Opening Night between the Red Sox and Yankees featured the usual fireworks that are showcased just about every time these two teams clash. Yet it was the bats, and not the arms, that determined the outcome. The Red Sox rallied from a 5-1 deficit to open the season with a 9-7 win over the Yankees. This despite an atrocious outing from Josh Beckett, who yesterday signed a four-year, $68 million contract extension.
I read a comment where a guy said that he didn't know what was worse was worse on Sunday night - Josh Beckett's start or Neil Diamond singing his own song, "Sweet Caroline." Diamond was awful, but Beckett surrendered five runs and eight hits in 4.2 innings. He frequently missed his spots, and the Yankees pounded him. CC Sabathia wasn't much better. The Sox reached him for five runs and six hits in 5.1 innings. Boston relished every at-bat against the Yankees bullpen, scoring three runs off Chan Ho Park and another run off Joba Chamberlain (hey, isn't he supposed to be in the rotation?).
Kevin Youkilis was the offensive star for the Sox, becoming the first Boston player since Carlton Fisk to have three extra-base hits on opening day. Pudge had a double and two home runs against the Yankees in the 1973 season opener. Youkilis had two doubles and a triple, knocked in two runs and scored three. Dustin Pedroia, who predicted he will hit 20 dingers this season, belted a two-run blast and knocked in three.
Typically, spring training numbers are not a concern, but for Red Sox set-up man Ramon Ramirez, they might be. He was cuffed around in spring training and allowed two runs and two hits in one-third of an inning. Hideki Okajima didn't fare any better. He allowed both inherited runners to score and walked a batter in one inning. Daniel Bard tossed a scoreless frame and Jonathan Papelbon earned the save with a scoreless inning.
Bard and Papelbon are the rocks on the bullpen. The remaining relievers are question marks. Okajima has struggled with allowing inherited runners to score. Will that trend continue this season? Ramirez has not looked good this spring. Will he turn it around? Lefty Scott Schoeneweis, whose career ERA is hovering just below 5, made the team over righty Joe Nelson. Schoeneweis did retire Curtis Granderson, but don't most left-handers? On a team that features the game's best starting rotation, a balanced offensive lineup and strong defense, the bullpen could be a weakness. of course, there is nothing more inviting than seeing any Yankees reliever aside from Mariano Rivera warming up in the bullpen.
Tonight, Jon Lester opposes A.J. Burnett at 7:10 p.m. Nights are once again filled with baseball. Isn't life grand in the spring!
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