CC named Opening Day starter; lineup change
CC Sabathia has been confirmed as the Yankees’ Opening Day starter, and Joe Girardi said that he is on schedule to pitch the April 16 home opener as well, throwing the first pitch in the new Yankee Stadium. Sabathia said that he was excited to get the assignment and that he hadn’t assumed anything would be given to him, because of the way the rotation stacks up. Andy Pettitte was considered for April 16 but the pitching order didn’t work out.
The Yankees are also toying with a lineup shift through the rest of camp, as Johnny Damon will move to the No. 2 hole and Derek Jeter will hit leadoff. They liked what they saw from Damon as the No. 2 hitter when Jorge Posada was batting leadoff and want to see if this is something they could or should do every day during the season.
Bryan Hoch
Good luck to C.C. & Damon.
Julia
http://werbiefitz.mlblogs.com/
Uh Ok. So I guess Damon’s value has dwindled to us. Could he be on the market?
Hey, whatever works! But I’d still favor Damon being on base right away and swiping some bags…plus the fact that Jeter is a good bunter and usually a great contributer everywhere in the lineup!
But let’s see how this works out.
http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/26/yankees-move-jeter-to-leadoff/
“the suspicion here is it’s actually a concession that Jeter is a singles hitter more suited to scoring runs than driving in runners.”
This is a crime…I think CC should be starting opening day, but there is no way he should open the new stadium. This should be saved for a true Yankee. Pettite closed out the old stadium which represented the end of an era, with Pettite being the last great TRUE Yankee pitcher. The opening of the new stadium should be awarded to Joba Chamberlain, to represent a changing of the guard to the next great TRUE Yankee pitcher.
Don’t get too far ahead of yourself, I could see giving the assignment to Pettitte but of course its CC because of the contract. Joba is still trying to get his feet under himself as a starter.
I would want damon to be my leadoff man for all the reasons everyone has said but then you have to start to think of the injury bug which he has had the past couple of years.
And as for CC he could very well be the next TRUE Yankee you never know.