TAMPA — New dugouts, new accessibility, a new Yankees pride wall, new music and most of all a new attitude.
It’s about time and respect.
New player leadership is on the way, too and that may be one of the most important changes occurring in the Yankees’ farm system now under Gary Denbo, the club’s new vice president of player development.
In every way it is a brand new day at the minor league complex and throughout the team’s minor league system.
“We’re raising the bar, we are going to have higher standards here, and we have high expectations,” Denbo told The Post this week. “We think as a group if you raise the bar and raise the expectations, you will get a better baseball product.”
Imagine that.
Denbo, 54, is instituting policies and a common-sense approach while utilizing the power and might of the Yankees to begin to create a better facility and an air of openness and togetherness.
He also is making player accountability job No. 1.
That’s a lot to get done in such a short time, but Denbo — who has 21 years of experience working in the organization, including the Yankees hitting coach in 2001 — knew changes had to be made.
Four new dugouts were built for Fields 1 and 2. The Yankees did not have dugouts, and instead it looked like a park-and-rec area with players and equipment everywhere — just a bad vibe, especially for Gulf Coast League games.
“We needed that for a long time. It adds a more professional atmosphere,” Denbo said.
As he talked, music played in the background during batting practice, everything from Rick Springfield’s “Jessie’s Girl” to the Latin pop duo Tercer Cielo’s “Entre Tu Y Yo.”
“Adding a simple thing like speakers and music for the players it makes things more relaxed for the players and we know players perform better when they are relaxed,” he said. “It’s time to put them in the position where they have everything they need to have success. That’s what we’re doing. We’re encouraging players families to come out and watch, too. It’s nice having your family around and we are just trying to make it more comfortable for them.”
The failings of the Yankees’ player-development system have been well chronicled. Denbo replaced Mark Newman, who retired at the end of the 2014 season after 15 years as senior VP of baseball operations. Denbo figures to assume that title shortly.
The first thing you notice when you walk into the minor league complex on North Himes Avenue is that the massive fences that were built to keep family, visitors and agents out of the area have been removed, allowing free-flowing access.
Mauro Palladino, father of pitching prospect David Palladino of Emerson, N.J., was on the grounds on this day.
“This is really fantastic,” he said as he roamed around.
Players look different, too. They used to have to show their socks, but now can wear their pants long, if they choose. They are choosing long pants as a fashion statement.
Finding and creating the next level of leaders for the Yankees is one of Denbo’s priorities.
In December, Eric Schmitt, the Yankees director of minor league operations, and Denbo decided to take on the leadership issue.
“Everybody is kind of wondering where leadership in the future is going,” Denbo said, “and we thought what if we could find a way to develop some of those qualities that our leaders have had over the years.
“It was actually Eric’s idea to call it Captains Camp.”
Denbo was Derek Jeter’s first manager and helped revive Jeter’s swing in 2011. The two have remained close through the years.
Jeter was one of the many speakers to talk to the 15 young players who attended the six-week camp.
“We were thinking beyond what happens on the baseball field,” Denbo said. “The qualities, the character and the accountability, taking responsibility for your career. We talked about respect a lot, respecting the game, respecting the opponents, respecting the fans and your teammates and your staff.
We think as a group if you raise the bar and raise the expectations, you will get a better baseball product.
- Gary Denbo
“Baseball, I think, has gotten away from that line of thinking,” Denbo said. “It’s important to get it back, especially with the New York Yankees. We have a lot of tradition and we have won 27 championships. Respect comes with that, but we want to teach our players to give respect in order to get respect, that’s what it is about.”
Greg Bird and Aaron Judge were two players in the camp.
“They stepped up in the meetings we had,” Denbo said of the first baseman and outfielder.
“There was baseball and workouts,” Bird said of the camp. “The main goal was to build quality players and quality people. All the guys who were in the camp were guys who want the same thing.’’
Tino Martinez was another speaker.
“Tino led by example, won four championships, not once did he talk about himself,” Denbo said. “He talked about Scott Brosius, Jeter, Bernie Williams, [Jorge] Posada, the guys who were leaders on that team. Not once did he say, ‘This is how I did it.’ He talked about what he learned from those players.
“That’s what I want these players to do, learn from the best in the business and focus on going forward,” Denbo said.
Denbo even had members of the Himes grounds crew speak to the players.
Bird said it hit home when one member of the crew said that by the players pursuing their dreams, he was able to accomplish his dream of working for the Yankees.
“That was awesome, just to get a different perspective,” Bird said. “It shows that everyone is in this together.”
Judge said meeting with Jeter was so productive because “he just sat back and said, ‘Ask me any questions you want.’ We asked a lot of questions.”
“It was powerful and impactful on the players,” Denbo said of the camp. “It became a good discussion about respect and the people who impact your career. It was a good lesson for the guys.”
It’s all about tying past Yankees success to the young players’ future while embracing a more relaxed atmosphere.
In the main clubhouse building there are changes being made as well.
Along one wall is a new addition, a list of players who have come through the system since 1990 and have made the majors. Images of Yankee icons Lou Gehrig, Mariano Rivera, Jeter and Babe Ruth are in the background. In the middle is the Yankees’ “NY” then the MLB logo.
Message sent.
A young man’s dream can take him a long way in pinstripes.