It’s January in Tampa and to many New York Yankees’ fans that means it’s time to don the famous pinstripes and play ball.  The annual Yankees Fantasy Camps are held each January (there’s also another one for the guys each November) at George M. Steinbrenner Field and the surrounding training facilities.

And for the second season in a row, the first group in the door are female Yankee campers.  Next week, the men come to town.

Today the lobby of the Sheraton Suites was busy with the official sign-in with campers arriving from as far away as Puerto Rico.

By my unofficial count, there are 91 campers spread over eight teams.  And former Yankees players are the coaches of those teams.  Among them are Al Downing, Bucky Dent, David Wells, Gil Patterson, Homer Bush, and Mickey Rivers.

Our kick-off dinner is tonight with special guest, former Yankee, Tino Martinez signing autographs and taking pictures.

Jennifer Steinbrenner Swindal, Vice Chairperson and General Partner of the Yankees, will offer welcoming words to the players and she will play as well.  Jennifer will be on Al Downing’s Georgettes team.

There are many returnees from the historic first women’s mini fantasy camp in 2011 and from the looks of the smiling faces I saw in the lobby, a good time is in store for all the attendees.