Rough Opening Day for Yankees' Big-Money Newcomers

It wasn't a fun Opening Day for CC Sabathia and the Yankees against the Orioles

Mark Teixeira said he expected a "mixed reaction" from the Baltimore crowd today. He probably also expected to get a couple of hits in his Yankee debut. He expected wrong.

Teixeira and starting pitcher CC Sabathia, who signed free-agent contracts worth a combined $341 million in the offseason, had rough starts to their Yankee careers as the Bronx Bombers fell to the Orioles by a 10-5 score in their season opener.

Sabathia gave up six runs on eight hits and five walks in 4 1/3 innings, striking out no one and exiting after 96 very difficult pitches. And Teixeira, the Maryland native who spurned the Orioles and Nationals to sign the big-money deal with the Yankees, was 0-for-4 and booed lustily every time the home crowd got the chance.

Nice opener for the Orioles, whose only good starting pitcher, Jeremy Guthrie, made the start and whose chances to contend are close to zero. But what do we make of it for the Yankees?

I say probably not much, especially from the pitching end. Sabathia is likely to be fine, and there's nothing to the breathless talk-radio concerns that will emerge over the next couple of days about his weight and his return to the American League. Sabathia is the least of their concerns, and he's hardly the only ace who had a rough opener.

Watching this game, my bigger concern was about the Yankees' offense. With Alex Rodriguez out until at least late April and more likely mid-May, the Yankees can not count on being the high-powered offense they've been for the past couple of years. They'll need contributions from people like Jorge Posada (coming back from shoulder surgery), Hideki Matsui (coming back from knee surgery) and Robinson Cano (coming off a bad year). Posada and Matsui homered in the game, both good signs, and Cano actually drew a walk, which may be a sign of the apocalypse.

In addition, Joe Girardi is going to have to do some managing. You saw a little late in the game, when it was still close and he sent Nick Swisher in to pinch-hit for Brett Gardner and then Ramiro Pena in as a pinch-runner after Swisher doubled. Girardi's bench has a lot of useful and interesting options right now, and the manner in which he deploys them -- finds the right spots to get at-bats for people like Swisher and Melky Cabrera -- will go a long way toward determining whether the Yankees can score enough runs to support a pitching staff that's certain to be better than it looked in the first game of the 2009 season.

Scenes From Opening Day

St. Louis Cardinals' Skip Schumaker, left, jogs across the field as he is introduced along with the rest of his team before the start of an Opening Day baseball game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates Monday, April 6, 2009, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Jeff Roberson, AP

Former President George W. Bush throws out the season opening first pitch with Nolan Ryan looking on before the baseball game between the Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas, Monday, April 6, 2009.

Tony Gutierrez, AP

The grounds crew runs across the infield to spread a tarp as it starts to rain at Fenway Park during a practice after opening day was postponed due to the weather in Boston, Monday April 6, 2009. The Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays are rescheduled for Tuesday afternoon.

Charles Krupa, AP

A general view of the pregame festivities before the Philadelphia Phillies game against the Atlanta Braves on April 5, 2009 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Today's game is the opening of the 2009 major league baseball season.

Ezra Shaw, Getty Images

Cameron Dallas, 10, front, and her dad Jay Dallas, of Mansfield, bundle up to stay warm before Opening Day as the Cleveland Indians play the Texas Rangers at the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Texas, Monday, April 6, 2009.

Max Faulkner, Fort Worth Star-Telegram / MCT

Arizona Diamondbacks' Stephen Drew, right, slides safely under the tag of Colorado Rockies catcher Chris Iannetta during the third inning of an MLB baseball game Monday, April 6, 2009 in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Matt York, AP

Cleveland Indians catcher Kelly Shoppach, left, looks back after grabbing the throw to see Texas Rangers' Marlon Byrd (22) sliding safely home in the second inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Monday, April 6, 2009. Byrd and Hank Blalock scored on an RBI single by Jarrod Saltalamacchia. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Tony Gutierrez, AP

Groundskeeper Angel Avila carries shoveled snow off the field at US Cellular Field after the Chicago White Sox's home opener baseball game against the Kansas City Royals was postponed until Tuesday due to snow in Chicago, Monday, April 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Charles Rex Arbogast, AP

Led by pitcher Jamie Moyer, the Philadelphia Phillies are greeted as they pass through two rows of fans in center field during opening night ceremonies before the start an MLB baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Sunday, April 5, 2009, in Philadelphia.

Tom Mihalek, AP