What a difference a year makes. Last year, Joe Girardi survived to win the World Series only because George Steinbrenner is non compos mentos. Had any Yankee manager lost the first 8 games in a row to the Red Sox in King George’s era, that manager would have been fired.
This year, after a bad opening day loss in which they blew two leads with the bullpen imploding, everything looked right in Yankeeland Wednesday and Thursday. Not only did Joba look good Wednesday–with a live fastball and nasty slider–but even Chan Ho Park rocked Fenway last night (I’m still not sure how it’s going to play out with Chan Ho. He pitched well in relief with the Phils last year; he may do so again with the Yanks this year). Robinson Cano has looked decent so far in the 5th spot, driving in two runs with productive outs. And most importantly and excitingly Curtis Granderson has looked more than capable of reproducing the clutch output of Damon/Matsui with a homer in his first Yankee at-bat and a game-winner off Papelbon last night (Granderson is now the only AL player with two HRs against Papelbon , which, I hope is the start of a trend). I was concerned that Granderson would struggle early as so many who do when they come to New York, but looks like I was wrong. (Although he has already taken some weird routes on balls in the outfield, most of which he caught making up for his poor instincts with speed and athleticism.)
On to Tampa Bay as they Yanks begin their tough opening schedule on the road against their two division rivals before coming home to face the intradivision rival Angels. So far so good.
Two other notes from the Red Sox series. First John Sterling’s hybrid Fininan’s Rainbow/Willie Wonka Curtis Granderson home run call is one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever heard on the radio. Driving home last night and listening to his call of Granderson’s game winner off Papelbon my wife and I both burst out in hysterical gut laugher. I know John Sterling takes himself very seriously, but we don’t have to. What a goof! I actually enjoy it.
Second, they’re killing Big Papi in Boston because he was hitless in two games. They’re even crazier in Boston than in New York. I think it’s true that Papi’s just about done–it used to be that you didn’t dare through a fastball inside to the big man, now you can get him out up and in with fastballs as well as down and away with breaking balls. But even after his slow start last year, and with his weak season batting average, he still had a very productive year. Between Lowell and Ortiz the Sox ought to get enough production from the aging/injured veteran DH spot. But no question they could use a big slugger in the middle of the line up of the sort Papi used to be. Still, after Papi’s RBI single last night maybe the Sox fans will be able to climb off the ledge.
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