Yankees vs the not so Royal(s) Series thread

[BronxBomberz]

The Yankees should sweep this series.

[Porter]

I don't think they will sweep the Royals. They had problems with the O's early and the Royals are better than them. Royals starters have only allowed 1 ER in their 1st 3 games.

[love_that_reefer]

Since the Orioles just took two of three, would the Royals really be shocking the world by winning two of three? I sure don't think so.

[Kingdom]

Even if they hadn't looked bad against Baltimore, it's still far from shocking for them to lose a series to Kansas City. They'll get the 4 and 5 guys, and then Sabathia right? KC has a good chance to win a game or two.

[BronxBomberz]

BALTIMORE -- The first of what the Yankees believe will be many, many home runs in their uniform came on Thursday for Mark Teixeira, who bid farewell to the Yankees' first series of the season by belting a drive over the left-field wall in Baltimore. Now that the Yankees will wing it west to Kansas City, the vicious booing that greeted Teixeira in each of his 15 plate appearances is not likely to follow in New York's series against the Royals. But the slugging first baseman is hoping his power stroke makes the trip.
"That's what I need to do more of, just hit the ball the other way," Teixeira said. "I might have gotten a little pull-happy in Spring Training. I was hitting some balls out to right, and it might have hurt me in the first couple of games."
Teixeira inked an eight-year, $180 million deal with the Yankees in December, and fans in Baltimore made no secret of their displeasure that the Maryland native hadn't accepted a hometown discount.
"It really didn't bother me," Teixeira said. "It's just like anywhere you go. They're passionate fans and they let me know that they wish I was an Oriole. That's why they're booing, then it's really not all that bad. But I'm ready to get on with the season and get to Kansas City."
Teixeira might have pressed in the season's first two games but got on the team charter after going 2-for-5 with two runs scored on Thursday.
"I think he got used to it," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "I think he handled it well. Teix is very professional and he's a very even-keeled guy if you watch him play. He's starting to swing the bat good."
With Alex Rodriguez on the shelf until approximately May 15, having a healthy and productive Teixeira switch-hitting in the No. 3 hole takes on even more importance. His is a presence that Friday's starter, Andy Pettitte, delights in seeing in the lineup.
"You know he's a steady player," Pettitte said. "You watch over the years and you know the numbers he puts up on a consistent basis. Guys like that, you know what they're going to bring to the table. He's everything that everybody thought he was, and I think he's going to be great."
Pitching matchup
NYY: LHP Andy Pettitte (14-14, 4.54 ERA in 2008)
Returning to the Yankees on an incentive-based one-year contract, Pettitte will make his first start of the year as the Yankees open a three-game series with the Royals. Pettitte led the Yankees with 204 innings pitched last year, grinding through late-season weakness in his pitching shoulder as the club tried in vain to secure a playoff spot. Pettitte's 215 victories are the third most in the Majors since he debuted in 1995, trailing Mike Mussina and Greg Maddux. Pettitte was 1-0 with a 6.20 ERA in three starts against Kansas City last year and 12-3 with a 3.59 ERA in 22 games (20 starts) in his career.
KC: RHP Sidney Ponson (8-5, 5.04 ERA in 2008)
Ponson jumped into the limelight along with Team Netherlands as the Dutch twice stunned the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. KC scouts liked what they saw from Ponson and signed him to a Minor League deal. He reeled off a stirring five innings in a Triple-A game. In two Cactus League outings, his numbers weren't good, but he snared the No. 4 job. He is 90-106 in his big league career.
Tidbits
Yankees infielder Ramiro Pena logged his first Major League hit with a ninth inning single off Baltimore's Chris Ray on Thursday. ... Nick Swisher's five RBIs on Thursday matched a career high, set two times previously and most recently on June 30, 2008, for Chicago vs. Cleveland. ... Pettitte is undefeated in his last 11 starts vs. Kansas City, going 7-0 with a 3.78 ERA over the stretch. ... He made his big league debut at Kauffman Stadium on April 29, 1995, throwing two-thirds of an inning in relief of a 10-3 Yankees victory.

Teixeira, Yanks move on to KC | yankees.com: News

[NYgiantsfan5689]

I think now that they have a win under their belt, especially the pitching staff will feed off that and this could be a good series for the Yankees. A lot of mental pressure is off now to win the first game, and the back end of the rotation has a lot less pressure as well. This should be a good series for the Yanks

[love_that_reefer]

Derek Jeter has drawn 4.1 pitches per at-bat this season as opposed to his 3.7 pitch career norm.
Jeter really seems to be embracing the leadoff role and is hitting .385/.429/.615 in 13 at-bats this season. He has one successful stolen base attempt, and we're expecting even more aggressiveness.

Very interesting and shows the kind of leader Jeter can be. That said, I voted for the Royals to take two games coming off a good series with the ChiSox. That defense looks night and day from last year even in three games.

[love_that_reefer]

Yankees get to Ponson and win 4-1. Rivera gets his first save of the year and Pettitte pitched well for the win.

[NYgiantsfan5689]

An overall good win. A few baserunning mistakes, but overall solid

[BronxBomberz]

The pitching had KC on a ROYAL lockdown.

[BronxBomberz]

Andy Pettitte fired seven strong innings in his season debut, and Jorge Posada drove in two runs as the Yankees defeated the Royals on Friday, 4-1, opening a three-game weekend series.

Returning to New York on an incentive-laden, $5.5 million deal, Pettitte showed no ill effects from an extra day of rest following his final exhibition start. Pettitte limited the Royals to one run on three hits, remaining undefeated in his past 12 starts against Kansas City, dating back to the 1999 season.

Playing in front of a full house at the unveiling of the renovated Kauffman Stadium, the Yankees took an early lead against right-hander Sidney Ponson, a former Yankee who pitched with the club in 2006 and again last year, and never trailed.

Jorge Posada connected on a first-inning, two-run single, shooting the ball past first baseman Mike Jacobs on what appeared to be bad hop. One day after tying a career high with five RBIs at Baltimore, Nick Swisher kept up his hot hitting, drilling a run-scoring double to center field off Ponson in the fourth and chasing home Robinson Cano.

Derek Jeter also drove in a run with a fielder's choice grounder against Ponson, who lasted six innings, allowing four runs on six hits.

Kansas City put a run on the board against Pettitte in the second inning. Swisher could not track Jacobs' fly ball in the right-field sun and wind, sliding as the ball ticked off his glove and allowed Billy Butler to score on what was scored an RBI double.

That was all the Royals managed off Pettitte, who walked one and struck out six in a 99-pitch outing before turning duties over to Brian Bruney for the eighth inning. Mariano Rivera pitched the ninth inning to record his first save as the Yankees returned to .500 at 2-2.

Vintage Pettitte cruises past Royals | yankees.com: News

[Hammer]

stop with the whole "the other team sucks the yankees should sweep this" shit. its obnoxious as shit, uneducated fans do that nonsense. same with the whole play on the opposing teams name.

[nyjunc]

2 quality starts and 2 wins. Hopefully CC bounces back today.

[BronxBomberz]

No doubt he will have a good game today.

KANSAS CITY -- When Robinson Cano was fighting the worst of his funk last season, opposing pitchers could count on the fact that the Yankees second baseman might be persuaded to chase something -- anything -- that darted or dove out of the strike zone.

It's early, but through four games, American League pitchers are beginning to get the idea that Cano is going to make them work a little bit more this season. With another two hits in Friday's series opener at Kansas City, Cano has now hit in 15 straight games dating back to last year.

"That's something that I want to keep doing," Cano said. "It's only been four games, but let's see. It's something where I need to be patient and swing at what I want."

The winter was a productive one for Cano, who was benched late in the year by manager Joe Girardi for a lackadaisical approach and spent the last few weeks incorporating tweaks at the plate with hitting coach Kevin Long. Most strikingly, he has completely eliminated his stride.

Long visited Cano in the Dominican Republic during the offseason, and Cano believes that drill session -- along with playing winter ball and in the World Baseball Classic -- have helped him carry over the lessons from last year.

"He's swinging at pitches he can handle and he can drive, and working the count," Girardi said. "I think I'm most pleased about the four walks he's got. That's great, because Robbie is a dangerous hitter when he swings at good pitches."

Cano also set a career high Thursday at Baltimore with four runs scored, the most runs scored in a game by a Yankees second baseman since Jose Vizcaino on July 25, 2000. He was 6-for-11 with five runs scored, a double, home run and three RBIs in the opening series against the Orioles.

"It just seems like every time I come to the plate, Cano is standing on first or second base," said Nick Swisher. "It's been a lot of fun hitting behind him. He's been doing a tremendous job."

Cano is in the right place this weekend. He has a career .348 (45-for-129) average against Royals pitching, his highest against any AL team. He said that he has left his darkest moments from 2008 in the past and is focused on continuing the progress he appears to have carried into the regular season.

"It's just the beginning," Cano said. "I'm going to keep doing that. We've got 150-something games left. I'm just going to keep working hard. Having a good year, this is the way to start."

Pitching matchup
NYY: LHP CC Sabathia (0-1, 12.46 ERA)
Sabathia's first turn as the ace of the new-look Yankees rotation was shaky one, as the left-hander struggled to find the command of his fastball and was knocked out in the fifth inning at Baltimore. He was roughed up for eight hits in 4 1/3 innings, walking five and striking out none, the first time he had not recorded a strikeout since July 25, 2005, at Oakland. Sabathia also threw two wild pitches in one inning, something he had not done in his career. Sabathia was 1-2 with a 3.54 ERA in three starts vs. Kansas City in 2008, allowing 22 hits and eight runs in 20 1/3 innings, including a complete game. He walked three and struck out 19 Royals.

KC: LHP Horacio Ramirez (1-4, 4.34 ERA in 2008)
The Royals are gambling that Ramirez, strictly a reliever last year for KC and the White Sox, will regain his status as a starter. That was his vocation in five years with the Braves and Mariners, and he was pretty good at it. In 104 Major League starts, he's 38-29 with a 4.55 ERA. Through April, he'll likely make just two starts and be used in the bullpen otherwise. He's the only left-hander in the Royals' rotation, a key factor in his winning the No. 5 job.

Tidbits
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Yankees' current nine-game road trip is their longest season-opening road trip in franchise history. The previous highs were eight-game trips in 1918 and 1997. ... On Thursday, Nick Swisher became the first Yankee to drive in four or more runs in his first start for the team since Roger Maris' debut on April 19, 1960, at Fenway Park, when Maris had four RBIs, according to Elias. ... Mariano Rivera is 32-for-34 in save opportunities vs. the Royals and has a 1.87 ERA lifetime vs. Kansas City. ... Saturday is Mark Teixeira's 29th birthday.

Cano off to a hot start for Yankees | yankees.com: News

Let's go yankees!

[bwitty24]

CC pitched extremely well today. A total change from his last start. I am really liking Nick Swisher so far this year. Not only is he fun to watch and livens up the clubhouse, but he has been producing like a mad man. Maybe he will reach the potential people thought he had when he first entered the league in Oakland.

The team is looking pretty solid so far. Pretty satisfied with what has happened.