Opening Day Live Blog

Its two and a half hours before first pitch the game will be broadcast on the YES Network with the Pre-game starting at 3:00. Here’s a look at the starting line-ups. (hat tip to Pete Abraham for posting this so religiously before every game)

YANKEES (0-0)
2. Derek  Jeter SS
18. Johnny  Damon LF
25. Mark  Teixeira 1B
55. Hideki Matsui DH
20. Jorge  Posada  C
24. Robinson  Cano 2B
22. Xavier  Nady III RF
12.  Cody Ransom 3B
11. Brett  Gardner CF
Pitching: 52. Carsten Sabathia LHP

ORIOLES (0-0)
1. Brian Roberts 2B
10. Adam Jones CF
21. Nick Markakis RF
6. Melvin Mora 3B
17. Aubrey Huff 1B
23. Ty Wigginton DH
30. Luke Scott LF
9. Gregg Zaun C
3. Cesar Izturis SS
Pitching: 46. Jeremy Guthrie RHP

Quick note, today’s Red Sox vs Rays game has been postponed due to heavy rain and will be played tomorrow. Gates open at 2:05  pm, First pitch at 4:05 pm.

Back later with updates.

Update: It seems that they can’t make up their mind about the tarp,  it has been on and off the field at least three times . Currently it is raining but it looks like there will be baseball. The rain seems to be letting up. I’ll let you know if there will be a delay

Update 4:13: Line-ups are announced. National Anthem sung, time for baseball! Interesting how loud Mark  Teixeira got booed.  (Jealousy at its best) Tex is a Baltimore native and many thought he would come home when he became a free agent. Loved that they play the Imperial March when they announce the Yankees line-up. For those of you who don’t know it's the Evil Empire Star Wars theme.

Update 4:46: It looked like it might be a rough inning for CC, allowing 2 wild pitches. But a heads up play by Ransom to throw home on a grounder prevented Baltimore from scoring then a tough hop keeper by Jeter and Sabathia was out of it. CC had to throw 19 pitches but only allowed one hit and no runs.

Update 5:01: End of two. Sabathia has settled down and had a 1-2-3 Inning. Guthrie is dealing, he has thrown first pitch strikes to almost every batter he has faced. I predict there will be that one big inning that will knock him out I’m going to make a guess and say they get to him in the 6th. End of 2  0-0.

Update 5:08: Speed kills! Brett Gardner singles, Jeter moves him to third on a hit and run. (just like in the textbook) Damon brings him in with a sac fly. 1-0 Yankees.

Update 5:20 : CC getting roughed up a little . He gives up leadoff single and a stolen base. Then CC walks Brian Roberts. Adam Jones hits a two run triple and a sac fly brings him home. 3-1 Orioles, Don’t panic its only the third inning I’m still going with they get to Guthrie in the 6th.

Update 5:43:  It looked like it was going to be the undoing of CC as he allowed two runners on with no outs but after a fly ball out that allowed Ty Wiggington to go to third he got Cesar Izturis to ground into a double play that ended the inning. His ball strike ratio has been horrible but you know this is what makes him great even when he is not having a good game he keeps you in it. Guthrie still dealing but now its the second time through the lineup and Damon just tripled with two outs Yankees might get something going.

But Matsui popped out. Still 3-1 O’s. Sabathia back out for more punishment as he allows a leadoff double to Brian Roberts.  He has allowed 2 runs bases loaded and 1 out if he doesn’t get out of this than that will probably be all for him as Johnathon Albaladejo is ready in the bullpen.

CC walks in a run that’s it for him. Not a very good showing for his first time out. But you know what?  It's a long season and I think you can be pretty confident that he won’t make a habit of this considering how sharp he looked in Spring Training. Remember the 6th inning is coming up and that’s the inning I am predicting the Yankees get to Guthrie. (If nothing else you gotta love my optimism) Final line on CC included 8 hits 5 ER and 0 strikeouts. Not pretty at all.

WOW great throw by Gardner as he catches a fly ball in center and guns down the runner coming to the plate to keep the Yankees in this thing. You gotta love Gardner he already has a single, a run scored and an assist and its only the first game of the season.

6:23 Update : Would you look at that? It’s the sixth inning and here come the Bombers. Posada hit a leadoff homer. Cano walked then scored on a ground rule double(touched by a fan) by Nady. They allowed him to score the run because he was rounding third when the ball was touched. It's Umpires discretion according to the rule. 6-3 O’s. Ransom has not had a great game as he struck out with a runner on second and less than two outs. Not to mention that ground ball that he dropped that should have been a double play.

Yikes! Nady got hung out to  dry on a liner that he thought was going to make it into left off the bat of Jeter, but was smothered by Izturis. Nady was too far around third to have been looking back like that. Had he just kept on running he probably would have been thrown out at the plate but at least he would have had a chance. Not great base running.

6:38 update: 1-3-6-1-4  that's the rundown scoring that got Brian Roberts picked off.

Phil Coke in to pitch as the matching up to hitters portion of the game has begun.

6:50 update: Godzilla hits a 2 run-HR and have battled back from 6-1 to make it 6-5.

Baltimore’s bull pen has never been a strength for them as the Yankees have the tying run on base with less than two outs.  This is just me but in the 7th with one out and Posada on first why not pinch run with Pena or Cabrera and try and steal second to create a run or at least have a better chance of scoring a run on a double. Posada will probably have maybe one more AB anyhow.

7:18 update : Yankees don’t get it done with a runner on third and less than 2 outs. Jeter grounds out.  First and third two outs Tex up to the plate. Oh the drama of it all!

7:46 update: The O’s have batted around and it’s 10-5 but never fear I’m sure the Yankees chances of making the world series are still intact. Unless something amazing happens this will be it for me, some final words. Brian Roberts always hits the Yankees hard but never harder than today. CC will be fine, It’s not easy to pitch in the cold he just didn’t have his good fastball today. I was impressed with Gardner and Tex not so much with Ransom.