Boston: Red Sox Outclass Yankees in First Game of Series

Here's the difference between a World Champion and a team that perennially exits the playoffs in the first round:

In the bottom of the first inning of Thursday night's series-opener between New York and Boston, the Yankees already trailed by two and needed to respond quickly. 

It looked like they might, as Sox starter Jon Lester walked the first two batters.

Next up, Bobby Abreu didn't bunt, of course, and instead grounded into what should've been a double play. 

The Yanks caught a break when Abreu was called safe on a questionable call at first and so New York still had a chance to score the run from third on an out. 

That didn't happen, though, as both Alex Rodriguez and Jason Giambi struck out swinging to end the inning.

Now let's compare that to the top half of the second: like the Yankees, Boston got its first two men aboard against Andy Pettitte.

However, that's where the similarities end.  Julio Lugo then laid down a beautiful sacrifice bunt to advance the runners to second and third with less than two outs. Jacoby Ellsbury followed with a clutch double, scoring both runners.

Need more evidence that the Red Sox are a more fundamentally sound team than the Yankees right now? 

In the top of the fourth, Coco Crisp led off with a single to left.  He then stole second, advanced to third on a selfless ground ball to first by Jason Varitek, and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Lugo.

After the Yankees failed to score in the first, I immediately sent a text to my friend Brad saying "Lester will now give up one hit through the next five innings." 

I was wrong. 

He actually surrendered five hits through the next eight innings.  It's not that I'm Nostradamus, I just watch enough Yanks games to know how the script usually goes...

Act I: Yankees squander a perfect opportunity to rattle the young opposing pitcher with a couple runs early in the game.

Act II: Young opposing pitcher settles down due to some run support by his own hitters and proceeds to completely shut down the Bombers for the remainder of the game.

Fin.

Here are the grades from the Yanks' embarrassing 7-0 loss to the Red Sox.

Joe Girardi, Manager: (F) No bunts, no steals, no spark, no nothing.

Johnny Damon, LF: (D+) Damon went 0-3 with a walk, and once again proved that he has the worst outfielder's arm in baseball with his nine-hop throw home trying to get Manny Ramirez out at the plate in the first inning.

Derek Jeter, SS: (C-) Jeter seriously needs to stop hitting into 4-6-3 double plays.  Maybe he needs to try to pull a few balls. 

I know it's not his style, but it seems like defenses have him played perfectly to hit the ball the opposite way. 

The Captain went 1-3 with a walk and committed a two-run error in the first that set the tone for this loss.

Bobby Abreu, RF: (F) 0-4 and grounded into a double play.

Alex Rodriguez, 3B: (F) 0-4.

Jason Giambi, DH: (F) 0-3 with two strikeouts.

Jorge Posada, C: (F) 0-3 with one strikeout.

Robinson Cano, 2B: (A) At least he tried.  Cano went 2-3.

Wilson Betemit, 1B: (F) 0-3 with two K's and grounded into a double play.

Melky Cabrera, CF: (A) Looks like somebody doesn't want to lose his job. 

Cabrera went 2-3 with a double after being benched in favor of rookie Brett Gardner the night before.

Andy Pettitte, SP: (F) Pettitte had a 1.00 ERA in his previous four starts (all wins), so he was allowed one stinker.  He just picked a bad night to do it.

Dan Giese, RP: (A+) Maybe the only bright spot from a gloomy night in the Bronx. 

Giese retired all seven batters he faced, striking out three. He is really developing into a top-flight reliever for the Yankees.

LaTroy Hawkins, RP: (F) He is not.

David Robertson, RP: (A) A perfect ninth.

Yankees Overall Grade: (F) The Yankees were coming off an 18-run outburst against the Rangers, while the Red Sox were just swept by the Rays. 

So what happens?  New York turns in its single worst performance of the year in the first game of a big four-game series against their arch rivals.

The pitching match-up Friday doesn't indicate things will change anytime soon, either: it's Josh Beckett against Darrell Rasner. 

The Yanks should be able to win the Joba Chamberlain vs. Tim Wakefield showdown on Sunday, so Saturday's Mussina/Masterson duel could decide whether the Bombers come away from this series with a split or a devastating three-games-to-one defeat.