The Yankees dropped their season opener vs. the Orioles 10-5, as CC Sabathia provided the Yanks with an extremely ineffective start in his much-anticipated debut. CC pitched a measly 4.1 innings surrendering six runs and 8 eights while walking 5. Sabathia did not record a single strikeout and his last start in which he did not log a strikeout was July 25th, 2005 vs. Oakland. CC looked uncomfortable on the mound and had no command of his fastball making his secondary pitches ineffective. The Yankees bullpen kept the offense in the game until the 8th inning when Phil Coke and Brian Bruney yielded two runs apiece allowing the Orioles a contented lead. Despite nearly climbing back from a 6-1 deficit the offense left 11 men on base and Mark Teixeira accounted for nearly half the men left on base, as he faltered alongside CC Sabathia in his Yankee debut going 0-for-4. The team played scantily overall, but many signs of a transformed 2009 roster were present. Jorge Posada and Hideki Matsui each launched a home run and if they can stay healthy the duo will bring stability and equilibrium to the lineup. Also, Joe Girardi showcased the much and improved bench as Nick Swisher delivered a pinch-hit double in the 8th inning only to be replaced by pinch-runner Ramiro Pena, displaying the Yankees will have more versatility through the bench than seasons past. There are 162 games in the season and the Yankees will improve vastly through their dynamic bench and bolstered starting rotation. Tomorrow Chien-Ming Wang gets his first start since injuring his right foot June 15th, 2008 as he squares off against Koji Uehara.
CC Sabathia had one of his worst outings since July 2005 failing to strikeout a hitter, but he will significantly improve as he finds his comfort zone.
April 8, 2009 at 12:10 am |
News for the world: Never bet against CC.