TAMPA, Fla. — Gary Sánchez stood at his spring training locker shortly after catching Gerrit Cole for the first time since the right-handed ace became a Yankee. This year, there were no questions about Sánchez’s conditioning, about defensive lapses that took place last season.



Sánchez begins his spring training with more opportunity for a new experience than anyone else who will stand in that room once games begin later this month. He looked fit, he spoke with confidence, and he gave the best damn quote anyone will hear this spring.



Spring training offers a new opportunity for everyone who walks through the doors of an MLB facility. It’s part HR onboarding for players in the form of taking physicals and getting in some early games of catch. It’s part first day of school, with new haircuts and new clothes and the baseball equivalent of asking everyone, “Hey, how was your winter?” On the first day of spring, no...