The Yankees Had The Best Opening Day Imaginable Yesterday

I think any doubts about whether Giancarlo Stanton could handle the pressure of playing in New York were shushed a little bit today. When he stepped up to plate in the first with Gardner on 1st and a man out, after Judge struck out, I didn’t know what to expect. On a 1-0 count Stanton hit a goddamn laser to right. The hardest hit home run ball to the opposite field in the Statcast Era. Casual.

He would then follow that up with an RBI double to prove to the haters and doubters wrong that he is not just all about the big fly. He drove in Aaron Judge in what was a nightmare 5th inning for an opposing team looking on. Judge walked, Stanton drove him in with the double and then Gary Sanchez followed suit with another RBI double of his own. How on Earth do you pitch to these guys? Stanton wasn’t done just yet. He stepped up in 9th with who else but Tyler Fucking Clippard on the bump. That four eyed fuck, who ruined our chances at winning a division title last year, has found his way on the Toronto Blue Jays. Well, things went just as you expected.

They listed this at just 434 feet but that had to have been 470 at minimum. Just an absolute cock shot where the outfielders don’t move a muscle and just turn and watch. Who was the last Yankee to have a multi homer game in their first game as a Yankee? That would be a Mr. Roger Maris. Stanton got the silent treatment in the dugout after the second one which was awesome. Just a fantastic day in Yankees Universe. Could not have scripted it better.

Besides Giancarlo, Luis Severino was very good. He wasn’t exactly the most economical as he walked three guys in 5.2 IP, but he surrendered only one hit and zero runs on his way to his first W on the year. Boone didn’t want to push Sevy and there was no reason to. He brought in Weapon X Chad Green and all he did was strike out three of his four batters in a perfect inning and a third. He’s one of the best relievers in baseball and has done nothing since last year to sway our opinion. He’s a weapon.

Brett Gardner could not have hit the ball any harder than his first three plate appearances. He led off the game with a liner to left which Granderson misplayed (97.9 mph) then lined out to first (106.6 mph) and again to first (97.2 mph). In his fourth at bat he launched a homer to right which had to feel relieving after his first three swings. Over the course of the day he saw 30 pitches which is just incredible. Judge saw 25 himself. When your top 2 guys are seeing 55 pitches combined that’s a winning formula. To put such a toll on opposing pitchers right off the bat and then you get Giancarlo, Gary, Hicks, and Didi that’s just a nightmare. Awesome stuff all around from the top two guys yesterday.

Neil Walker started at second and actually made a fantastic play to cover an errant throw to first which prevented a runner from going to third and scoring a sac-fly. Later in the game Boone went with defense and shifted Walker to first and put Tyler Wade in the game at second. I certainly was a fan of this move and moves like this going forward. Boone didn’t do anything crazy yesterday and I guess he wasn’t put in any weird situations to pull a Girardi so we’ll have to wait and see on that.

I said in the 8th that it was the perfect situation to bring Dellin Betances in and what did he do? Surrender a first pitch home run to Kevin Pillar because he’s the worst. He actually said after the game that he “didn’t think he would swing” and that’s why he grooved in a first pitch fastball. I mean I’ve heard some excuses for a home run before but saying you didn’t think Pillar was going to swing is something else. I’ve been #done with this guy since last postseason when he completely fell apart and that has not changed. He can only be used when the game is out of reach and it’s sad but that’s what it’s come to. Arolidis Chapman came in the 9th and shut the door smoothly as the Yankees won the first game of the year 6-1. What a day and to top it off the Red Sox bullpen completely imploded in the 8th thanks to good ole Joe Kelly as they lost to the lowly Rays 6-4. Just the icing on the cake to a perfect day. I love this team more than I’ve loved anything in my life. It’s safe to say we’re going to have some fun this year huh?

We recorded our episode of The Short Porch in the 8th inning and got some fantastic live reactions to everything going on. It’s a fun listen.