Around the Division, Hold First With Some Help

Yankees hold onto first place thanks to a 10-5 win against the Cleveland Indians and a Boston loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. The Yankees are now 1.5 ahead of both the Blue Jays and the Red Sox. Tampa Bay also won today against the Twins, 5-2, so they keep their spot 5.5 games behind. The Orioles, however, fall to the Tigers, 3-6 and fall back another game, 6.5. This league still is the tightest in baseball at this time. And with the Dodgers having trouble in Chicago, could very well be in the running for best division with best division leader.

Opening Day Yesterday, What I get from it.

So CC Sabathia did not have command of his fast ball. Did anyone else see it in the first when Sabathia walked Jones, wild pitch in there for a ball, and then threw another wild pitch two batters later. I thought for sure he'd only make it three innings, but then when they left him in for 4.1? I'm sorry but if a starter is not "in command" of the only pitch he can get in for strikes, take him out. Nothing like trying to catch up to a runaway team.

Good side to yesterdays disappointment was that the Yankees were hitting. Jeter was 3-5, Damon was 2-3, Swisher hit a double the only time he was up, Posada and Matsui hit home runs, and 11 hits all together. Also, the Yankees had 12 flyout which is a negative statistic, but if the hits had dropped it would have been a different game.

But for all the goods there is something bad, Teixeira 0-4, those home runs were the only things Posada and Matsui hit, and Ransom was 0-3. Whoa boy, good thing they have an off day today. A lot of thinking I'd be doing if I had a game like that. Time to calm down and get it right on Wednesday.

Side note, Angels starter Saunders looked great with only 3 hits in 6.2 innings. Also, Dodgers starter yesterday, Kuroda, had a good start with only 4 hits and 1 earned run in 5.2 innings.

I am interested in seeing how the reigning AL Champions do against the Red Soxs today, delayed from yesterday. Unfortunately one of them has to win. Can't they both just have a loss? Oh well...

Oh and North Carolina NCAA Champs. Finally it's over.

5 Days Before Opening Day

Today was the mark of the end of the spring training season. The Yankees celebrated their last game at home with a win over the Philadelphia Phillies 8-5. The Yankees had 9 hits, 3 of which came off the bat of Mark Teixeira, who went 3 for 3 with 3 RBIs. he finishes the spring training with an avg. of 444, good for him. Matsui also had a big day going 2 for 3 with 2 RBIs. Sabathia gets his third win for spring training pitching 3.2 innings with 5 strike outs.

I put last night that I might be the only one who thinks the Cubs won't make the playoffs. Well I stand by that and here are my predictions for the post season:

AL EAST Red Soxs, with Yankees Wild Card
AL CENTRAL White Soxs
AL WEST Angels

NL EAST Braves
NL CENTRAL Cardinals, with Brewers Wild Card
NL WEST Dodgers

AL CHAMPIONS Yankees, NL CHAMPIONS Dodgers

Reasons; The Yankees, Angels, Brewers, Braves, Cardinals, and Red Soxs all did very well during spring Training, finishing at the top of their respected leagues. The reasons why I choose the Dodgers and White Soxs before the others is because the Dodgers, with Manny, will be a lot better this year at the beginning and won't have the worst record going into the playoffs like last year. The White Soxs I through in for some variety, if nothing else.

The next game is against the Cubs on Friday which won't be on ESPN which I am very disappointed about. Anyways it will prolly be on WGN for all of you Chicago people. Nope, just checked, I guess its not on WGN..? Anyways, I will be in Fort Wayne that day, trying to check up on the score if I could, not likely though.