Bits and Pieces: First Games, Stadium Firsts, Final Roster

Reggie Jackson threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the new Yankee Stadium before the Yankees' game against the Cubs on Friday.

First Games at The 'Ol Ballpark:

Change that to *new ballpark and it would fit Friday and Saturday's games perfectly. The Yankees opened up their new (palace) stadium with two exhibition games against the Chicago Cubs, winning them both. The Yanks beat out the Cubs in the first game on the strength of three home runs, one of which was off the bat of Robinson Cano and was the very first ball to clear the fence at the new ballpark. The other two consisted of home runs by Hideki Matsui (2-Run) and Cody Ransom (3-Run) and both of them banged off the foul poles with Matsui's hitting the RF foul pole and Ransom's hitting the LF one. The homers, along with solid pitching, gave way to the Yankees 7-4 victory.

     The Yanks brought out the long ball even more in the second game, blasting four of them on route to a 10-1 win. Mark Teixeira highlighted the home runs as he blasted two: one was hit deep into the right-center field bleachers and the other went into the second deck down the left field line. Derek Jeter also hit a three-run shot and Shelley Duncan added a homer also in the later innings. However, in a game filled with offense, the Yankees also were helped by great pitching by the likes of Andy Pettitte and A.J. Burnett who limited the Cubs to just one run (Alfonso Soriano solo-HR) on 8 hits to insure the win.

Stadium Firsts:

With the opening of the new Yankee Stadium, fans were on a sharp look-out for all of the "firsts" that would happen in the first couple games at the park. The first "first" was obviously the first pitch" a sinker-strike thrown by Chien-Ming Wang to Aaron Miles. Moments after that however, Miles rocketed the first base hit through the hole between Jeter and Ransom. After Miles scored the first run, Robinson Cano belted the first home run in the following inning. Other "firsts" consisted of: First hit by a Yankee: Derek Jeter, double in the bottom of the first inning. First strikeout: Ted Lilly K'd Mark Teixiera in the bottom of the first inning. First save: Jonathan Albaladejo closed out Friday's game for the save.

Pena Beats Out Berroa With Glove:

The last competition of Spring Training was the one for the utility infielder. It was between, former rookie of the year, Angel Berroa who had a very good spring after not having productive seasons the last couple years. The other candidate was Ramiro Pena, a double-A shortstop who had always been amazing with the glove, but didn't do so well with his bat. However, after he stepped up his numbers in 2008 and after a pretty good Spring, Pena, who played in the Futures game at Yankee Stadium during the 2008 All-Star break, will be returning to the Bronx sooner than he thought as he has beaten out Berroa for the final spot on the Yankees' 25-man roster.