Greg Bird is stronger, healthier and ready to challenge Luke Voit for the New York Yankees‘

TAMPA http://www.indiansfanproshop.com/authentic-b.j.-upton-jersey , Fla. (AP) — first-base job.After three injury-marred seasons, the 26-year old Bird reported to the Yankees’ spring training complex in early January and checked into camp at 230 pounds, up about 20 from the end of last season.“I was able to start over and get to where I needed to be, and work from the ground up,” Bird said Thursday after homering off Masahiro Tanaka in a simulated game and adding a single against left-hander James Paxton. “I didn’t change anything. I just got back to where I needed to be.”Bird made his big league debut in August 2015 and hit 11 homers with 31 RBIs in 46 games. He missed 2016 after surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder, then hit .451 with eight homers during spring training in 2017 but fouled a ball off his right ankle March 30,.He started the season 6 for 60 and went on the disabled list May 2. Bird had surgery July 18 to remove a bone in the ankle. He returned Aug. 26 and hit .253 with eight homers and 25 RBIs in 29 games, then batted .241 three homers and six RBIs in 13 playoff games.But he hit poorly in spring training last year and had surgery March 27 to remove a broken spur on the outside of his right ankle. He did not play for the Yankees until May 26 and wound up with a .199 average Larry Doby Jersey , 11 homers and 38 RBIs over 82 games.Voit, acquired from St. Louis on July 28, displaced Bird and hit .333 with 14 homers and 33 RBIs in 39 games with the Yankees. General manager Brian Cashman said the job was Voit’s to lose this spring training.“The one thing about Greg, even last year when he was struggling at its most, he controls the strike zone,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “His first at-bats today, that was apparent and then we saw him impact the ball as well.”Bird’s drive off Tanaka produced a loud bang after nailing the right-center field scoreboard on a back field at Steinbrenner Field. In his next at-bat, he lined an opposite-field to left hit off Paxton. He also took a called third strike against Chad Green.“It’s step in the right direction,” Bird said. “I just want to play. That’s one step closer to playing.”Voit had three at-bats Thursday Bob Feller Jersey , including a single to left against Paxton.Bird’s homer was the lone hit off Tanaka, who struck out Miguel Andujar, Gleyber Torres and Tyler Wade over 1 2/3 innings.Troy Tulowitzki drove a ball off the left-field fence against Paxton.MR. 0Adam Ottavino wore No. 0, and that’s exactly what he gave the hitters.He struck out Torres and Voit, then struck out Wade twice, both times swinging.“You’re watching from behind and knowing as a right-handed hitter, that’s not a fun at-bat right there,” Boone said. “Sometimes when he executes, you’re kind of like not even upset when you’re out http://www.indiansfanproshop.com/authentic-b.j.-upton-jersey , you’re just glad it’s over with.”MORE FROM THE MOUNDReliever Danny Farquhar, coming back from a brain hemorrhage stemming from a ruptured aneurysm last April 20, could be ready for his first simulated game next week. . LHP CC Sabathia (heart stent and knee) is throwing at 60 feet on level ground. He is expected starting throwing off a mound around March 1. The hard throwing righty hopes to land a spot in the opening day bullpen"WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Diamondbacks Farm TeamsGameday ThreadsDiamondbacks NewsDiamondbacks Game ReportsFang FoodCrowd Sourcing Diamondbacks Over/Under Projections: #17 Yoan LopezNew,12commentsThe hard throwing righty hopes to land a spot in the opening day bullpenESTShareTweetShareShareCrowd Sourcing Diamondbacks Over/Under Projections: #17 Yoan LopezMatt Kartozian-USA TODAY SportsIf familiar with this series go ahead and skip to poll. If not, please read on.This series of articles will run from now until shortly before opening day. The purpose is to crowd source the D-Backs fans of this website to get a sense of how they feel about the prospects of each individual player on the 40 man roster. For this exercise I will only be using rate (average) stats and poll the readers on their sense of direction for that player’s level of basic performance, regardless of playing time expectations.I’m not including defense and base running, so no WAR here, as that is playing time dependent. You will be given two poll options:The player will either exceed the projection or under perform the projection by 5% for hitters OPS or 10% for pitchers ERA/FIP.There is no middle option to vote on. (Otherwise the majority of votes would end up agreeing with the projection).What I am looking for is if you are forced to indicate your sense of direction for the player, is it well over or under the projection?Other Points of note:Projections are the average of Steamer and ZIPS projections.(Click through for original tables)The projections draw on 3 or 4 year samples Joe Carter Jersey , weighting most recent seasons the heaviest, but I’m just showing 2018 and career statsin mini table below for simplicityThe player’s name is high lighted with a link to the player’s Baseball-Reference page.Click on that to see more player history and detailAge is the 2019 player age.Polls will run until mid March, so if you miss a player,you can go to the story stream box on the front page andfind a player you might have missed .Please let us know in the comments section your thoughts behind your vote. Thanks !CONTEXT YOAN LOPEZ ,Age 26Yoan Lopez has a projection for a 3.87 ERA/ 3.80 FIP.Is he likely to come in Over or Under?