AL East

CC Sabathia makes his second start of the year today, trying to improve on his dreadful opening day performance. He worked on a mechanical issue with pitching coach Dave Eiland in his bullpen session and believes he corrected the flaw.

It was Sabathia's footwork, especially his front foot, that hindered his performance the first game of the year, so if he has his fastball command early, we will know it should be a much better game from him.

CC is 14-10 with a 3.40 ERA in his career against the Royals, a team he has started the most games against in his career.

Tyler Kepner, Yankees beat writer for the NY Times, wrote something in his game recap last night that completely coincides with what I’ve been saying all along about Robinson Cano.

Kepner and Joe Girardi hit the nail right on the head:

The Yankees’ pitching staff has racked up 22 strikeouts in their last two games, their only two wins on the season.

CC Sabathia and Chien-Ming Wang failed to strikeout a single batter in their first starts of the season, the Yankees’ only two losses on the season.

I have a hunch those facts will mean something for the Yankees in 2009.

The Scranton Yankees-AAA affiliate of the New York Yankees beat the Lehigh Valley Ironpigs yesterday by a score of 2-1 in 11 innings. Ian Kennedy made his first start of the year and went a strong six innings giving up one run on four hits with 0 walks and 11 strikeouts.

Dave Robertson had a strong two innings of relief giving up one hit, 0 runs, and three strikeouts. Brett Tomko pitched two innings giving up two hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, and had three strikeouts and JB Cox closed it out with a walk and hit but no runs allowed.

The New York Yankees defeated the Kansas City Royals today by the score of 4-1. Andy Pettitte was just dominant pitching 7 innings giving up 3 hits, 1 of which should of been an error, 1 run, 1 walk and 6 strikeouts. Brian Bruney pitched a 1-2-3 8th inning with 2 strikeouts and Mo got the save in the 9th only giving up a infield single with a strikeout. The Yankees bullpen over the last 3 games has pitched 10 innings giving up a infield single, 0 runs and 12 strikeouts. I think what seperates the Yankees is what you saw today, did Andy Pettitte look like a #4 starter to you??

The Red Sox have dropped two of the first three games of the 2009 season. No cause for alarm; it's far to early for that.

But what makes it sting a bit is the fact that they were at home, where they have the best winning percentage in baseball over the past six seasons (.652), and they lost to their newest rival—the defending AL Champion Tampa Bay Rays.

We've all become accustomed to the Red Sox wining their home series, as well as beating up on the lowly Rays. Things are changing. At the least, the Rays have changed.

It took them longer than some hoped, but the Yankees got their first win of the season behind A.J. Burnett last night.

Today they hope to keep that going with veteran lefty Andy Pettitte on the mound, who is going up against former Yankee Sidney Ponson.

Here are their numbers from last season:

Pettitte 14-14, 4.54 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 158 K’s, 55 BB’s, 204 innings.

After the Orioles opening day thumping of the Yankees, most expected the Birds to be violently brought back down to earth. Instead, the Yanks bats were quieted for five masterful innings by the O's #2 pitcher, import Koji Uehara. Just as the Orioles learned many valuable lessons on Opening Day, they learned a few more things about how their 2009 season might turn out, on Day Two.

These are two links I have found recently having to do with the Rays that I enjoy. Even if you're not a Rays' fan, but like baseball, you'll at least find them worth reading.