Kelly Johnson came to bat with the bases loaded and two men out last night in the seventh inning. The Yanks were behind 6-0. Johnson faced Kevin Chapman, a left-handed reliever, took a ball outside and then looked at two strikes–a breaking ball and a fastball, both on the outside corner. The next pitch tailed away from Johnson and when he swung the ball hit off the end of his bat causing it to sputter and spin. It looked like someone shooting marbles. Chapman fielded it on the third base side of the mound and threw home for the force to end the inning.
That weird, weakly struck ball summed up the Yankees’ opener. C.C. Sabathia gave up six runs in the first two innings and his fielders looked crisp enough to start for Chico’s Bail Bonds. Yes, Sabathia muscled his way through four scoreless innings after that, and yes, the Yanks strung together a bunch of singles in the 8th and plated a couple of runs, but there would be no comeback.
And so the first game of the year was one to forget.
Final Score: Astros 6, Yanks 2.
The good news? There’s 161 left, and they’ll be back at it tonight.
I was traveling and got home around 10pm. I tried watching the archived game on mlb.tv. I abandoned it in the third. For a couple of reasons but I think I was too tired to deal with CC imploding. I'm annoyed that tonight's game is a night game. I was hoping for a spring day game to work to. :(
Oh, that first inning. Was the team that nervous? I mean they were throwing balls everywhere but where they should go.
Fellas, I ran some numbers and this looks serious. Their current record projects out to a 0-162 season.
Naw, really, you know what? After what felt like the longest, crappiest winter I can remember, it brought a warm feeling to see a 100+ comment game thread up in here, and another warm feeling to see this recap. Beisbol is back and that means my favorite part of the Banter is back too. Onward.
Which is not to say I'm not completely down with food porn, street photography, and great moments in long-form journalism. I'm just sayin.'
:)
BBNC - you are so right! When the game sucks, at least I've got my fellow Banterers to keep me interested as the game goes by. Welcome back to all of those who didn't play the where and when game, who don't like to cook, and the only Art they know is Art Ditmar.
[3] ah yes, that's why I wanted a day game too! I wanted to game thread it! Too tired to read it now though lol. I did read a little. Frustrations and all. :)
Course I forgot to mention the most dramatic moment of the game which was when Derek Jeter got hit in his first at bat. Fortunately, it wasn't horrible.
Yeah, Jeter got hit by the second pitch of the game and things got worse from there.
Can someone please give me a reason to not be worried about CC?
[8] CC might be the 5th arm in the rotation be season's end. Can someone get into the not-so-way-back machine and tell Cash not to resign him after he exercises his opt out?