Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Off and Running

Well folks, we are off and running with the 2008 season now! I apologize I didn't get a chance to live-blog the game, my Constitutional Law paper due tomorrow had other ideas...at least I got to watch the game. Here are my impressions and thoughts from the game:

Wang looked great. His sinker was sinking, inducing a ton of ground outs and even broke four bats. He may have given up 6 hits in 7 innings, but most of those hits were ground balls that were just lucky enough to find holes. All in all, Wang pitched like the ace he is, and he starts off 2008 with a nice 1-0 record and a 2.57 ERA.

Joba looked like he was struggling with his command a little bit in the 8th inning, and it also looked like he hadn't yet stretched his arm out to the point were he can throw 98-100 mph consistently. He was hitting around 93-96 last night, and despite his lack of command, he was able to get the job done and struck out 2 while keeping the lead intact. He's only going to get better as the season goes on. My only concern: if it takes him this long to get solid command of his fastball and slider, his two best pitches, how long will it take him to get a solid command of his curveball and changeup after he transitions back to the rotation?

Rivera looked quite sharp last night as well. His cutter looked great, and if he continues to pitch like last night's performance, we're in for a good season. He looked like vintage Rivera out there....he's my favorite pitcher of all time for a reason.

Abreu looked good at the plate last night. He was working the count, and collected two hits. Looks like Girardi's running regiment during Spring Training is paying off...Abreu scored from first on a double from A-Rod in the first inning, and Damon legged out a triple.

A-Rod picked right where he left off last season. He went 2-3 with a walk, a double, a single, and RBI and a run scored.

Giambi actually looked great in the field, believe it or not. He made a nice pick at first, scooping up a low throw from Jeter. He even made a leaping catch at first which probably saved two runs. Hell, Giambi was even heads up on the base paths; he stopped halfway to second on a groundball so the second basemen couldn't tag him. Because of that, the Aaron Hill (the Jays second basemen) didn't have time to throw to second and get the double play, and Giambi made it safely to second base after Hill was forced made the play at first. If he can stay healthy, he's going to be a huge asset to this team. So far his defense has actually helped us so far.

And the best for last. What a game Melky had last night! I've been a huge fan of Melky ever since 2006, and the thought of losing him is a major reason why I was against a potential Santana trade. His hitting is still developing, but man can this kid play center field. The Melk Man had two (almost 3) tough catches in center last night, robbing the Jays of extra base hits both times. And, to top off his night, Melky hit a homer that just barely made it over the wall in right. That homer ended up being the game winning hit.

From now on, I'm going to name the Pinstripe Perspectives Player of the Game (PPPotG) "award" to a player after each game. At least, I'll try to do it every game. For last night's game, the nod goes to Melky Cabrera. His stellar defense and his solo-shot in the 6th inning combined are the main reason we won last night. Runner up for the PPPotG is Chien-Ming Wang for his solid performance.


Overall, it was a great game last night. It was close all the way, and it really was an excellent way to start off a new season, and a proper way to close out the final opening day of Yankee Stadium.

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