The Tampa Bay Rays delivered a spanking to the New York Yankees in Tampa’s home opener at the Tropicana. The Yanks slip to 3-4.
Chien-Ming Wang continues to frustrate, having an “excellent bullpen session” yet getting only three outs in the game while charged with eight earned runs. Three of those runs came when he left the bases loaded in the second inning and reliever Jonathan Albaladejo served up, as if on cue, a grand slam on his first pitch to Carlos Pena. It is clear that Wang is throwing “all arm” and his body appears to not be catching up. It has been this way since Spring Training and the coaching staff has not yet corrected it.
The Rays beat the Yanks in the field, on the mound, and at the plate (see box score). Tampa outfielders twice hauled in warning track drives: B.J. Upton cooly cradled a Xavier Nady slam to center over his shoulder and Carl Crawford leapt to the top of the wall to grab a Nick Swisher big fly to left. Tampa infielders twice turned inning-ending double plays. Scott Kazmir left the game with six strikouts in 6 2/3 innings pitched.
Cody Ransom flubbed a double-play ball early on and lost a pop-up in the dome that dropped for a single, while Jorge Posada allowed four stolen bases in four attempts. Down by nine runs, Ramiro Pena and Robbie Cano teamed up to let another pop-up drop just behind the mound. Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner nearly collided on a fly ball in the late innings.
Incredibly, Girardi was forced to call Nick Swisher in to pitch by necessity. Nick had the best line of the night for Yankee pitchers: 1 IP, 1 BB, 1 hit, and no runs. The Yankee bullpen was utterly depleted by the eighth inning, partly by the absence of a dedicated long man on the roster and partly because Joe Girardi used Jose Veras Sunday night rather than bringing in Mariano Rivera for a four-out save. The Yanks lost that game, too.
Swisher, who just one week ago was the Yankee’s fourth outfielder, again batted third in the world’s most expensive lineup and also led the thin offensive charge with a home run in the fourth inning. Jorge Posada had two hits and two RBIs.
Yeah, it is. Especially at home. But on the road early on in the season is a good sign of things to come.
Yeah fellas. Good thing I put down the picture of Mickey Mantle, while uncocking the beretta to my temple, here in my trailer by the beach last night.
5-4 would be great for this trip.One of the 2 long road trips in the rearview after tomorrow.
Bah bah bah BRUNEY
Bruney very nice!
Wow, Bruney not messing around. As Howard Stern’s father used to say “Shut up, sit down!”
Big win after last night’s debacle.
Said it after AJ’s last start and I’ll say it again; we won’t see many 3 game losing streaks with this staff.
Getting the energy up for the Home Opener.
Mac that’s the WABC Howard right? Man that was great, no-no to oh-oh then OH Yeah!
Not many at all Levi.I believe I set the O/U for 3 game slides at 3.
Great night. See yas tomorrow.
And in about 3 weeks we get our superstar, however flawed, #13 back. That’s a good thing.
alright Lib.
Good chattin’ with youse guys, a thoroughly satisfying evening.
Cabbie, I am heading down to the minor league complex tomorrw to see if I can get some video of Big Al rehabbing.
I know you were all over that too J. That was a very big win early. Keep them in their place. Big game for Andy tomorrow.
Was it ABC or NBC? Just an enjoyable game, like a nice shower after the drubbing from yesterday.
Alright Cabbie, be good and dont be a stranger.
Look forward to that, good night to all. ~ANDIAMO YANKEES
“WENNNNNNNNBC”
Huge game for the “Crafty Lefty” tomorrow.
Rick, Lib good night
cause he looks like a pig and he makes me wanna vomit.
Speaking of Pig vomit-
Youkilis is hitting the snot out of the ball for the Sux.
he looks ike a pig and makes me wanna punch him in the face.
Holliday just hit a 2 run double to make it 3-2.
Just turned it on, hadda wrestle the remote from mama.
looks like the sox are having their own Asian problems.
It cant be dicey though, something must be wrong with the “c”
Time to celebrate
you love them things, huh Babe?
Dice-K getting hammered. 42 pitches in the 1st inning. Any of the Sox fans that were rejoicing in Wang’s blowup yesterday are getting some instant karma.
I’d cover my naked ass in them and then lick them off.Shit, I’d cover your body in them and lick them off
J- Your boy “Shirley” is in for the Rangers.
Good night
Damn, I just missed him.Is he sportin the fro?
Didn’t see it live only his picture on the gameday page.
I turned it on as the Os reliever was warming up.
youkapiss just got doubled off on a questionable catch.Wait til you see it, he looks up at his 1st base coach like…jason pushed me.
Blalock just missed winning the game against the O’s with a 3 run dong. Under it.
Sherrill tried to give the game away but got out of it with 2 long fly balls to end the game. Birds are 6-2
Yea, I watched the end of it.Blalock and the next guy too.They both hit balls within 5 feet of the wall.
I am sure Joe is very happy.
That is a good start for them. That lineup will keep them in a lot of games.
Like I said, they can slug themselves to 70 wins easy, with a little timely pitching they can flirt with .500.There are some wins to be had in the division at bostons expense, I think.
It’s one week but they are looking old like you’ve been saying. Varitek and Poopi showed the signs of it last year. Not the start they were hoping for up there. Oh well I’m cryin for them. HAHA
The Orioles could ruin someone’s season and as long as it isn’t the Yanks’ I don’t care. They could easily be .500 this year.
EFF EM…I know its only a week but I said it before and I will say it again, I am watching ortiz, lowell, drew and varitek.They are all under contract NEXT year too if I am not mistaken about varitek.He signed a 2 year deal right? The other 3 are definitely under contract in 10 and drew is in 11.
As I’m gloating, Lowell tied the game with a single.
You look past the Os and you will be in trouble.I hope the Yankees learned that lesson the 1st week.The rays made everybody believe, its not like they were the 1st ones but they did have a huge turnaround and they were hard not to root for, especially against the sox last year.Got a lotta little engines that can out there this time of year.
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