The Yanks make their 2006 debut at the Fens. The biggest story is of course the return of Damon. Will the boo's outweight the cheers? Don't count on it. After all, he played every game with an intensity unmatched by most. He also drove daggers into the Yanks during game 7 of the ALCS. Also remember that he brings any negativity uopn himself - for simply taking the money, and more so for joining his former archrivals. (This will mostly go away after his next visit back here anyway).
Our favorite quote from a Yankee fan upon the Yanks signing Damon: "It's like having some guy that had an affair with your wife, suddenly get married to your sister". Priceless... And by the way, we hope you Yankee fans are now enjoying the many insights only Johnny can point out. Yikes.
These two teams start the year off in first gear and still manage to stay at the top of the division. Toronto is greatly improved, Baltimore has had some show of life, and if the D-Rays ever get consistent pitching, they could challenge as well.
The Yanks have been surviving on mostly their powerful lineup. Their starting 5 only has one guy below 4.50 ERA, but their pen has been a bright spot. Giambi has been a surprising performer as well (MLB still not testing for HGH yet...). Defense has been average, and age will certainly become a factor as the year progresses. For those of you waiting for a big splash come July 31 to shore your rotation, don't hold your breath. You've got nothing to trade and no one to go after.
The Sox have been struggling at the plate, especially since the injury to Crisp. His replacements in CF have not performed well, other than the small sampling from Pena. Gonzalez is becoming an automatic out, and his glove alone may no longer secure his position. Manny, Tek, and Loretta are all off to slow starts. The rotation has looked good with Schilling returning to his 2004 form, Beckett looking like a potential all-star, Wake being himself, and Clement looking OK. Filling Wells' spot has been a concern so far, and arms in the minors won't be ready for a while. Papelbon is the best closer in the league right now, and Foulke has been better than last season. Defense has been far better than any team in recent memory.
The Yanks need to get more pitching, which doesn't grow on trees. An aging Johnson with knee & back issues, Pavano who has literally been a pain in the butt, Wright who is destined to go back on the DL multiple times, and even Wang who ended up on the DL as a rookie last season, all spells bad news. The brightest spot, Mussina, is another year older and has broken down the last few seasons as well. The pen is carrying them when the bats aren't, but just ask Tom Gordon & Tanyon Sturtze how effective they were after being overused all season. Your lineup features one player under 30. Your Yankees are built like the Red Sox of old. It's a collection of aging former all-stars on the back nine of their careers, that must rely on bats to slug out wins. That formula may let you see October, but not past the first week...The Sox obviously need to get more pop from the lineup. Tek, Loretta, and Gonzalez need to get it going. Manny will be fine. Don't be surprised to see a change at short before long, and speaking of changes, welcome back to Doug Mirabelli! It's been great to see Youkilis taking over the leadoff spot with a .406 OBP, and also Mike Lowell (who many had written off) with a .318 BA. It will be interesting to see if Wells makes it back. If not, will they pull Papelbon out of his role? That probably depends on their confidence in Foulke, and the progression of Hansen who was promoted to AAA after dominating in AA. The Sox have many things going for them including youth. It will be much easier to address any issues come July 31 because they will be mostly offense, not defense or pitching. The other major factor is the clubhouse. This team has not jelled fully, and that will come as the season progresses.
Things are looking good in the Nation, even though things are off to a sluggish start. Not much will be settled after this 2 game set, but the Hatfields & McCoys start it off once again...
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