Still, the question remains: Would the Yankees be better off using Chamberlain as Rivera's setup man and eventual replacement?

At this point, right-hander Brian Bruney and lefty Damaso Marte are likely to share the eighth inning. Neither has proven as dominant as Chamberlain in that role.

5. Sabathia

Considering that he cost the Yankees $161 million, it's scary hearing Girardi refer to Sabathia's rigorous workload for the Brewers in the second half of last season as "somewhat of a concern."

Sabathia, 28, has thrown nearly 500 innings the past two seasons. That includes 138 2/3 after July 1 last season, when each of his last four starts came on three days rest.

"I don't know if I was tired," Sabathia says. "It was mentally draining more than anything. Every day I went to the park, I felt it was my day to pitch."

Girardi says that big men such as Sabathia, who is 6-feet-7 and 290 pounds, possess reservoirs of strength, enabling them to carry greater loads.

Sabathia says he followed his normal offseason throwing program. He got off to a slow start last season after cutting back the previous winter.

6. Burnett

Do the math.

Burnett is coming off a career-high 221 1/3 innings, and not once has he thrown 200 in back-to-back seasons. The previous two times he reached 200, he broke down the following year.

Burnett, 32, says he learned to better take care of himself under the tutelage of former Blue Jays teammate Roy Halladay. He says he also is ready to handle playing in New York, even though he is more high-strung than Sabathia.

What advice did Burnett receive in that regard?

"Just be me," Burnett says. "I learned a lot in Toronto about dealing with the media. Obviously, it's different here, but I've grown up in that way. People have told me, don't point fingers, be accountable for everything and they'll love you."

7. Girardi

No doubt, he is on the hot seat; the Yankees are opening a new ballpark, and Girardi's first season ended with the team missing the playoffs for the first time since 1993.

A second straight failure probably would be unacceptable to ownership, but the Yankees' fortunes do not hinge on Girardi improving his standing in the clubhouse or relationship with the media.

Rodriguez and the players listed above will have a far greater impact, even if Girardi proves an inadequate successor to Joe Torre.

8. Center field

Melky Cabrera, Brett Gardner, who cares? The Yankees' lineup should be strong enough for the team to carry a defensive specialist in center.

It's conceivable that trade talks for the Brewers' Mike Cameron could revive if both Cabrera and Gardner flop in spring training. But the Yankees want to trade an outfielder — Nick Swisher or Xavier Nady — not add one.