canihavu
04-11-2006, 02:45 PM
Yankees Get Set for Home Opener
Apr 10, 7:15 PM (ET) Email this Story
By MIKE FITZPATRICK
NEW YORK (AP) - After opening the season with a week in California, the New York Yankees returned home ranked second in the American League in pitching and tied for second in runs.
They're also 2-4 and three games behind Boston already.
"If I get nervous after game six, then I'm not going to last long," manager Joe Torre said Monday. "They're going to be fine."
Back in the Big Apple, the results figure to get better.
New York is set for its home opener Tuesday against the lowly Kansas City Royals, the first chance for new center fielder and leadoff hitter Johnny Damon to play in pinstripes at Yankee Stadium.
"I've been waiting for that moment to happen for a while. I'm just happy it's right around the corner. It's definitely a dream come true," said Damon, who appeared Monday night with Torre on David Letterman's show. "Some of the best players who have ever played this game have roamed center field for the Yankees."
For years, Damon sparked a high-powered offense with the rival Red Sox.
Now, the Bleacher Creatures in the Bronx will chant his name during roll call right along with the rest of the big names in New York's star-laden lineup.
Alex Rodriguez. Derek Jeter. Gary Sheffield. Jason Giambi. Even old-pro Bernie Williams is back for his 16th season with the Yankees, in a reduced role as a designated hitter and fill-in outfielder.
"Opening day is very special. We've waited a long time for this," said Torre, excited about playing three midweek day games against the Royals. "I left for spring training about two months ago."
On paper, the lineup is so deep and powerful that some folks expect the Yankees to score 1,000 runs this year. But they were stymied by some good pitching in Oakland and Anaheim, falling to 1-4 before a 10-1 rout of Cy Young Award winner Bartolo Colon and the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday.
In the first week of the season, the Yankees scored 35 runs and pitched to a 3.04 ERA. Hideki Matsui is batting .400 with three homers and seven RBIs. Giambi is 3-for-18 (.167) with one RBI and seven walks.
"We didn't hit with runners in scoring position. That's going to happen. If we did, we obviously think our record would be a little bit better. But again, there's not much to judge in six games," general manager Brian Cashman said. "Pitching is the key for us, more so than the offense. That's what makes or breaks teams, especially where we want to get."
So far, the pitching has been promising, even though Carl Pavano and Aaron Small are out with injuries. Randy Johnson and Mike Mussina each delivered a pair of solid starts on the West Coast. Mariano Rivera was sharp in his first appearance Sunday - with a nine-run lead.
Chien-Ming Wang starts Tuesday against Kansas City's Joe Mays, who gave up six runs and eight hits in 4 1-3 innings of a 14-3 loss to Detroit last Wednesday.
Wang, a right-hander with a nasty sinking fastball when he's on, went 8-5 with a 4.02 ERA as a rookie last season.
"He doesn't seem to be overwhelmed by it," Torre said.
Torre and Cashman spoke after appearing at a Yankee Stadium news conference to announce the team's new partnership with Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. The initiative is aimed at raising funds for research and treatment of children with the disease.
"Two teams that have meant a great deal in my life are the New York Yankees and Sloan-Kettering," said Torre, who overcame prostate cancer in 1999.
Along with Hall of Famer Yogi Berra, they unveiled YANKEES UNIVERSE T-shirts. Net proceeds from the sale of the shirts will go toward pediatric cancer research, patient care and education.
"This has been a small way for us to try to assist," Cashman said.
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AP Sports Writer Beth Harris in Anaheim, Calif., contributed to this report.
Apr 10, 7:15 PM (ET) Email this Story
By MIKE FITZPATRICK
NEW YORK (AP) - After opening the season with a week in California, the New York Yankees returned home ranked second in the American League in pitching and tied for second in runs.
They're also 2-4 and three games behind Boston already.
"If I get nervous after game six, then I'm not going to last long," manager Joe Torre said Monday. "They're going to be fine."
Back in the Big Apple, the results figure to get better.
New York is set for its home opener Tuesday against the lowly Kansas City Royals, the first chance for new center fielder and leadoff hitter Johnny Damon to play in pinstripes at Yankee Stadium.
"I've been waiting for that moment to happen for a while. I'm just happy it's right around the corner. It's definitely a dream come true," said Damon, who appeared Monday night with Torre on David Letterman's show. "Some of the best players who have ever played this game have roamed center field for the Yankees."
For years, Damon sparked a high-powered offense with the rival Red Sox.
Now, the Bleacher Creatures in the Bronx will chant his name during roll call right along with the rest of the big names in New York's star-laden lineup.
Alex Rodriguez. Derek Jeter. Gary Sheffield. Jason Giambi. Even old-pro Bernie Williams is back for his 16th season with the Yankees, in a reduced role as a designated hitter and fill-in outfielder.
"Opening day is very special. We've waited a long time for this," said Torre, excited about playing three midweek day games against the Royals. "I left for spring training about two months ago."
On paper, the lineup is so deep and powerful that some folks expect the Yankees to score 1,000 runs this year. But they were stymied by some good pitching in Oakland and Anaheim, falling to 1-4 before a 10-1 rout of Cy Young Award winner Bartolo Colon and the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday.
In the first week of the season, the Yankees scored 35 runs and pitched to a 3.04 ERA. Hideki Matsui is batting .400 with three homers and seven RBIs. Giambi is 3-for-18 (.167) with one RBI and seven walks.
"We didn't hit with runners in scoring position. That's going to happen. If we did, we obviously think our record would be a little bit better. But again, there's not much to judge in six games," general manager Brian Cashman said. "Pitching is the key for us, more so than the offense. That's what makes or breaks teams, especially where we want to get."
So far, the pitching has been promising, even though Carl Pavano and Aaron Small are out with injuries. Randy Johnson and Mike Mussina each delivered a pair of solid starts on the West Coast. Mariano Rivera was sharp in his first appearance Sunday - with a nine-run lead.
Chien-Ming Wang starts Tuesday against Kansas City's Joe Mays, who gave up six runs and eight hits in 4 1-3 innings of a 14-3 loss to Detroit last Wednesday.
Wang, a right-hander with a nasty sinking fastball when he's on, went 8-5 with a 4.02 ERA as a rookie last season.
"He doesn't seem to be overwhelmed by it," Torre said.
Torre and Cashman spoke after appearing at a Yankee Stadium news conference to announce the team's new partnership with Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. The initiative is aimed at raising funds for research and treatment of children with the disease.
"Two teams that have meant a great deal in my life are the New York Yankees and Sloan-Kettering," said Torre, who overcame prostate cancer in 1999.
Along with Hall of Famer Yogi Berra, they unveiled YANKEES UNIVERSE T-shirts. Net proceeds from the sale of the shirts will go toward pediatric cancer research, patient care and education.
"This has been a small way for us to try to assist," Cashman said.
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AP Sports Writer Beth Harris in Anaheim, Calif., contributed to this report.