Yankee Home Opener Thoughts And Afterthoughts

- From what I've seen, it was a fantastic ceremony yesterday for the presentation of the rings. The crowd reaction to Matsui was goose bump-inducing and the class the Yankees showed in announcing him last and then having the team surround and congratulate him was cool. You just don't see stuff like that on any other team in any other sport.

- The practical joke by Jeter in switching out Matsui's ring with the tin one was also a nice touch. That gave you a little glimpse into what kind of guy Matsui was in the clubhouse, away from the cameras where he was always so humble and proper.

- Great to see Gene Monahan out there, and even greater to see the applause he got from the players. Just another example of how tight-knit the Yankee family is.

- Always a flair for the dramatic with Jeter. Mashing a home run right after they showed The Boss and his wife early in the game. Everything the guy does is move-script perfect, including the swing. Look at that, just look.

It's so damn beautiful we're going to look again...

Goddamn, that is sexy.

- Good to see Nick Johnson's swing is already adjusted to the Stadium. Of course, it always helps when you take the bat off your shoulder.

- Slowly but surely, the A-Horse is rounding into form. His swing and balance at the plate has looked better with each game, and his play at third has been all-world to start the year. When Teix starts to pick it up, that 3-4-5 could be a modern day Murderer's Row.

- Speaking of Teix, has anybody seen him lately? Did he get left in Tampa after Spring Training?

- Andy Pettitte looked terrific again yesterday. I know I didn't expect him to be the Yankees' best pitcher right out of the gate, but that's exactly what he's been. He did tire in the later innings, but his stuff was crisp all day, he kept the Angels off balance, and in classic Andy Pettitte fashion he made pitches when he had to to get himself out of trouble. If the season ended today, I know who I'd cast my Cy Young vote for.

- Big hiccup for Dave Robertson yesterday. I don't know if he was just too jazzed up because of the setting, but he couldn't locate the fastball where he wanted to and was catching way too much of the plate. With the bad outings Park and Joba have already had, it shouldn't kill Robertson, but it also won't help his cause in trying to become the official setup man for Mo.

- Typical Mo. He jumps in the phone booth, jumps out, K, pop up, ball game, drive safe. Dude is inhuman.

- Just an overall great day for the Yankees, both past and present, and their fans. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go look at the AP pictures of the festivities and cry again over the fact that I wasn't there.
 

(Photos courtesy of EPA, the AP, Getty Images, Anthony J. Causi, Charles Wenzelberg, and other people who were lucky enugh to be there yesterday)