Yankees Stinkees



Not even Randy Johnson can help the Yankees from the muck and mire from their inexplicably slow start.

The Big Unit (1-1) pitched an eight inning complete game, giving up seven hits and striking out eight with no walks. Interestingly, Hall of Fame closer Mariano Rivera has still not been used once by the Yankees this season.

Surprisingly, not even a lineup bolstered by the likes of Johnny Damon, Mr March, Alex Rodriguez and the "allegedly" steroid-laden physiques of Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield can help the Yankees out of the hitting slump they've been shackled by ever since their 15-2 Opening Day offensive outpouring. Yesterday, Derek Jeter hit a homer in the first inning, Hideki Matsui hit one in the ninth, and in between the Yankees had two hits.

Of course, provided no one's head mysteriously explodes outside the offices of a certain G Steinbrenner, the slow start might ultimately prove to be to the Yankees benefit.

The last time the Yankees started a season 1-4, they went on to win 114 games and the World Series.

Blood Sox Increase Early Lead



It looks like Mr Bloody Sock himself, Curt Schilling is back to normal after a season of disjointed recoveries. Whether that in itself is enough to bolster a relatively weak Blood Sox pitching staff remains to be seen but it certainly can't hurt that Schilling scattered three hits yesterday over 114 pitches and allowed just one run in the win over the Orioles and that in two starts this season he is 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA.

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WHO? Is hitting .700 this season so far: Chris Shelton.

Tigers won their 5th in a row 7-0 over the disappointing Rangers whose ridiculously expensive signing of an overrated starter in Kevin Millwood continued to bear rotten fruit. Millwood lost his second game of the season in his second start, allowing five runs and eight hits over six innings.


J.J. Hardy slides past Diamondbacks catcher Chris Snyder with the game-winning run on Carlos Lee's ninth-inning single.

The only other undeated team in baseball, the Brewers won their 5th in a row yet another puzzlingly feisty beginning to the season, nipping the Diamondbacks in the 9th inning.

Carlos Lee delivered a ninth-inning single that sent the undefeated Brewers home with a 5-4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks in front of 29,226 at Miller Park.

The Brewers have come from behind for all of their wins. They trailed 3-0 after 2 1/2 innings on Saturday before Lee sparked the comeback with an RBI double in the bottom of the third.


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On the other end of the spectrum, the Pirates lost their 6th in a row and remain without a win in the first week of the 2006 season


Oliver Perez hands the ball over after an embarassing 8-run 6-hit 8-walk outing in a mere 3 1/3 innings. Not suprisingly after such a start, the Pirates were beaten by the Reds, 11-9.

The franchise record for season-opening futility is an 0-8 mark in 1955. Only two more to go.

With the Phillies rained out yesterday, Pennsylvania remains without a win in baseball this year.