Old Heathcott slayed? “I have been a negative influence, a bad influence, all my life, with how to go about things and fighting the system and making excuses and complaining and things like that. But I decided I was done making excuses. I was done complaining. I was going to enjoy life and be a positive influence, for a change.”

This spring, the Yankees' prodigal son - now 24, and in his 7th year as a pro - played his way onto the Triple A roster. Yep, Slade Heathcott has made it... to Scranton!

Tonight, he starts in the anthracite capital of Pennsylvania, the former home of Dwight Shrute, (who is now Backstrom). He's a dad, he's eating right, he's no longer crazy-batshit-loco, and if he can stay healthy... well... that's a big "IF..." but who knows?

“I realized I need to appreciate the things I have,” Heathcott said. “I never knew how negative I was every day going about my day, going about the game. You’re only going to get out what you put in, and I was putting so much negative in. I was blaming everyone around me for five years for my lack of success. I finally realized this past offseason that winners get the job done, regardless.”

He hit .333 in Florida.