SERBY’S SPRING TRAINING Q&A WITH ... Brett GARDNER

Q: Describe the team’s great expectations. A: I think the expectations for our team are super-high, sky-high. I feel like we had a much better season than a lot of people kind of predicted and a lot of people thought we [would] kind of have. We proved a lot of people wrong. ... I think anytime with the Yankees, any years rs you don’t win the World Series it’s a disappointment, but [last] year we obviously y didn’t even make it to the World Series but it didn’t feel like so much of a disappointment. ... The way that we played last t year with such energy and excitement and being able to make it back to October, r, that’s what it’s about in New York and it was a lot of fun. Q: Would anything short of a World Series championship be a failure this season? A: I came up with the Yankees in 2008, and that’s how I was raised if you will in the Yankee organization, and I don’t think that’s ever changed. I don’t think that the expectations should ever be lowered. Q: What can Giancarlo Stanton do for Aaron Judge? A: Wow. Well, what can they do for each other even more importantly? I think that Stanton obviously is a guy who’s still young, but he’s been around a little longer, obviously had more success than Aaron to this point. They’re very similar players in so many ways. Everybody wants to compare ’em because they’re as big as they are ... the position that they play and the way that they play and the way that they hit, and just the sheer power that they have. ... I know that [Stanton is] super-excited to get to New York and to experience the bright lights and the big city. He’s a guy that is very, very, very competitive and to this point in his career, he’s never had a chance to go into the postseason and do those things that he aspires to do, and hopefully we get a chance to do that together this year. Q: Is the MLB single-season team home run record — 264 by the Mariners in 1987 — in danger? A: (Laugh) I don’t know if it’s in danger. I think that’s obviously a very high number, [but] I think it’s definitely within reach. A lot of things have to go right obviously, but just as a lot of things have to go right for a team to make it to the playoffs and possibly win the World Series, a lot of things would have to go right for our team to be able to break that record. The pitching last year in 2017 was as tough as I’ve ever seen it, and I’m sure this year’s gonna be even a little tougher. Q: What is your message to fans? A: (Laugh) Come out early and watch these guys take BP. I think it’s gonna be fun. I think I’m gonna start taking batting practice inside so those big guys don’t make me look bad. Not just Giancarlo Stanton, but you’ve got guys like Tyler Wade and Gleyber Torres competing for a job in the infield and possibly both those guys could potentially be in the lineup Opening Day, and just a lot of young guys that have got a lot of talent and are ready for their chance, and we’re excited about it. Q: Will you pick Russell Wilson’s brain? A: (Laugh) Yeah, try to, maybe run a couple of routes for him and have some fun. I’ve spoken to a couple of guys already, we’re excited to have him in camp for a little while, and not just pick his brain, but hang out with him and see what we can learn from him, and I think it’ll be fun. Q: How comforting is it having the kind of bullpen you have? A: I feel like we have the best bullpen in baseball. Again, I guess I’m a little biased. We’ve got some really, really, really talented guys down there. Anytime you have that many weapons, it helps you shorten the game on days when maybe your starter’s not doing so well ... you can turn things over to the bullpen and feel really good about your chances. Q: How high is up for Luis Severino? A: We’re talking about a 23-year-old kid. We’ve heard about his name since he was 19 years old, so it seems like he’s a little older than he is for me. But I think he finished third in the Cy Young last year, he had an unbelievable season. He’s the reason that we even made the playoffs in the first place to be honest. The sky’s the limit, man. He’s got ridiculous potential. Last year he really harnessed his fastball command and was able to get ahead and put guys away and just be the dominant force on the mound that’s he’s capable of being. Q: You’re the longest-tenured Yankee. A: Yeah, that’s hard to believe, man. My time’s really flown by. It’s hard to believe that this is my 10th season. ... Last year was a whole lot of fun for me, maybe my most enjoyable season yet. Q: You would love to retire a Yankee. A: I’ve always been pretty candid about that. I would never want to play anywhere else if the choice were mine. Love the team, love the city. All the teammates that I’ve had that have come in from other places tell me how good it is and tell me how good I’ve got it, and very thankful for the opportunity that I’ve been given there. Q: Will your role be any different with the logjam in the outfield? A: I’ve talked to a few people about that, and talked about the different situations, and I’m prepared for the same exact role, and I know there’s gonna be times when maybe we’re facing a left-handed pitcher and I might not be in there that day. I don’t know if there’s gonna be a chance for me tto start 150 or 155 games or maybe it’ll be a little less than that. It always has a way of playing itself out, and I’m prepared for a whole season, and looking forward to the challenge. Q: What do you think of new manager Aaron Boone? A: Very excited about getting to know him better, playing for him. I’ve never played for anybody else in the big leagues except Joe Girardi, so it’ll be a little different for me having a different coaching staff. That’s something that us as players, we have to just continue to stay motivated and continue to adapt to different changes. Q: Was a change warranted or needed? A: I was kind of surprised by that. ... Obviously it was a situation where the people that make those decisions wanted to make a change. Joe was nothing short of great to me, and I thought he did a good job with our team last year, and obviously, I thought we had a successful season as far as making it as deep as we did with the expectations that people probably placed on us going into the season. ... I know that our guys on our roster will be ready to play no matter who we’re playing for, and I’m excited about the upcoming season.