The two old rivals have won three of the last six World Series, 11 of the last 12 American League East Division crowns and have made 23 of a possible 30 playoff appearances since the start of the Wild Card era.
Boston will be welcoming in a champion New York team for the first time since April 13, 2001, when Manny Ramirez grounded a single up the middle to beat Mariano Rivera and the Yanks in the 10th inning.
That was a long time ago, before Josh Beckett had even made his major league debut. The Sox ace will toe the slab in the opener for the second straight season, this time opposite New York’s No. 1, CC Sabathia.
There will be F-16 flyovers, Grammy Award-winning recording artists and what has only been described as “pyrotechnic displays” above the press box. And there will be a game between the Red Sox and Yankees, fittingly the first game of the 2010 Major League Baseball season.
WHEN AND WHERE
Yankees (0-0) vs. Red Sox (0-0)Sunday, April 4, 8 p.m. (NESN)
Fenway Park, Boston
HEAD TO HEAD
Despite winning the first eight matchups last season, Boston wound up tying the season series with New York at nine games apiece. The Sox have not won the season series since 2004. They also won something else later that year, if you recall.PITCHING MATCHUP
LHP CC Sabathia (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP Josh Beckett (0-0, 0.00 ERA)There was talk early in spring that Jon Lester would get the Opening Day start for the Red Sox, but Beckett made that a non-issue by brushing aside a mid-March illness to finish the Grapefruit League in fine fashion.
This is his fourth time he has taken the ball in his team’s opener, including last season for the Sox against Tampa Bay.
Sabathia got the nod in the Yankees’ opener last year and put forth one of his worst starts of the season. In a 10-5 loss to the Orioles, Sabathia gave up six runs on eight hits and five walks in 4 1/3 innings. It was the only time all year he failed to record a strikeout.
LINEUPS
| Red Sox | Yankees |
|---|---|
|
Jacoby Ellsbury, LF Dustin Pedroia, 2B Victor Martinez, C Kevin Youkilis, 1B David Ortiz, DH Adrian Beltre, 3B J.D. Drew, RF Mike Cameron, CF Marco Scutaro, SS |
Derek Jeter, SS Nick Johnson, DH Mark Teixeira, 1B Alex Rodriguez, 3B Robinson Cano, 2B Jorge Posada, C Curtis Granderson, CF Nick Swisher, RF Brett Gardner, LF |
STAT SHEET
Red Sox- Dustin Pedroia, J.D. Drew, Jacoby Ellsbury, Victor Martinez and Adrian Beltre are a combined 7-for-59 (.119) lifetime against Sabathia.
- Martinez struck out just once in 56 spring training at-bats.
- Boston last won an Opening Day game against the Yankees in 1985, also at Fenway Park. Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd got the start for the Sox.
- Second baseman Robinson Cano was 5-for-14 (.357) with two home runs and two doubles against Beckett last season.
- Marcus Thames, acquired to provide depth in the outfield, went 7-for-52 (.135) with 21 strikeouts during spring training.
- New York is 16-10-1 all-time in openers against Boston.
BLACK AND BLUE
- Outfielder Jeremy Hermida returned Saturday from a tight right hamstring and doubled in his first trip to the plate.
- Minor league reliever Junichi Tazawa‘s Tommy John surgery is scheduled for Tuesday.
- Daisuke Matsuzaka threw four innings in Saturday’s exhibition game in Washington. He is expected to make three minor league starts as he works his way back from a sore neck.
Yankees
- Catcher Jorge Posada returned to action Saturday after missing two games with a stiff neck.
- Reliever Alfredo Aceves is expected to be available despite a sore back.
- First baseman/designated hitter Nick Johnson left Friday’s game after fouling a ball off his right knee. He is day-to-day.
- Reliever Damaso Marte was scratched from a scheduled outing Friday with left shoulder discomfort.
OUTLOOK
This is the first of 18 meetings between the teams and while it will feel like a playoff game, it is just the start of a long journey. Look for Beckett to be focused and intent on putting a difficult 2009 season against the Yankees in the past.New York got to Beckett for 19 runs in 32 innings against Beckett last year, including 16 in 19 frames at Fenway Park.
Several new Red Sox additions will be introduced to the rivalry. Adrian Beltre, Marco Scutaro and Mike Cameron are each expected to start in the first Boston-New York game of their careers.
