Apparently that brand new HD scoreboard in Kansas City didn't come with a quality drainage system, though the Yankees bats seemed to go right down it on Wednesday night.  If we're going to have a Northeast team that can't hit in the cold weather, be it April or October, perhaps they may want to add a retractable roof on the new digs across the street.

Honestly though in all fairness, this was a game that only "Mr. Slip 'n Slide" former catcher Rick Dempsey could love.  No there weren't any "Lake Erie Midges" out there this time, though there may have been termites.

While I understand it is early and some guys are hitting .700, I still can't understand how Jason Giambi is batting .056, Robinson Cano .194 and Johnny Damon .212.  And before everyone jumps on me about there being no such thing as "clutch hitting," there is such a thing as timely hitting and this group leaves a lot of people on base, 14 to be exact, scoring no runs against the Kansas City Royals! 

Way to go Brian Cashman!  A-Rod's not going to duplicate last year's totals, nor is Posada who is a year older.  And then you are naieve enough to think that Jason Giambi is going to play first and be productive for 130-140 games a whole year older?  Thus with no power in center or at first you neglect to sign either Torii Hunter or Aaron Rowand?  Having Cabrera-Hunter/Rowand-Abreu in the outfield seems like a much more solid configuration to me!

And oh what you couldn't afford these guys or decided not to sign off on a Johan Santana deal because of lack of "payroll flexibility."  And yet YOU sir signed our vaunted Triple-A "ace" Kei Igawa for $46 million and gave A-Rod a "hardball offer" of $300 million (yeah you guys really show him huh?) and somehow with the four-million plus migrating to the final year of Yankee Stadium and the flood rush of revenue coming in next year from the new ball park, you were having issues with "payroll flexibility?"  OH COME ON PALLY!

To be fair for the record I was for getting Santana, but not for getting ripped off by the Twins in order to get him, just as they were by the Mets.  But really YOUR "genious" robbed us of another year from Bernie Williams, because you said Jason Giambi couldn't play first base a year ago and so you decided to give him the boot, sign Josh Phelps who didn't even last through June and Doug Mientkiewicz who is now history.  And yet now again Giambi is somehow capable of playing first and you have no true defensive first baseman off the bench.  Oh and the Yankees could've used Bernie off the bench to DH when Giambi was hobbling around last October in the playoff and Matsui was having knee issues hitting into double-plays!

Bomber Bites: Can't say I blame manager Joe Girardi too much on his pitching strategy, except for when it comes to using another brilliant Brian Cashman signing, Kyle Farnsworthless.  FARNSWORTHLESS SHOULD NEVER EVER EVER BE USED AGAIN PERIOD!

While Girardi said he was sure he could straighten out his old battery mate from Chicago, its too bad he couldn't coax Cashman into bringing back another one of his old Cubbie teammates, Jon Lieber.  Lieber who pitched pretty decent with the Yankees in 2004, is the long-man/spot-starter for the Cubs this year (something the Yankees don't have) and is 1-1 with a 0.00 ERA pitching in two games striking out three in five innings of work.

The Yankees had won two in a row with Giambi out of the lineup, they've lost two in a row since his return.  Well ain't that a co'inkie'dink!

Mr. Matsui, Johnny Gomes and Ross Gload thank you for contributing to their hit totals on this young season.  I guess it always was King Kong who was more prone to scaling large buildings than Godzilla.

Memo to Cashman, I applaud your willingness to cultivate the farm system, but I'm starting to believe that the Yankees need their own version of the "football Giants" Jerry Reese. 

For the first time since October 4, 1995, (Game 2 of the ALDS to be exact) a Yankee manager not named Joe Torre led the Bronx Bombers to a victory.  That man was Buck Showalter and just as Buck had a young up and coming star centerfielder in Bernie Williams, so too does the Yanks new skipper Joe Girardi in Melky Cabrera.

And as we embark on a change from this Yankee Stadium to a "new Yankee Stadium" it is evidently clear that change is a good thing (and no I'm not an Obama supporter).  That change in philosophy, brought on by Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman should put the minds of Yankee fans at ease.  When we wonder if we'll ever see the next "Bernie Baseball" we get a young switch hitting kid with speed and a rocket arm, making diving grabs and catches up against the wall with a new confidence and swagger.  That confidence with a little help from the "Ghosts" hanging out on the Bambino's short porch, allowed Melky to take Toronto ace Roy Halladay deep.

Yes it is that same peace of mind we get as fans as we once pondered if we'd ever get an "Andy Pettitte type" pitcher out of the allegedly dry farm system until it produced Chien-Ming Wang.  Like Pettitte, Wang isn't flashy, but he's a workhorse and all the guy does is win and give the team an opportunity to win.

And it is that same pitching first philosophy on the farm which has given us a glimpse of hope that we may have the next Mariano Rivera in Joba Chamberlain.

Folks, Opening Night 2008 was certainly "night and day" in scope from Opening Day 2007.  Wang was on the hill, not Carl Pavano, Cabrera was in center, not Johnny Damon, in the 8th inning Chamberlain was on the mound, not Kyle Farnsworth and at first base it was Giambi, not Josh Phelps.

I know it's only the first game and that Melky is projected to hit 80 homers and Wang to win 30 games and the Yankees to go 162-0, but one can't help but notice the drastic change in preparedness in this ball club.  This team just looks primed, ready and in shape to win.  A lot of that credit goes to manager Joe Girardi

Change is good for these Yankees, especially if the "winning" refrain remains the same.

Bomber Bites: A-Rod looks very comfortable and motivated this season already.  It is obvious that he has taken to New York and the feeling is mutual.  The reassurance that he'll be a Yankee for life, makes him an even more likeable figure in the Bronx.

Anyone else thankful that Melky was doing that in our yard and not in the Metrodome?  Well that and thankful that one is allowed to appeal Spring Training suspensions.

Robbie Cano, slowly but surely creeping up to 6th in the batting order.

Jason Giambi flashes the leather.  Donnie Baseball left the building and apparently left his glove.  Well at least Giambi has a glove, unlike that Shreck character up in Boston.

And finally, though Jonathan Papelbon may be in his prime and the premiere closer over the length of the season in the American League, there's no question in my mind that when it comes down to getting one batter out with the game on the line I'm taking Mariano Rivera every time, hands down.

One turn through the New York Yankees (2-3) rotation and their starter's ERA is over 9.00.  For the first time ever none of them made it close to getting past the 5th inning.  When was the last time that actually happened?  Maybe three years ago or the last time Paul Bako actually hit a homerun back in 2004 as a member of the Chicago Cubs.

It was deja vu for the third day in a row as the Yankees on the strength of a two-run homer by Alex Rodriguez gave them a 3-0 first inning lead over the Baltimore Orioles, only to see that lead quickly relinquished by starter Darrell Rasner giving up a 4th inning three-run homer to the O's backup catcher Bako. 

Meanwhile the Yankee bullpen aided oddly enough by Andy Pettitte, pitched another brilliant 4/2/3 scoreless innings to keep their offense within striking distance.  However they couldn't capitalize as Josh Phelps flew out to center with the bases loaded in the 8th.

Perhaps a change of scenery to the controlled climate of the Metrodome and a regular routine through the rotation will fix some of the kinks ailing this starting rotation. 

News & Notes: Hideki Matsui, iron man no more, will head to the 15-day DL.  The Yankees will call up outfielder Kevin Thompson to replace him.  The Yankees bench just keeps looking better and better, where's Bernie? 

A-Rod's first inning homer gave him 468 in his career, only 32 shy of 500.  After the first week of the season, A-Rod leads the majors with 4 homers and 11 RBI.

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.

Much of the offseason talk surrounding the 2007 New York Yankees was the future of the franchise.  The succession of ownership, the plethora of young pitching studs and the contract status of Alex Rodriguez, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and Joe Torre.  However during their 105th season opener, the Yankees derived some motivation from the past.

The Yankees honored former teammate Cory Lidle who tragically died in a plane crash on October 11, 2006.  His wife Melanie and son Christopher were on hand to throw out the first pitch.  On the jumbotron the Yankees also paid tribute to late great outfielder Hank Bauer.  While up in the booth was a pleasant sight to see in Yankee great Bobby Murcer, cracking jokes about his new bald look after a winter of ongoing chemo therapy treatment for a malignant brain tumor.  And of course there was a call from Bernie Williams to the Yankee clubhouse before the game, to which the bleacher creatures replied, "We want Bernie!  We want Bernie!"

And fittingly enough, as Yogi Berra and Don Larsen were on hand for David Cone's perfect game, that Bobby Murcer would be on hand for the day Jason Giambi would have in honoring his former friend, high school and Yankee teammate Cory Lidle.  You see it was Murcer, best friends with Yankees captain and catcher Thurman Munson, who after delivering the eulogy at his former teammates' funeral after he had died in a tragic plane crash, honored his friend and teammate that very night after the funeral.  That night after the funeral, Murcer crushed a homerun and also knocked in the winning run at Yankee Stadium against the Baltimore Orioles.

This Opening Day it was Giambi who came through, setting the tone in the first inning with a two-run single putting the Yankees out front 2-0.  Jorge Posada also showed no signs of slowing down blasting the 199th homerun of his Yankee career putting the Yanks up 3-1.

Carl Pavano, making his first start since June 27, 2005 wasn't brilliant but wasn't horible either.  The Yanks defense on the other hand was, making three errors, leaving Yankee fans to wonder why Josh Phelps is taking up Bernie Williams' roster spot.

After a rough four-run 5th, the Yanks stormed back to tie it in the 6th.  Consecutive hits by Posada and Robinson Cano, followed by a beautiful sac bunt by the hard nosed fundamentally sound Doug Mientkiewicz setup 2nd and 3rd with one out.  After Melky Cabrera was plunked in the leg, Derek Jeter who hit the eventual game winning homer in the 8th inning against the Kansas City Royals in last year's home opener, picked up right where he left off from what should've been a 2006 MVP campaign, with a two-run bases loaded single knotting the game at 5-5.

In the 7th the Yankees played more small ball.  A-Rod singled, stole 2nd and Giambi knocked him in with this 3rd RBI for the go-ahead and winning run, putting the Yankees up 6-5. 

As the Yankees rolled into the bottom of the 8th, it looked as though A-Rod had put his early jitters and miscues to bed and the Devil Rays to sleep.  A-Rod hit an absolute bomb into the Yankee bullpen, the 465th HR of his illustrious career, fittingly tying him with former outfielder and Yankee great Dave Winfield on the all-time list and putting the Bombers up 9-5.

Then the Yanks bullpen which had been sharp all day with Brian Bruney, Sean Henn, Luis Vizciano and Kyle Farnsworth all chipping in, went to The Sandman for the 9th.  Mariano Rivera went out and got himself some negotiating leverage, striking out the side on 13 pitches, extending the Yanks winning streak in home openers to ten.

Yes the 2007 Yankees did their fans and old friends proud on Opening Day.  Speaking of old friends, they'll all be glad see another when number 46 Andy Pettitte takes the mound on Wednesday.

*News and notes: Johnny Damon left the game with a strained calf muscle and is day-to-day. 

*Interesting fact: The last time the Yankees lost a home opener was 1997 against the Oakland A's.  In that game the Yankees lost in 12 innings, the winning pitcher for Oakland that day?  Former Yankee starter Aaron Small.

With Bernie Williams seemingly out of the picture, the New York Yankees continue to lack any righthanded pop off their bench.  Andy Phillips and Josh Phelps have proven they can't even be useful utility players and it's looking more and more as if Doug Mientkiewicz will be the regular starting firstbaseman.  It really is odd to not have Bernie at least on the bench, given the sad state of the Yankees bench, which doesn't even have a solid backup catcher, Mike Piazza would've been nice.  But with "backup catcher," Miguel Cairo and "other firstbaseman," the Yankees had better pray they don't have any major injuries like they did last season with Gary Sheffield and Hideki Matsui.

On the pitching front the Yankees still look solid with their top three.  However my only gripe is that the brilliant pitching of Jeff Karstens this spring will go for naught.  The Yankees in a panic move once again with Boston, felt they had to jump and sign Kei Igawa for an insane amount of money.  Proof that once again they never give their farmhands a shot until unless out of necessity.  In 1995 Jimmy Key went down with an injured rotator cuff and Andy Pettitte was slotted into the rotation.  Back in 1996 they almost dealt Mariano Rivera to Seattle for Felix Fermin because they weren't confident Derek Jeter could be the everyday shortstop.  Mariano Rivera became one of the Yankees top relievers and eventual closer because they'd tried and failed with everyone else in the 1995 playoffs.  Chien-Ming Wang and Robinson Cano emerged in 2005 after great spring training's and injury and ineffectiveness of Jaret Wright, Carl Pavano and Tony Womack.  In addition because of injuries last season and after a great spring showing, Melky Cabrera also came into his own.  So while all the attention may be focused on Phil Hughes, it may well be Karstens who will come up into the rotation and save the Yankees bacon in late May or early June.