N.Y., Dan Martin notes the Yankees have done more this offseason than a "large part of the rest of baseball." In addition to trading for Stanton, the Yankees are bringing back P C.C. Sabathia and traded 2B Starlin Castro and 3B Chase Headley, but the front office "isn’t finished." Levine: “[Yankees Senior VP & GM Brian Cashman] and the baseball people did a great job. I know he’s upstairs working, not finished. We’re hopeful there’s more stuff to be done before spring training and Opening Day.” Levine added, “We’re the Yankees. We always want to get better, and (Cashman) is always looking to get better and [Yankees Managing General Partner] Hal [Steinbrenner] is always trying to make us better” (N.Y. POST, 12/28).

CAN'T WIN EVERYTHING: NEWSDAY's Herrmann notes there are "evidently no hard feelings" about NYCFC, who the Yankees are investors in, losing out to the Islanders in the "bid for development rights at Belmont." NYCFC "wanted to build an outdoor soccer stadium" on the site. Levine said, “I don’t know much about it. ... There are several other sites. ... I didn’t really get into the feasibility study with the Islanders, but (Islanders co-Owner) Jon Ledecky is a pretty smart guy so I trust he knows what he’s doing” (NEWSDAY, 12/28).