Much to George Steinbrenner's chagrin, his New York Yankees (1-1) will once again fail to go 162-0 on the season, losing 7-6 to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.  Instead things were anything but perfect for the Yankees, from the weather to their porous defense which for the second game in a row made three errors, two of them made by gold glover Derek Jeter who now has three on the season.

Meanwhile Andy Pettitte, who last pitched in New York four years ago against a championship team from Miami, Florida, lasted that many innings against the perennial cellar dweller from Tampa, Florida.  While the cold, lack of work during Spring Training and lingering back and elbow issues certainly didn't help Pettitte, it's puzzling how he and catcher Jorge Posada seemed out of rythm all night long.  Pettitte and Posada, teammates since 1993 with the Yankees old Double-A affiliate the Albany-Colonie Yankees, were clicking about as well as the combo of Posada and the man Pettitte was slated to replace in Randy Johnson.

In another observation I pose this question to G.M. Brian Cashman, do you still like the "defensive platoon" at firstbase?  Both Doug Mientkiewicz and Josh Phelps have an error a piece through two games.  While I like Mientkiewicz as a hard nosed fundamentally sound player, I don't see where Phelps really fits overall.  Case in point, the way the Yankees are constructed at the moment.  They need a deep bullpen given the absence of ace Chein-Ming Wang and the fact that their starters can't get out of the 5th inning. 

And secondly with Johnny Damon out, they need another outfielder to help in case of injury and to have another potent bat to come off the bench.  Now Cashman has said that Miguel Cairo will be that extra outfielder but how did that work out Thursday night?  After Jason Giambi walks in the 7th inning, Joe Torre substitutes Cairo to run for the bopper.  Not a bad move, but with Melky Cabrera in centerfield, should an injury occur in the outfield, Torre has no one to turn to or risks losing his DH spot in the process.  Fast forward to the 9th and who hits off the bench for the light hitting Cairo but the light hitting Phelps?  Phelps promptly strikes out and you didn't want Bernie Williams back because? 

Look Cash, here's the deal I love what you've done to re-structure this organization but, #### your pride call Bernie, tell him to report to Tampa for extended spring training to work out and get some minor league game action and bring Bernie back!

Mike Mussina goes against his former team the winless (0-3) Baltimore Orioles.  Mussina a creature of habit will be working on an extra day's rest.  Does that factor into the amount of innings Moose throws?  Well that all depends on how many trademark glares Mussina has to make at his fielders tonight.