TAMPA, Fla. -- Visitors to Dr. Jordan Taillon's office have been awed -- and perhaps comforted -- by an extensive array of Yankees memorabilia, featuring autographed items from pinstriped legends like Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle.

The Fort Myers, Fla. pulmonologist should have no trouble adding to that collection soon. When the Yankees acquired right-hander Jameson Taillon in January, they also picked up a diehard fan of the franchise -- one whose last calendar year has been spent battling the spread of COVID-19 in the Sunshine State.

"I'm a little biased, but I think that New York is going to have a gem," Dr. Taillon said in a telephone interview. "As good a player as he is, he's even a better person. He cares about the fans; he cares about the team. I think he'll get out there and prove to a lot of people that there's a lot left in the tank baseball-wise."

[www.mlb.com]