New York Yankees Opening Day 2012: What to Watch for in Weekend Series with LA

The New York Yankees are set to open up Yankee Stadium for the 2012 season, and that officially happens today in the Bombers' home-opening series against the Los Angeles Angels.

As is normally the case with the Yankees, there is no shortage of great storylines and players to watch this weekend.

So here's what to look for in the Yankees-Angels three-game set.

Jorge Posada Throws out First Pitch

This is the No. 1 slide in this piece, being that it'll be the first thing we see before this series kicks-off.

It's going to be pretty strange to see Jorge Posada on the other end of a pitch, but that's exactly what we'll see when he throws out the first pitch for Opening Day 2012.

The nostalgia and emotions of having Posada on the field post-retirement will be a great moment for Yankee fans as they remember and once again appreciate all the great things he did in pinstripes.

Look for a loud and lengthy standing ovation for a Yankee legend who damn well deserves it.

Hiroki Kuroda's Bronx Debut

Not only is today Hiroki Kuroda's Bronx debut, he is also looking to bounce back from a rough season-opening outing against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Kuroda allowed six runs (four earned) over 5.2 innings in his first Yankee start.

The whispers of Kuroda's inability to pitch in a superior offensive division have already begun, and that's on top of the pressure that comes with playing in New York itself.

This will be quite the test for the Yanks' newest pitcher, and it will speak volumes as to how well Kuroda can handle the pressure in the Big Apple.

3-4-5 Production and Lineup Change

Offensively, the Bronx Bombers haven't looked much like themselves, and you can chalk that up to their 3-4-5 hitters not getting it done six games into the 2012 campaign.

Robinson Cano, Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira have one RBI in total between the three of them, and all are hitting under .250 with A-Rod on the interstate and Tex on the brink of it.

While I don't expect that to continue, now is as good a time as any for these three sluggers to break out of their early funk. Their success is vital to New York's offensive viability and is even more important until the Yanks rotation finds some consistency.

Also, Girardi has decided to move A-Rod to the three-hole and bat Cano clean up. It will be interesting to see how that works out and if it can get the Yanks' best hitters going.

Look for one, if not all, of these players to have a big weekend at the Stadium.

Hughes vs. Wilson

Of all three pitching match ups this weekend, this one is the most intriguing.

Behind Ivan Nova, Phil Hughes was the only Yankee starter to perform decently in his first start of the season. Even so, it wasn't all that impressive for the young right-hander.

Hughes only allowed two runs on five hits, but he didn't make it out of the fifth inning and will look to put some length into his start this time around.

Opposing him will be the Angels' newest acquisition, C.J. Wilson.

Wilson was excellent in his first start, going seven innings and allowing only one run on three hits in a winning effort against the Minnesota Twins.

If Hughes can win a battle against a marquee starter like Wilson, it will do wonders for Hughes' confidence moving forward and will give the Yanks a win against the toughest pitcher they'll face this weekend.

Albert Pujols

Albert Pujols is a big headline in himself, but coming to Yankee Stadium just adds to the Pujols media frenzy that already currently exists.

Getting off to a semi-slow start, this could be the series where Pujols breaks out. It'll be interesting to see how the Bombers contain one of the best hitters in the MLB.

One thing's for certain: If manager Joe Girardi feels Pujols will hurt his team in any way, shape or form, I'm sure he won't be hesitant to walk the Angels slugger.

Yankee Stadium's dimensions fit perfectly for Pujols' game, and this could end up being a huge weekend for him against the Yanks.

Joe Girardi's Managing

To say Girardi has made some questionable moves so far this season is an understatement.

The Yankees skipper has done everything from walking a light-hitting infielder to load the bases for a power-hitting first baseman to putting the game-winning run 90 feet away in favor of a certain matchup.

Or how about Derek Jeter sitting in favor of rest on the second game of the season?

No matter how by the book he is, Girardi likes to roll the dice, and with a lineup containing Pujols, it remains to be seen if he will overreact and overmanage this weekend against the Angels.

Chances are pretty good that happens. It just depends upon how much, if any, effect it has on the team over the course of the weekend.