Wednesday Morning Bits: Hank, Opening Day, A-Rod

This blog was started in late October and at that time the Yankees were already out of the playoffs. I’ll have to get used to all the information that’s being tossed around now that the season has started, but hopefully I’ll be able to provide some of the better news nuggets of the day. Here are a few items to ponder before the next game:

1) Hank Steinbrenner enjoyed what he saw on Opening Day, as the Yanks squeaked by Roy Halladay’s great start to earn their 11th consecutive Opening Day victory. Wang-Joba-Mo is the ideal, and we saw Wang all three pitchers do what is expected of them throughout the entire season. People wonder and worry about Hughes, Kennedy and Mussina (not Pettitte as much) and whether or not they’ll be able to pitch deep into games, especially as the season progresses. However, if these three guys can get the ball to the pen in for the 7th, 8th, and 9th, (not just the 8th and 9th) then I’m sure you’re going to see some healthy and solid performances in 2008. The Yankee bullpen looks like it will be particularly strong this year, as the Joba and Mariano tandem could rival the Mariano and Wetland combination that dominated baseball in the late 90’s.

2) In terms of the first Yankee victory of the season, I must say, how good was my prediction for the player of the game? I predicted that Melky would be the star of the game and like clockwork, he made two spectacular plays (and another equally great attempt) in the OF, which Joel Sherman describes as “glovely” (he’s right), and he hit a game-tying HR as well. Sherman, using Joe Girardi’s words, hits the nail on the head, noting that the entire Yankee lineup contributed to this victory as even Jason Giambi flashed some great defensive skills at 1B. Overall, the game was just a phenomenal experience for any Yankee fan (watching on television, or there in person), especially since it was the final Opening Day game at the “old” Stadium.

3) A big contributor in yesterday’s game was Alex Rodriguez. A-Rod picked up right where he left off last season, hitting an RBI double in his first at bat. “For me, I feel like it was game 163,” says A-Rod. This quote comes from an article by Times writer Jack Curry. Curry’s text discusses the opt out situation, which was pretty much over once Yankee fans cheered wildly for A-Rod, the new symbol of the organization, today at the ballpark. The article features the usual stuff about A-Rod looking forward to controlling his own fate, being happy in New York, you know the drill. Curry does have some interesting new information though, specifically about the opt out options given to A-Rod, as the following passage shows:

Two people connected with the Yankees said Boras told the team that Detroit was prepared to overwhelm Rodriguez by offering him $40 million a year. The Tigers said that was untrue.

I wrote about the Detroit and A-Rod link a few weeks ago. There definitely was some involvement by Mile Ilitch. It was no secret his organization wanted A-Rod, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he offered $30 million a year, however, Boras was likely inflating numbers ($40 million?!) to simply up the ante in his negotiations. This information can ultimately help repair A-Rod’s image with the fans, because if true, he could have recieved more from the Tigers, yet chose to stay with the Yankees.

What a nice guy, huh?

4) Speaking of A-Rod and his “nice guy” approach, Jose Canseco doesn’t think he’s such a nice guy. In fact, Canseco has moved from saying that A-Rod “lusted” for his ex-wife Jessica Canseco, to saying that he thinks A-Rod and Jessica actually had an affair while he was still married to her. If that’s not enough to write a bloated book about Alex Rodriguez and steroids, I don’t know what is. Canseco ruins his credibility every single day. Funny thing is, a few years ago, many people were crediting him for bringing truth to the sport. Now, you can almost sense the desperation in his words (written or spoken).

What’s the big deal about Jessica Canseco anyway? This woman is the definition of a buttaface (oh snap!). Where are pictures of Clemens’ wife when you need them? Yuck.