The Yanks defeated the Toronto Blue Jays tonight 3-2 behind a great effort from Chien-Ming Wang. Wang went 7 innings and allowed only two runs on six hits. Then Joba Chamberlain came in and struck out two in his inning of work. Mariano Rivera finished the game with an easy 1-2-3 inning in the 9th. Last year Mo didn't record his first save until April 28th.
This is exactly what a you would want from the Yankees; seven innings from the starter, an inning from Joba, and an inning from Mo. If only this could happen 99 more times this year.
Derek Jeter looked very good at short tonight. I don't know if it was his offseason workout routine, but he looked like he was moving very well tonight. Keep it up Jeet.
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA | |
| Wang (W, 1-0) | 7.0 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2.57 |
| Chamberlain (H, 1) | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Rivera (S, 1) | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 |
BLUE JAYS PITCHING
Melky Cabrera (1-for-3 HR, RBI) was the player of the game (I don't care what YES said). He made two great plays in center and hit a solo HR to tie the game in the 6th. Alex Rodriguez picked up right where he left off last season with two hits and an RBI. Bobby Abreu (2-for-4, R) also had two hit, and Hideki Matsui (0-for-3, RBI) also drove in a run on a fielders choice.
Here's the Yankees box score:
| AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG | |
| Damon, LF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .250 |
| Jeter, SS | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .250 |
| Abreu, RF | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .500 |
| Rodriguez, 3B | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .667 |
| Giambi, 1B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | .000 |
| Cano, 2B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .333 |
| Posada, C | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .000 |
| Matsui, DH | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 |
| Cabrera, CF | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .333 |
| Totals | 29 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 13 | |
BATTING 2B: Rodriguez (1, Halladay). 3B: Damon (1, Downs). HR: Cabrera (1, 6th inning off Halladay, 0 on, 0 out). TB: Damon 3; Jeter; Abreu 2; Rodriguez 3; Cano; Cabrera 4. RBI: Rodriguez (1), Cabrera (1), Matsui (1). 2-out RBI: Rodriguez. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Giambi 2; Cabrera. GIDP: Posada; Rodriguez. Team LOB: 5. | ||||||||
BLUE JAYS HITTING
Tonight was the 11th straight home opener won by the Yanks, a major league record. The last time they lost the home opener was in 1997 when they lost 3-1 in 12 to the Oakland A's. The Yankees got a great start from Cone that day, going seven, and allowing no runs on 2 hits and 4 walks, while striking out 12. The Yankees had a 1-0 lead going into the 9th, but Mo couldn't close out the game, and allowed a game-tying homer to Mark McGwire. Jeff Nelson took the loss and the winner was a guy by the name of Aaron Small.
QUOTE OF THE NIGHT: “You look forward to this day from the time I signed as manager on November. You do all the preparation up to spring training and during spring training. I saw it pay off tonight. It’s an unbelievable feeling when you actually get to play for real because that’s what you work for.”
- Joe Girardi
Game two of the three game set with the Jays is tomorrow night at The Stadium. With Mike Mussina goes up against A.J. Burnett. First pitch is set for 7:05 and the game can be seen on YES, and heard on WCBS 880.
By the way, good job booing Hawkins tonight. Keep booing him until he gives up that number. Morgan Ensberg understood the fans didn't want him wearing No. 21, apparently Hawkins will have to learn the hard way.
Anyway, it was a great night to be at the greatest stadium in the world. Hopefully many of you were able to enjoy it as much as I did.
14 Comments:
Hawkins doesn't deserve that. He seems like a good guy. Plus he's wearing the number to honor Roberto Clemente.
Much as I like Paulie, and I do, there comes a time when people need to stop being ridiculous. The Yankees can't and shouldn't retire every single number. If people want to make the case Paul should have his retired, fine, but don't start booing players over it. If you want it retired, then boo the Yankees front office or whatever. Last I heard LaTroy Hawkins doesn't determine who has their number retired.
Seriously, how ridiculous was the boo-ing. I mean, COME ON people, he didn't take the number to be a jerk... If he says he took it to honor Clemente, then he definitely did. No person in their right mind is going to come to a new team and take a number that they KNOW is going to upset the fans. Give it a rest, folks. I loved Paulie and still do, but they're not retiring his number so get over it and welcome Hawkins to the Yankees in style. Very classless move by a lot of fans.
I agree,the issue is with the yankees front office not Hawkins. Paul had said during a spring training game that Cashman called him over the winter to tell him they were giving out his number this year and Paul had no problem with it.
Real fans boo players if they are giving a bad performance, not because they chose one of your favorite players number. If he does poorly, then you boo.
Real fans boo players when they feel like it, period. If you don't want to boo Hawkins, don't, but if fans feel likes that's the only way to express their feelings towards a player, I see no problem with it.
I do agree that the FO is as much to blame as anyone.
Fredrick,
"Paul had said during a spring training game that Cashman called him over the winter to tell him they were giving out his number this year and Paul had no problem with it."
Do you honestly believe he has no problem with it? If so, I got a bridge to sell you.
First of all he's not going to express how upset he is about it on the YES network. And second, there isn't a player alive who doesn't want to have their number retired, I promise you, O'Neill is upset.
"This is exactly what a you would want from the Yankees ... an inning from Joba..."
I would agree, IF all we were thinking about is this year. But exactly what I want from the Yanks are multiple innings an outing from Joba, prefereably in a "stopper" role at the time of the game he is most needed.
But I certainly agree on your larger point: Great start to the season all around for the Yanks!
If the Yankee front office labels a number as available to wear, then it's fair game. Does it feel weird? Yes. But, I think booing the guy is a little much. We're setting him up to fail, before he even throws one pitch for us.
Eric I agree, Joba needs innings this year. Throwing 70 innings this year will be counterproductive. I also like the idea of using him in a "stopper" role.
My point was just that it was a perfect win. Good starting pitching, hand the ball to the setup man, then go to Mo.
anonymous,
I know what you're saying, but Morgan Ensberg was smart enough to give the number up. He said he didn't feel right wearing the number. Fans told him "that's not your number" and he got it.
Hawkins doesn't get it. And if booing him because of his number causes him to fail, then we shouldn't have brought someone like him to NY.
I hear what you're saying Greg. I'm just caught in the middle, you know? Do I want anyone wearing the number? I would rather not. But, am I going hold it against Hawkins? I just feel like I can't. Maybe things will die down, if he comes out strong and pitches really well.
Fellas, with how young our pitching is this year, and how much we'll need the bullpen, lets not boo our relief pitchers. I'm upset he took #21 as well, but he did it for a good reason in honoring Roberto Clemente.
If his performance is terrible, then I say go and boo the hell out of him, for his performance and the number. But not on opening day when the guy hasn't even thrown yet.
Whatever. As far as I'm concerned I'm embarassed to associate with the fans (who I don't believe represent most of us Yankee fans) that want to run someone out of town because they choose to honor someone who died trying to help people. It reminds me of the people who booed A-Rod after every out, or who booed Mariano for blowing a couple saves in a row.
And you all do a huge disrespect to Paul O'Neill as well. You really think he wants that? You really think it honors him to boo a guy who, from all accounts we've seen, is a great teammate who wants to be here and who took this number to honor a hero? If I was Paul I'd be absolutely disgusted. Disgusted.
Kyle,
Who is trying to "run someone out of town"?
And please spare me the Roberto Clemente crap, this isn't about him, this is about Paul O'Neill.
We're simply letting a player know how we feel about a decision he made. Nobody is threatening the guy. Nobody wants the guy traded.
And you can pretend to be "disgusted" all you want.(feign outrage is the new American pastime) But really, it's just booing. Like I said nobody is threatening the guy.
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