Yankees

Toronto 0 Yankees 2. Game called end of 5th. Rain..

Weather was the story of today, thunderstorms forecast but heavy rain at bottom of second, delay of 45 minutes and then finished three more before game called at end of 5th.

The good: Both teams at full strength to start at least, Yankees took this one seriously.
Damon, Jeter, Abreu, Rodriguez, Giambi, Posada, Duncan, Cabrera, Castro, and Hughes pitching.
Jays had Eckstein, Rolen, Johnson, Wells, Thomas, Overbay, Hill, Stewart, Zaun, with Litsch pitching.
Inning ending double play 3rd inning Inglett to Adams to Cannon. (and the ball ended with blogmeister, his Dunedin first...)
5th inning great throw by Thigpen to catch Yankee stealing... this is the second in last three games by Jays catcher... (Zaun had one two days ago) much improved from last year or are the pitchers holding runners better ? whatever the reason will give team second thought on stealing.
Dunedin ground crew did great job to get restarted so quickly.

The very good... Alex Rios not playing BUT in batting practice was doing moon shots out of the ground, really locked in and hitting. Only A-Rod came close to the same performance.

The bad. Jesse Litsch first inning messed up 1,2, 3 opportunity by missing ball in front of Zaun and too late for first. Zaun had better chance.
Bottom of first Jays up and down 1,2,3.
Bottom of 5th Jays bats stay on shoulders as Trebber strikes them out.
Jays no hits after 5 innings.

Too bad. Minors on field after rain delay.... even Wells who was in the middle of bat in second when rain delay did not return... Coats started at one strike.

Yankee starting lineup. They were serious about today... full lineup and left in Duncan after delay. Frank Thomas also left in for one at bat but no hit.
Wells, Thomas, Overbay and Johnson are way overdue for some hitting.... shades of last season ? I hope not.
BUT the young guys are certainly forcing the pace.... Coats, Inglett, Thigpen, Lind all could be on team today..... very impressive start.

Spring training certainly brings out the baseball cognoscenti.... one guy behind me today from Montreal was a baseball encyclopedia of last 50 years. His wife also was very knowledgeable. It is a pleasure to talk to such in the spring surroundings... and for the three hours BEFORE gametime. (unlike the Toronto crowd in halfway through third inning and leaving in 8th).