Home Sweet Home?

Opening Day at the New Yankee Stadium

Indians 10 (WP- Cliff Lee, 1-2)
Yankees 2 (LP- Jose Veras, 0-1)

The New York Yankees did everything right during the pregame festivities at their new ballpark. Trying to evoke the ghosts of the past, Yankee legends, from Berra to Winfield, lined the infield. Bernie Williams played his haunting and melancholic interpretation of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" in his old stomping grounds, center field. Babe Ruth's bat was laid across home plate as Derek Jeter stepped into the box. Johnny Damon collected the first hit in the history of the Stadium and Sabathia struck out the first batter. But it was all downhill from there.Starter CC Sabathia struggled with his control but managed a respectable 5 2/3 innings of one run ball. It took CC 122 pitches, though, so Joe Girardi was forced to go to the Jekyll and Hyde bullpen early. Thanks to a Jorge Posada homerun (the first in the history of the new ballpark) the game was tied 1-1 when Sabathia exited. By the time Jose Veras and Damaso Marte were finished, though, the game was out of reach, capped off by a Grady Sizemore grand slam. Veras and Marte were so bad that the listless crowd chanted, "We Want Swisher!" As easy as it was to blame the bullpen, the Yankee offense went 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position, an alarming trend dating back to last season. The first game at the New Yankee Stadium was memorable for all the wrong reasons, as Cleveland beat New York 10-2.

Game 11: Do Over


Indians 5 (LP- Jensen Lewis, 1-1)
Yankees 6 (WP- Brian Bruney, 2-0;
Save- Mariano Rivera, 3)

Derek Jeter hit the game-winning homerun in the 8th inning of a tie game and Mariano Rivera saved it with a scoreless 9th to secure the very first victory in the new Yankee Stadium.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

The "Bronx Bombers" lived up to their moniker Friday afternoon, belting 5 solo homeruns (Damon, Teixeira, Cabrera, Cano, Jeter). The only other Yankee run scored via a throwing error by the Indians' Vinnie Chulk. It was just the right margin for victory. Joba Chamberlain, making his second start of the season, was not impressive, allowing 5 earned runs in less than 5 innings. Girardi was forced to go to the bullpen early once again, but, unlike the previous afternoon, Phil Coke, Jonathan Albaladejo, Brian Bruney, and Rivera got the job done by throwing 4+ scoreless innings. Earning the first victory at the new home of the New York Yankees was great, but the Yankees went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Timely hitting is sorely lacking thus far.

Game 12: Brutal


Indians 22 (WP- Fausto Carmona, 1-2)
Yankees 4 (LP- Chien-Ming Wang, 0-3)

Please don't make me recap this game for you. Look it up here if you must, but I advise against it.


Saturday afternoon's debacle featured 6 Cleveland homeruns and 16 surrendered earned runs between Chien-Ming Wang and rookie Anthony Claggett in only 3 innings. Every Yankee pitcher gave up a run (or eight) and every Cleveland starter had a basehit (or 4).

Embarrassing is an understatement.

A Look Ahead

The Yankees will try to salvage a split of the four-game series on Sunday afternoon when the newly appointed stopper A.J. Burnett takes on the Indians. Who will be opposing him, you ask? Why, none other than our old friend, Carl Pavano! Well, Carl is scheduled to pitch; he very well may break a rib or stub his toe or suffer a bee sting between now and 1:00 p.m. so it's best if you just tune in and see if he makes it.

Into the Win Column With A.J. and Andy

Game 3- New York Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles

WP: A.J. Burnett (1-0)
LP: Alfredo Simon (0-1)

A.J. Burnett made his Yankees debut during the series finale at Camden Yards, going 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs, and striking out 6. While Sabathia and Wang hadn't managed a strikeout between them in the first two games, it took A.J. all of two batters to break that streak. Burnett got into trouble in the 3rd and 4th innings but had his offspeed pitches working well enough to earn the victory. Phil Coke, Jose Veras, Brian Bruney, and Mariano Rivera combined for 3+ innings of scoreless relief.


Nick Swisher, starting in place of Hideki Matsui, was the star at the plate, driving in 5 runs with a homerun and a double. Mark Teixeira also had a multi-hit ballgame and launched his first homerun as a Yankee, finally quieting the boos of the scorned Baltimore fans. Robinson Cano went 3-4 with his first homer of the season and scored 4 runs. The Yankees won the ballgame 11-2 despite the absence of Matsui and Jorge Posada and a combined 0-8 afternoon from tablesetters Derek Jeter and Johnny Damon.



Game 4- New York Yankees vs. Kansas City Royals

WP: Andy Pettitte (1-0)
LP: Sidney Ponson (0-1)
Save: Mariano Rivera (1)

Number 4 starter Andy Pettitte pitched absolutely beautifully in the series opener against Kansas City. Pettitte breezed through 7 innings, striking out 6 and allowing only 1 run (although it really ought to have been a shutout, as Nick Swisher misplayed a ball in right that led to the one run). The late afternoon start in Kansas City had a lot to do with the success of the pitchers as the game went on, as shadows crept across the field and made seeing the ball nearly impossible. Ex-Yankee Sidney Ponson pitched fairly well for the Royals, and another familiar face, Kyle Farnsworth, came in to pitch the 7th and struck out the side. Mariano Rivera came on in the 9th and was his usual dominant self, striking out 2 and earning his first save.

Offensively, Yankee bats were quiet with the exception of Jorge Posada, who delivered a 2-run single in the first, and Robinson Cano, whose hot hitting and newly acquired plate discipline continues. Derek Jeter and Nick Swisher delivered the other 2 RBI. Swisher started in right field for the first time this season, spelling Xavier Nady.

The Yankees are now 2-2 on the season. CC Sabathia gets another chance at his first Yankees win Saturday night in Kansas City.

Welcome to the Big Leagues, Koji

New York Yankees 5
Baltimore Orioles 7

WP: Koji Uehara (1-0)
LP: Chien-Ming Wang (0-1)
HR: Derek Jeter (1), Nick Markakis (1)

From the Mound

- Chien-Ming Wang just did not have it Wednesday night. After giving up three consecutive doubles in the first, it was apparent that his sinker was not working. Once again, a Yankee starter failed to finish 5 innings or record a strikeout. This was Wang's first big league start since injuring his foot back in June.
- Between Sabathia and Wang, Yankee starters have allowed 8 walks and no strikeouts. Not an encouraging statistic.
- On the bright side, New York's bullpen was effective. Edwar Ramirez, Jonathan Albaladejo, and Jose Veras combined for 4 1/3 scoreless innings.
- For the O's, Koji Uehara, one-time teammate of Hideki Matsui with the Yomiuri Giants, went 5 innings and earned the victory in his Major League debut.

At the Plate

- Derek Jeter had a nice game at the plate, capped off by a ninth inning homerun that jump- started a late Yankees rally that came up just short. Through the season's first two games, the new leadoff man and Yankee Captain has gone 5-9 with a homerun, 2 RBI, and a stolen base.
- Robinson Cano went 2-4, delivering an RBI double in the sixth. He also stole a base and made a nice defensive play. It's certainly too early to make any definitive statements, but I think the Cano of '06 and '07 is back again for 2009.
- Mark Teixeira looked woeful at the plate once again, popping up three times to the infield and striking out in the 7th. He finally came through with his first hit of the season during the late ninth inning rally, providing an RBI double that scored Johnny Damon.
- After pinch-hitting for Cody Ransom and working a walk in the ninth, Nick Swisher is still batting 1.000.

A Look Ahead

The Yankees will look to A.J. Burnett to avoid a series sweep when he takes the hill at 1:35 Thursday afternoon at Camden Yards. The Orioles will send Alfredo Simon to the mound, looking to start the season 3-0.