Opening day!
Live blogging the penultimate Home Opener at The Yankee Stadium in the Bronx (a new stadium is set to open in two years).
In the first, Alex Rodriquez couldn't corral a pop up, then struck out with runners in scoring position. The boo birds are ready! To be fair, the strike out came on a hit-and-run and an unhittable pitch. Jeter throws one in the stands in the second -- is the captain supporting his teammate?
Right.
2-1 Yankees (that's an unearned run for the D-Rays, on Jeter's error). Pavano looks pretty effective.
Bobby Murcer is back in the Stadium following brain surgery earlier this year! Huge cheer when they showed him on the scoreboard. Even some of the Yankees came out of the dugout to point up at the broadcasting booth.
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Through the top of the fourth, Pavano's looking good. I'm starting to belieeeeeeve.
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No more wool caps in the Majors anymore, some "technical, wicking fabric" in its place. Can't tell the difference on the teevee; the proof will be those guys who never change their cap throughout the season.
Kazmir -- who gives Mets fans the vapors everytime he pitches, looks pretty good....until Jorge Posada cranks his 199th career HR over the fence in right-center.
They're showing a lot of Mercer Yankee highlights on YES; weird thing is, today's foggy conditions gives a lighting effect similar to the footage from the 60s/70s.
Pavano's slider doesn't slide and gives up a homer. A couple of hits later and we're tied at three. Much activity in the bullpen. I'll say this, if the Yankees' infield doesn't play a whole lot cleaner defense this year, it's going to be a long season for guys like Pavano and Chien Ming Wang who induce lots of ground balls.
Another hit and the Devil Rays lead 4-3. Pavanos removed to mixed applause/boos. Not the worst outing for a #4 starter (the Devil Rays have a pretty good offensive team). But not the storybook day we'd begun to hope for. Four runs and five hits in the inning. Quiet in The Stadium at the moment.
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Now, Kazmir looks lights out. A lead will do that for you.
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Melky Cabrera takes over in center. I thought Damon looked like he was running gingerly when he chasing down Elijah Dukes HR last inning. Hmmm.
Getting to see the bullpen in its current configuration. Bruni last inning, Henn this one. Henn loooked pretty good.
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Damon's calves cramped up on him.
Posada singles to left; Cano singles to right. In the booth they're saying that last year Robbie Cano hit over .300 against every team he faced. That's remarkable. And he just knocked Kazmir out of the game. Mntkwcz comes in to hit against the right hand reliever and lays down a beautiful bunt.
The sun is starting to come out. The D-Rays pitching hit a Yankee batter for the second time today, Jeter and now young Melky. Bases loaded for Mr. Jeter...Who promptly singles up the middle (lifetime average of.455 with the bases loaded just went up). Tie score.
Melky falls down trying to tag up on a long Abreu fly out. Ugly playing by my beloved Yankees.
But...Pavano doesn't get an "L" next to his name in the paper tomorrow.
#####
Luis Vizcaino, one of the nice under-40 arms the Yankees got for Randy "Smilin' Johnson, looks pretty good. Three fly balls. Three outs.
Kate Smith bellows out "God Bless America." One of those Yankee traditions (since Sept. 2001) I for one could do without.
My God. Derek Jeter now looks older than the NYPD working the game.
#####
Rodriguez shows why he's... A-Rod. Leads off the inning with a smash right at the shortstop who's lucky to be alive. Steals second. Then scores from second on a Giambi single to right.
#####
And now the Sandman. Kyle Farnsworth pitches the eighth, giving up one hit and getting a strikeout. Kyle can't pitch two days in a row, but tomorrow's an off-day.
Mntkzc gets an infield single. Only against the Devil Rays.
Rivera and Rasner warming up. Mntkzc scores on Abreu's two-out single and Rodriguez proceeds to hit a two-run homer (the haters will note that he only does it when the Yanks are already leading). A four-run lead. Will Rivera pitch the ninth? I imagine so, even without a "save" opportunity. Hasn't pitched since Saturday and won't pitch tomorrow.
And yes, "Enter Sandman." This is his eleventh year as the Yankee closer and it still gives me goosebumps when he makes that entrance from the bullpen.
He strikes out the side. Yankees win 9-5 on Opening Day 2007.
Hope you enjoyed watching the game with me.
Couple of things I forgot to mention:
Corey Lidle's widow, Melanie, and his son threw out the first pitch. Giambi, who played with Lidle in High School escorted them to and from the mound.
Bernabe Williams called Manager Joe Torre at 10:16 this morning and asked if the team was ready. Torre still wishes he'd come to camp. Much as I love Bernie, I'm glad he didn't.
161 more games in the regular season.
In the first, Alex Rodriquez couldn't corral a pop up, then struck out with runners in scoring position. The boo birds are ready! To be fair, the strike out came on a hit-and-run and an unhittable pitch. Jeter throws one in the stands in the second -- is the captain supporting his teammate?
Right.
2-1 Yankees (that's an unearned run for the D-Rays, on Jeter's error). Pavano looks pretty effective.
Bobby Murcer is back in the Stadium following brain surgery earlier this year! Huge cheer when they showed him on the scoreboard. Even some of the Yankees came out of the dugout to point up at the broadcasting booth.
#####
Through the top of the fourth, Pavano's looking good. I'm starting to belieeeeeeve.
#####
No more wool caps in the Majors anymore, some "technical, wicking fabric" in its place. Can't tell the difference on the teevee; the proof will be those guys who never change their cap throughout the season.
Kazmir -- who gives Mets fans the vapors everytime he pitches, looks pretty good....until Jorge Posada cranks his 199th career HR over the fence in right-center.
They're showing a lot of Mercer Yankee highlights on YES; weird thing is, today's foggy conditions gives a lighting effect similar to the footage from the 60s/70s.
Pavano's slider doesn't slide and gives up a homer. A couple of hits later and we're tied at three. Much activity in the bullpen. I'll say this, if the Yankees' infield doesn't play a whole lot cleaner defense this year, it's going to be a long season for guys like Pavano and Chien Ming Wang who induce lots of ground balls.
Another hit and the Devil Rays lead 4-3. Pavanos removed to mixed applause/boos. Not the worst outing for a #4 starter (the Devil Rays have a pretty good offensive team). But not the storybook day we'd begun to hope for. Four runs and five hits in the inning. Quiet in The Stadium at the moment.
#####
Now, Kazmir looks lights out. A lead will do that for you.
#####
Melky Cabrera takes over in center. I thought Damon looked like he was running gingerly when he chasing down Elijah Dukes HR last inning. Hmmm.
Getting to see the bullpen in its current configuration. Bruni last inning, Henn this one. Henn loooked pretty good.
#####
Damon's calves cramped up on him.
Posada singles to left; Cano singles to right. In the booth they're saying that last year Robbie Cano hit over .300 against every team he faced. That's remarkable. And he just knocked Kazmir out of the game. Mntkwcz comes in to hit against the right hand reliever and lays down a beautiful bunt.
The sun is starting to come out. The D-Rays pitching hit a Yankee batter for the second time today, Jeter and now young Melky. Bases loaded for Mr. Jeter...Who promptly singles up the middle (lifetime average of.455 with the bases loaded just went up). Tie score.
Melky falls down trying to tag up on a long Abreu fly out. Ugly playing by my beloved Yankees.
But...Pavano doesn't get an "L" next to his name in the paper tomorrow.
#####
Luis Vizcaino, one of the nice under-40 arms the Yankees got for Randy "Smilin' Johnson, looks pretty good. Three fly balls. Three outs.
Kate Smith bellows out "God Bless America." One of those Yankee traditions (since Sept. 2001) I for one could do without.
My God. Derek Jeter now looks older than the NYPD working the game.
#####
Rodriguez shows why he's... A-Rod. Leads off the inning with a smash right at the shortstop who's lucky to be alive. Steals second. Then scores from second on a Giambi single to right.
#####
And now the Sandman. Kyle Farnsworth pitches the eighth, giving up one hit and getting a strikeout. Kyle can't pitch two days in a row, but tomorrow's an off-day.
Mntkzc gets an infield single. Only against the Devil Rays.
Rivera and Rasner warming up. Mntkzc scores on Abreu's two-out single and Rodriguez proceeds to hit a two-run homer (the haters will note that he only does it when the Yanks are already leading). A four-run lead. Will Rivera pitch the ninth? I imagine so, even without a "save" opportunity. Hasn't pitched since Saturday and won't pitch tomorrow.
And yes, "Enter Sandman." This is his eleventh year as the Yankee closer and it still gives me goosebumps when he makes that entrance from the bullpen.
He strikes out the side. Yankees win 9-5 on Opening Day 2007.
Hope you enjoyed watching the game with me.
Couple of things I forgot to mention:
Corey Lidle's widow, Melanie, and his son threw out the first pitch. Giambi, who played with Lidle in High School escorted them to and from the mound.
Bernabe Williams called Manager Joe Torre at 10:16 this morning and asked if the team was ready. Torre still wishes he'd come to camp. Much as I love Bernie, I'm glad he didn't.
161 more games in the regular season.
posted by John at 4:12 PM
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