Okay, the college football season just ended.. the NFL is in its final month.. the PGA Tour re-teed off for the 2016-17 season (stop laughing, I like watching golf on TV). But for New York Yankee  fans and Tampa Bay baseball fans it means Spring Training is almost here.

Game tickets at George Steinbrenner Field, for the general public, go on sale today!

And it’s just the start.  The Yankees, Hillsborough County, and the State of Florida are sharing the costs of $40 million worth of renovations to Steinbrenner Field.. and they should be finished for most of the spring training games in March.

On the field, will be even more renovations.  For the first time in years, the Yankees are looking toward the future.  They’ve begun a youth movement.  They will actually have under-30-somethings in the starting lineup this season.  Gary Sanchez, Greg Bird, Aaron Hicks, and Aaron Judge are among the brightest prospects in the game, and they have a great chance to start on Opening Day.  And there are more in the minors, within a few years of playing in the Big Show.

Free agency wasn’t forgotten.  The Yanks signed OF Matt Holliday, and invested $86 million in reacquiring closer Aroldis Chapman.  That’s not a bad deal, trading Chapman for 3 promising minor leaguers and a major league arm in Adam Warren back in July.. then getting him back for the following season.

The Yankees’ future looks bright again.  The consensus is they are building for a 2018 resurgence.  But who knows, with good health and good luck, they could improve on their 84-win total of 2016.

For more from Dave check out our 813area Sports Page!