1. Joba Chamberlain, rhp
2. Austin Jackson, of
3. Jose Tabata, of
4. Ian Kennedy, rhp
5. Alan Horne, rhp
6. Jesus Montero, c
7. Jeff Marquez, rhp
8. Brett Gardner, of
9. Ross Ohlendorf, rhp
10. Andrew Brackman, rhp

Pete Mackanin, who ended last season as the Cincinnati Reds interim manager, has taken a job with the New York Yankees as a major league scout.

Roger Clemens' former trainer said he was willing to go to jail and repeatedly asked the pitcher ``what do you want me to do?'' during a 17-minute telephone conversation last week.

A recording of last Friday's conversation between Clemens and Brian McNamee was played Monday at the start of Clemens' news conference. Clemens' lawyers said that because McNamee didn't deny Clemens' claims that he never used steroids, it amounted to proof that Clemens was telling the truth.

"All of McNamee's accusations are false and defamatory per se," the lawsuit states. "They are not true, and they injured Clemens' reputation and exposed him to public hatred, contempt, ridicule, and financial injury. McNamee made the allegations with actual malice, knowing they were false."

Clemens' lawsuit also asks a Texas court to declare that he has not defamed McNamee. McNamee's New York lawyers have threatened to sue Clemens for defamation, depending what Clemens said on 60 Minutes.

On the Red Sox winning a second championship in four years:

"All credit to them. John Henry has done a great job as owner, (Theo) Epstein has done a great job as GM, but we intend to make things right again -- the way they have historically been. Obviously, the Red Sox are going to continue to be a major player, which they weren't in the past. But we intend to be the champs again, and they can be runner's up." ...

On Alex Rodriguez returning to the team:

"I don't blame him. I don't blame him at all. He never intended on leaving the Yankees -- believe me, it's the truth. This guy is -- and I keep telling people but it's like they don't believe it -- but this guy has done a great job with our young players. He's a leader, they look up to him, just like they did with I truly believe him when he said he had no intention of leaving. Like I said before, he won the fans over quicker than Mickey Mantle."

“The dynamics are changing with us. When I signed up with this current three-year deal, and this is the last year of it, it was with full authority to run the entire program. George had given me that. But things have changed in this third year now with the emergence of Hal and Hank Steinbrenner and that started this winter,” he said, “I’m learning as I go along, too. But it is different. But one thing is that I’ve been with this family, the Steinbrenner family, for well over 20 years. So I’m focused fully on doing everything I possibly can to assist them in their emergence now as decision makers.”

I e-mailed media relations director Jason Zillo and he replied thusly: “Mr. Sheppard is feeling much better and is scheduled to resume his position behind the mic for Opening Day.” So that is good news.

"I'm passing," Yaeger told the Daily News. "I had a chance to review the Jose Canseco (material) that he provided me. I don't think there's a book there. I don't know what they're going to do. I don't think he's got what he claims to have, certainly doesn't have what he claims to have on A-Rod.

In a surprising twist to their public war of words, Roger Clemens and his former trainer, Brian McNamee, spoke by telephone Friday night, Newsday has learned. It was their first contact since the Mitchell Report was released Dec. 13, and a person close to the situation described the hourlong conversation between the longtime friends as "emotional."