The Magic Carpet

By Matthew

New York Yankees 11 (1-2)
Baltimore Orioles 2 (2-1)

Winning Pitcher: AJ Burnett (1-0)
Losing Pitcher: Alfredo Simon (0-1)

HR: Scott (1)
Teixeira (1)
Swisher (1)
Cano (1)

All that Florida baseball, mostly in the sunlight, was kind to the Yankees.

Baltimore had been relatively kind to the sticks, but stalwarts CC Sabathia and Chien-Ming Wang failed to menace and left the Bombers ohfer Niner.

That silliness is finished.

Behind textbook power baseball, the Yankees rode AJ Burnett's overwhelming arsenal, 3.1 more innings (8.0 straight) of hitless relief pitching from Monday's disappointers (Phil Coke, Brian Bruney) and homeboy studs, Jose Veras and some guy named Mo to a redemptive 11-2 score.

It's pretty wild to see Burnett in the Bronx.

I remember back in 2003, when the Yankees survived 7 games and extra innings against Boston, in the first of their back to back ALCS drama and rolled into a World Series against the Florida Marlins nobody imagined they could lose. Things went well for awhile, and late in Game 4, the Yankees looked like a 3-1 leader on their way to a title. Then the karma that gaveth with Aaron Boone, lefteth with Alex Gonzalez, who took Jeff Weaver over the wall, as Yankee fans threw up their hands about Weaver being left in a second inning, having worked his ass off to prove to Joe Torre how utterly worthless he was (think MLB version of Trent Dilfer, sure he won a title later, but neither guy was around the next season). At 2-2, the Marlin pitching simply took OVER and shut the Yankees down - cold.

A young staff that featured phenom Dontrelle Willis (anxiety ridden in Detroit), stud Brad Penny (rehabbing with Red Sox), precise Carl Pavano (tatooed in his Tribe debut today after 4 lost years with the Yankees) and an instant Superstar named Josh Beckett (Red Sox Ace).

Guru sat in the Aerie, shaking my head at their pitching depth and variety, and the thing I remember the MOST is the way all the announcers and Marlins themselves kept talking about the guy who was NOT there. Somehow, someway, they insisted this missing guy had an arm that outshone the others, even though the others were shining brilliantly on the biggest stage of all.

That kid ended up getting big dollars to come to the AL East, but still, it seemed like he was always hurt (and it's interesting to note that ALL of those guys have suffered injury after injury and missed critical amounts of time) and I never took him that seriously. Then, last year, all the sudden, it seemed, he shows up looking like the guy they were talking about back in '03 - blowing 98 MPH pellets on the knees and in the eyes, and a darting curve that can't be overstated. The guy's stuff is FILTHY.

Still...despite the way he dominated, he never had the mind of a Beckett or the grit of Penny.

But, apparently, he went to school with Roy Halladay, got a clue about pacing himself instead of forcing it (the difference between Beckett in '06 and '07) and - here he is.

He was terrific today, clutch when he needed it, and he picked up his rotation and his club.

Nice job.

Speaking of which...take a bow, Joe Girardi. He talked of the 'value of competition' all Winter long and openly pushed the on-field position battles in Center and Right Field.

Guru was skeptical.

Then I watched Brett Gardner come into camp a greatly improved Offensive player, and, out of nowhere, won the job with a brilliant .446 On-Base .621 Slugging .379 Average. Gardner's speed is a given that makes him a game changer, if he hits at ALL - he's valuable, hitting like that, when pressed to perform, was impressive. And it wasn't just him, Melky Cabrera, asked to compete for what had been HIS for three seasons, responded with his OWN brilliant Spring .408/.508/.349 and 13 RBI, a third of what he managed in 400+ at-bats last season. In seven weeks, two question marks with one outstanding characteristic (Melky's arm - how good? Nick Markakis has 38 OF assists in the past three years over 463 Games, Melky has 35 in just 408!) became players the team feels great about, Gardner is 25, Melky is 24 - Joe pushed the right buttons and it shows.

Gardner had 2 hits today, and stole a base.

Over in RF, Nick Swisher, displaced by the Mark Teixeira at 1B, and blocked by Johnny Damon in LF and Hideki Matsui at DH, was asked to compete with Xavier Nady for the RF job. Instead of pitching a fit and pointing out that, 'Hello! I was a STAR just two years ago, and I'm a 28 year old Power Hitting, Switch Hitter who can play 3 positions well and one adequately...', he complimented his teammates, loved on the whole Yankee vibe and kept the energy level up. Joe sat Matsui today, moved Nady to DH (he had a ringing 2B) and gave Nick the start in RF.

Swisher responded to the challenge to prove himself with a 2-Run Bomb into the RF seats, an RBI single down the LF line and an RBI 2B down the RF line. 3-5, 5 RBI's, every inch of field, plus over the wall.

That's how you insure more playing time.

Turn it up Nick.

The team has interesting problems with its OF. They have six names - two kids, two vets in their final contract years who are consistent and productive (Damon, Matsui), and two guys in their prime with thump and leather. The veterans make serious coin and aren't going anywhere, the kids have too much upside and are too affordable to ship, but the prime guys are a duplication, and Austin Jackson looms for '2010 as Damon/Matsui leave. Swisher would make a HUGE impact in San Francisco, Nady, who has a .300/30/100 bat works anywhere, and that's why he's moved around so much.

Tough not to be seduced by Swisher's skills...we'll see how they play it. Guru sees both Gardner AND Swisher as NL style players with tremendous upside for the right situation, but 'against type' in the Bronx. That can be a good thing...

Yankees hit the ball all three games, with HR's from Posada, Matsui, Jeter, Teixeira, Swisher and Robinson Cano, who came into camp looking like a lion, came back from the WBC focused and smoking the ball and has opened up the '09 season with 6 hits, 3 WALKS and Softball numbers all around, not to mention the typically and casually brilliant range/arm combination at 2B. Like Burnett, Cano is never going to be mentally aware like a Jeter, Alex or Teixeira, but, also like AJ, his physical gifts are ridiculous, he was 3-4, with a HR, 2 RBI and 4 Runs this afternoon.

As for the Orioles, a successful series, and the satisfaction of seeing their plans start to take shape. Adam Jones looks like a blossoming star, Markakis and Roberts already are, Huff and Mora are reliable veteran contributors, Izturis gives them reliable glove work and smarts at SS, Luke Scott is Nick Swisher by the Bay (but not Swisher's bay, where he belongs...). Matt Weiters is on the way to solidify the Catching for long and long...they have two genuine MLB arms up top with Guthrie and Uehara, and now they wait on their farm system to churn the young, high-draft-pick arms into those top slots and fill up the Pen.

They are closer than they've been for a decade.

And Guru? Done. See you after Game 4.