In Case You Were Wondering…

Johan Santana went 7 innings today against the Marlins, striking out 8 (Hanley Ramirez, the Floridian phenom, struck out twice) while giving up only 2 ER.

If Wang blows it on the mound tomorrow, expect to see heads spin in NY.

Game Postponed

The game will be tomorrow night (originally an off day) instead. It’s at 7:05 so if you’re on the west coast like me, you may not have to miss it.

Opening Day: Yanks VS. Blue Jays

Here’s the starting lineup, brought to you by PA’s LoHud Blog:

YANKEES
18 Johnny Damon LF
2 Derek Jeter SS
53 Bobby Abreu RF
13 Alex Rodriguez 3B
25 Jason Giambi 1B
24 Robinson Cano 2B
20 Jorge Posada C
55 Hideki Matsui LF
28 Melky Cabrera CF
40 Chien-Ming Wang RHP

BLUE JAYS
11 David Eckstein SS
4 Shannon Stewart LF
15 Alex Rios RF
10 Vernon Wells CF
35 Frank Thomas DH
17 Lyle Overbay 1B
2 Aaron Hill 2B
19 Marco Scutaro 3B
9 Gregg Zaun C
32 Roy Halladay RHP

As of right now, the start of the game is delayed but officials do expect to play sometime this afternoon.

Opening Day Bits: Wangian Wonder, Bleacher Creatures, Game Time

First and foremost, I’d like to wish everyone a happy Opening Day. To me, it’s definitely an unofficial holiday that starts rather early. The much anticipated Wang VS. Halladay matchup will begin at 1:05 for all of you excited east coasters, while I’ll be waking up bright and early to see the game at 10:05, here on the west coast. I won’t be live-blogging for the entire game, since I have class from 11:30-1:30, but I’ll definitely be here, updating for anyone who stops by until I have to leave, so make sure to check in.

With that said, let’s get into the bits: 

1) With Opening Day a few hours away (I rap like that), there are a variety of concerns that are plaguing many Yankee fans. Our pitching has definitely been our biggest concern, as our rotation can be described as “new and intriguing.” The 5-man staff has been built upon the backs of youngsters, a few frail oldies, and a questionable ace in Chien-Ming Wang. In fact, Chien-Ming Wang might even be the biggest question mark on the team. Wang wrapped up the spring with an uncharacteristic 8.04 ERA over 15.2 innings of work, so now, as John Harper wonders in this article, one must ask, should we be worried about Wang? Harper raises this question as he looks back on the Santana trade, a trade that 4 out of 6 scouts believe the Yankees should have made, according to Harper (6 scouts/executives were polled by Harper). Harper cites the obligatory reasons as to why these scouts feel this way (e.g. growing pains with young pitchers, dying pains with old pitchers, etc.) and then he throws Wang in the situation. Wang’s spring training numbers are high, so, everyone together now, should we be worried? Maybe his confidence has deteriorated after his miserable showing against Cleveland in 2007? Simply put, what’s with Wang, asks Harper. The Yanks can’t afford to be wrong about him.

To be honest, nobody knows except for Wang, but more importantly, should we really be worried about the spring training numbers? As we’ve discussed many times, Wang has been experimenting with a few of his secondary pitchers during the spring season which can easily explain his bloated ERA. He has 11 K’s in 15.2 innings which is a good sign if he’s been utilizing secondary stuff a bit more. But, ultimately, doesn’t this “worry about Wang” mentality fall upon the discomfort writers generally have with him? He’s not an ace, they say, and then they question his validity even as he grabs the reigns to a $200-million organization and starts the final Opening Day at Yankee Stadium. That’s why people are questioning Wang and wondering if we should have traded for Santana. There’s just a general critique about his ability as a frontline starter. To demonstrate my point, the following is a list of “aces” with high ERAs this spring:

1. Chien-Ming Wang - 8.04
2. Ben Sheets – 9.56
3. Brandon Webb – 8.50
4. Jake Peavy – 9.39
5. Erik Bedard – 8.63

These are all undisputed aces so nobody is wondering about these guys (although Bedard has scared a few people in Seattle). Have you heard about Jake Peavy’s struggles or the comparable Brandon Webb’s (to Wang) miserable spring? Probably not (unless you follow fantasy baseball). Spring training is no definitive indication of a starting pitcher’s talent, yet people are harping on Wang’s abilities, as if the spring stats serve as a reflection of his bruised psyche after the Cleveland debacle last year (yes, John Harper is Freud). Let’s all relax a bit and watch Wang pitch against the Blue Jays in the first game of 08 before we instantly declare the man a lost cause. If he gets blown out in today’s effort, you can believe that the writers will be in a frenzy but, if he does the usual (sink, DP, sink DP), you probably won’t hear much about it (unless he strikes out 6 or more).

Here’s to hoping that Wang sticks it to the naysayers and provides us all with a wonderful treat on our final Opening Day within the cozy confines of Babe Ruth’s home.

2) Next up, after that long-winded writeup, what would an Opening Day be without some information on the infamous Bleacher Creatures, our favorite group at the current Yankee Stadium. However, Filip Bondy has a nice read on the creatures and whether or not they’ll be able to transplant themselves after the new Yankee Stadium opens. One would certainly miss the roll-calling rituals and drunken debauchery that occurs on that side of the ballpark. With the rocketing costs and prices at the new stadium, and with new seating arrangements in toe, it could be a tough situation for the creatures and their legacy.

3) Finally, here’s an ESPN rundown of today’s (it’s 3 AM here in Seattle) game. I’m sorry it’s ESPN, but they do raise some nice points about 2008’s Opening Day, as it marks the end and beginning of a new era in Yankee history. There will be no Joe Torre present, which is a strange sight for many Yankee fans, yet I feel that the new blood will provide a much needed spark to the sometimes stagnant lineup. With that said, my final prediction for the club is 97-65. It’s going to be one hell of a year and a wild ride.

LET’S GO YANKEES!!!