TAMPA, Fla. -- New York Yankees reliever David Robertson is not overanalyzing his role as Mariano Riveras replacement. Robertson is moving from an eighth-inning setup man to closer following Riveras retirement. "Its the same deal," Robertson said Tuesday after a pre-spring training workout at the Yankees minor league complex. "Throwing the eighth or ninth inning, youve still got to get three outs. Youve got to be effective. You cant give up a lead. Im not going to try to overthink the whole situation." Rivera has said that Robertson is the right man for the role. The former teammates spent time together last month at the New York baseball writers dinner. "First thing he said is, You scared?" Robertson recalled. "Im like, No. Its typical Mo. Hes all over my case already. I havent even thrown a pitch yet, and hes on me. He knows I can do it, and I think I know I can do it. Its just a matter of actually stepping out there and doing it." Given the chance to fill in as closer when Rivera injured a knee in 2012, Robertson strained muscle in his left ribcage. Rafael Soriano took over as closer for the rest of the season. Robertson went 5-1 with a 2.04 ERA in 70 games last year, striking out 77 in 66 1-3 innings. "Hes been in some huge situations here," Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild said. "Hes been around Mo. Hes in a good position to know what he has to do. Hes done everything that you could ask him to do to this point to become a closer. Now its just a matter of executing the pitches. Unless he gets overwhelmed by the situation, I dont anticipate major problems." Rothschild also said CC Sabathia has increased his throwing program during the off-season to build up arm strength and stamina. Coming off elbow surgery to remove a bone spur in October 2012, Sabathia was 14-13 with a 4.78 ERA last year. "The last couple winters, three or four really, he hasnt been able to do a lot with going back to his knee and then the elbow last winter," Rothschild said. "Hes been able to do a lot more this winter, so coming into spring training I think hell be in a little different place than he has been the last couple years." NOTES: Rothschild has had email communication with Japanese RHP Masahiro Tanaka. "Theres going to be adjustments hes going to have to make," Rothschild said. "Hes got the presence of mind to know what he needs to do to adjust when he gets here." ... SS Derek Jeter, limited to 17 games last season due to injuries, took 48 swings during his second day of batting practice. Fred VanVleet Raptors Jersey . -- Challenged for the first time under Major League Baseballs expanded replay system, umpires got it right. Jeremy Lin Jersey . Granato was an assistant for the Pittsburgh Penguins for the last five seasons, and he was also part of Team USAs staff at the 2014 Olympics. https://www.raptorsrookiesshop.com/Malac...ion-Jersey/.com) - The Los Angeles Kings werent playing their best hockey before the league went on break during the Winter Olympics. Devin Robinson Jersey . Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone dismissed Tuesdays massive anti-government protest in Manama as "a lot of kids having a go at the police." "I dont think its anything serious at all," Ecclestone was quoted as saying in The Guardian newspaper on Wednesday. Malcolm Miller Raptors Jersey . Still, Encarnacion felt a sense of relief. He felt a pop just before crumpling to the ground after running out a groundball in the first inning of Saturdays game. It could have been worse. “Its going to take maybe two weeks,” said Encarnacion. “It depends how Im going to be and how Im going to be day after day, feeling better or not.Each week, The Reporters put their thumbs out to the good and the bad in the world of sports. This week they discuss the goalie fight fascination, the end of the line for Anthony Calvillo, Canadas flag-bearer and the rodeo that has become the Edmonton Oilers. Bruce Arthur, National Post: My thumb is up to the Edmonton Oilers, because you cant be too careful these days. No sir, you have to watch out, especially when you are in year eight of a rebuild that has produced: three No. 1 overall picks, three other top-10 picks, five head coaches, no playoff appearances, public money for a new arena, an estimate that the franchise has nearly doubled in value, and one Kevin Lowe, who is currently the franchises president of hockey operations. So when a guy tows a sign that reads “Kevin Lowe must go” in multicoloured letters outside your office, youd better call the police, which you did, in case it turned violent. Because thats not a humiliating indication of a bunker mentality shared by a franchise whose treatment of its fans borders on a prank at this point. Right? Dave Naylor, TSN Radio: My thumb is up to Anthony Calvillo, who made it official this week by announcing his retirement after 20 CFL seasons. Calvillo leaves the game with his name on most of the CFLs meaningful passing records and is regarded as one of the Leagues all-time greats. But what stood out about him again this week was his humility and class. Maybe it came from his modest upbringing in East L.A. or perhaps his time struggling as a member of the Las Vegas Posse or the Hamilton Tiiger-Cats.dddddddddddd But Anthony Calvillos greatest asset as a player -- and what we should remember him most for - was the respect he had for the game, his family and his adoptive home of Montreal. Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated: Because the simple solution is generally the right one, my thumb is up to the Canadas flag bearer for Sochi, Hayley Wickenheiser. Wickenheiser might have lost the "C" on the ice, but she has not lost her commanding presence in the game, in the country or in the Olympic movement. She is the best player in the history of womens hockey, a three-time gold medalist and now a six-time Olympian, which includes one trip as a softball player. As for the flag-bearer curse … well, as a veteran observer of the SI cover jinx, I say “phooey”. What Wickenheiser carries Feb. 7 will have no impact what might occur in the gold-medal game Feb. 20. Dave Hodge, TSN: My thumb is down to those hockey fans and especially those hockey commentators who were annoyed when they didnt get to see a goalie fight between Peter Budaj and Marc-Andre Fleury. To them, the officials who prevented it did something wrong. Really? Whenever one goalie decides, for whatever reason, or for no reason, to leave his end of the ice, and the other goalie decides to meet him halfway to throw punches, those in charge of the game should stand back and watch? I mean, the NHL looks silly enough for the stuff it doesnt try hard enough to prevent, but the minute it appears to encourage Budaj vs. Fleury, its a midnight beer league. ' ' '