Vidal Nuno to start the Yankees' spring training opener vs FSU

Vidal Nuno told The Star-Ledger Sunday morning that he will start the Yankees' spring training opener Tuesday against Florida State University at George M. Steinbrenner Field.

"They just want me to throw strikes," Nuno told the New Jersey paper. "For me, I want to get back into game situations and umpires."

Nuno said that he expects to throw two innings, the norm for early spring training starts.

Nuno is one of the four pitchers that are battling for the fifth spot in the Yankees' rotation this season, and though he might not be the top candidate, he certainly has shown in the past that he is capable of giving the Yankees quality starts.

He made his major league debut with the Yankees last season on April 29th, pitching three scoreless innings of relief against the Tampa Bay Rays. He pitched five scoreless innings in his first start for the Bombers on May 13th in the second game of a double-header against the Cleveland Indians.

Nuno was optioned back down to Triple-A Scranton on May 30th, and suffered a groin injury on June 7th that caused him to miss the rest of the season.

He is a guy that can throw a lot of strikes. People that have watched him before say how much it's like he's a pitcher in a video game, where you can just put down a target and he'll hit it.

You would think that his pretty good stint with the Yankees last season gives him a better chance to make the club. But we shall see.

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Gavin Ewbank is the Lead Writer of Yanks Beat Blog, and you can follow him on Twitter @GavinEwbank.