Yankee Stadium Opens - Relievers Give Gifts

Watched the first game at the new Yankee Stadium today. The stadium is a rousing success. Everything about the stadium, from its appearance, to its call to the old traditions, dimensions and facades screams, "New York Yankees." Everyone seemed thrilled and it felt like a Yankee game just like it was supposed to feel...until the seventh inning.

Johnny Damon (Isn't he getting a bit old to still go by "Johnny?") got the first hit in the new stadium and Jorge Posada hit the first homer. All good and the way it was supposed to be. Sabathia pitched 5+ innings of major league Houdini and only allowed one run despite base runners all over the place. And the one run he did give up should have died in the warning track, but Damon pulled up short of the wall on a drive out there with two outs and the ball fell harmlessly on the warning track. Most decent left fielders would have caught that ball.

Sabathia was up to about 458 pitches by the start of the sixth inning and after two outs, gave way to Ramirez, who then gave up a base hit. The inning was bailed out by Phil Coke, who did the LOOGY thing. But it wasn't meant to be as the likes of Veras and Marte imploded and before you could say, "Yogi," it was 10-2 and all the regulars starting becoming spectators.

Both New York teams have now lost their home openers in their new parks, but it's all good as the parks are a big success and now that they are open, we can all try to forget how much they cost and just enjoy them for what they are.

In one last side note, the Yankees can't get A-Rod back fast enough. Though Cody Ransom is trying his hardest, it just isn't working. He made one brilliant play to save a run, but went 0-5 and stranded nine base runners all by himself. Yes. Nine. And he also had a throwing error with a throw in the dirt that Teixeira couldn't pick.