New York Yankees: A New Journey Begins

BRONX, NY—After rain showered the final home opener in Yankee Stadium, the Yankees will try it again on Tuesday night. 

Alex Rodriguez will look to get the Yankees off to another huge offensive start. Who can forget when A-Rod did so last April? 

The offense is shaped mostly the same, except with a few noted changes on the bench.

New addition Morgan Ensberg and Yankees prospect Shelley Duncan are now full-time members of the team. 

Wilson Betimit will remain the back up infielder. 

The bigger story is the young pitching—can they hold up all season in the major league level?

Time will tell. 

Joba Chamberlain, who was amazing in last year's relief appearances, will start the season off in the bullpen with hopes of eventually making it to the starting rotation by the All-Star break. 

Ian Kennedy and Phil Hughes will start the season in the rotation, along with the Opening Day starter Chien-Ming Wang. 

Andy Pettitte and Mike Mussina will fill the other spots of the rotation.  Pettitte, will miss his first start of the season with a back injury, but should be available by this weekend.

Many stories will be told this season and many things will happen.  It will be very odd to see Joe Torre not in the dugout with Don Mattingly, but it's now time to turn over a new leaf and start a new era—the Joe Girardi era. 

Girardi, a former Yankee, will manage his first regular season game with the Yankees this year.  Only managing one other season with the Florida Marlins, Girardi has a lot of pressure on him, especially with the New York media breathing down his neck and trying the fill some big shoes as manager of the Yankees.

Some wonder if the Yankees will miss playoffs, but they also wondered the same thing last season and the Yankees had a strong second half after a slow first half to win the AL Wild Card. 

Putting the Cleveland series behind them from last year's ALDS, the Yankees look to get off to a good start as they open up their season against AL East rival Toronto Blue Jays.

Wang gets the ball for the Yankees, while Halladay will get the ball for the Jays. 

Let's play ball—finally!