Photo: Peter Adams Photography
The Yankees open up their 112th season against the division rival Tampa Rays. Although the two teams previously faced off on Opening Day in 2004, those games were played in the Tokyo Dome, so this afternoon’s contests marks the first time the Yankees will begin a season at Tropicana Field. Entering the game, the Yankees are 64-46-1 (.577) on the season’s first day, but when opening up on the road, the team is below .500 and has lost seven of the last 10.
On an individual note, C.C. Sabathia is making his fourth consecutive Opening Day start, the most since Mel Stottlemyre did the same from 1967 to 1970 (the record is six, which was accomplished by Lefty Gomez from 1932 to 1937). With his 16th Opening Day start, Derek Jeter moves past Bill Dickey for sole possession of second place on the Yankees’ all-time list. If the Captain starts the opener in each of the final two years left on his current deal, he’d tie Mickey Mantle for the franchise lead. However, Jeter’s run of starts is not consecutive because a strained thigh muscle kept him out of the 2001 opening game.
Listed below is an assortment of team and player Opening Day facts and figures to keep you busy until the start of this afternoon’s game.
Yankees Opening Day Record, 1901-2011
Source: Baseball-reference.com
Yankees Opening Day Starters, 1918-2011
Source: Baseball-reference.com
Select Individual Player Opening Day Records, 1918-2011
Note: ERA based on a minimum 10 innings pitched.
Source: Baseball-reference.com
Yankees Top Offensive Performers on Opening Day, 1918-2011
Note: Ranked by OPS; minimum 20 plate appearances.
Source: Baseball-reference.com
Yankees Top Pitching Performances on Opening Day, 1918-2011
Note: Ranked by Game Score.
Source: Baseball-reference.com
Opening Day offensive leaders reads like a who's who list of Yankee history. Plus Roberto Kelly.
[1] If this was Sesame Street, he would be the answer to which one of these players is not like the other. However, in his short Yankees career, Kelly was a very useful player.
He should frame that list and hang it in his den.
How does Babe Ruth have 13 starts, but is not the starting right fielder over O'Neill/Bauer (8 starts) in the most common opening day lineup?
[4] I'm not certain, but Ruth spent a lot of time in left field earlier in his career.
[4] Ruth had 7 starts in LF, 5 in RF, and 1 in CF.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYY/opening.shtml
This is like waiting for Christmas as a kid.
So psyched
Happy Opening Day, Team!
[6] What a great link! and holy cow-- Ruth started opening day in LF as late as 1934! and traded LF/RF opening day starts with Meusel from '26-'29!
I thought Ruth was always in RF... but looking at the games played stats, he played a full third of his games in left in the late '20s. Maybe he switched with Meusel based on the handedness of the pitcher, or of the dominant hitters on the opposing team?
Wait, now there's a shift on Granderson?
Ffs, this shit has go to stop.