Feb 25 2009
SPRING TRAINING GAMES BEGIN
Hey folks - sorry about the lack of posts so far this week, but I’m back full-force. Ready for spring-training baseball? You better be…cause our Bombers are taking on the Jays today, with Brett Tomko getting the start (fighting for a long-relief role). A-Rod will take his share of boos and move on, Gardner will begin his test in an attempt to start everyday, Derek will be Derek, and some of the new faces will break in those Yankee uniforms.
The rotation has already been set by Joe Girardi, and as expected, it will look like this: Sabathia, Wang, Burnett, Pettitte, Chamberlain. Something that really hasn’t been talked about is the fact that the Yankees have 2 good left-handed starters in the rotation, basically for the first time since Wells was still here 6 years ago. How many teams can say that they have 2 good lefties? Hardly any. Something else that’s been reported is that Joba will probably not be allowed to go past 6 innings in a game, which is pretty ridiculous. You gotta come to a point where you let these kids pitch, I mean are you telling me that if Joba’s throwing a no-no through 6, you won’t let him go out for the 7th? Stop it with the baby games. You gotta be cautious, but you gotta be logical about it.
I do like how Girardi had a team-outing the other day, where they took some time off the field and played some pool - he realizes that you need chemistry in order to win, it doesn’t matter what names you have on the stat sheet. Girardi was part of that great feeling with the 90’s teams, and he knows how important it is. This team has a chance to have that fun-like bunch, with the combination of veterans, youth, and role-players.
By the way, I just checked the boxscore from the game today, and Gardner already led off with a homer - nice start. 40 days until opening day.
