LAKELAND, Fla. -- Eight mornings ago, the ink had yet to dry on Neil Walker's Yankees contract, and Tyler Wade was holding court with a group of reporters in front of his George M. Steinbrenner Field locker, offering his authentic reaction: excitement.
Regardless of the imported competition, Wade believed that he was capable of playing his way onto the Opening Day roster. That positive mindset was rewarded after Tuesday's 8-3 Grapefruit League loss to the Tigers, as manager Aaron Boone announced that Wade will indeed come north with the big club.
"I take it day by day, but I'm kind of looking at the bigger picture here," Wade said.