This frog butt to all the fuss about the pine tar. You know it’s a non-issue when even David Ortiz, who’s never shy to ham it up, let it slide. Game Two of this four-game set rocks tonight with Lester and Skinny C dueling. Got off on the right foot last night, now hop to the left with the southpaws. It will be interesting to see how Sabathia goes after this tough lineup with his softer stuff.

Jeter SS

Ellsbury CF

Beltran RF

Soriano DH

Cervelli C

Solarte 3B

Suzuki LF

Roberts 2B

Johnson 1B

Lineups Via LoHud

The Fantastic Four handled Galactus with the Ultimate Nullifier. Here’s hoping Buck Showalter is no Reed Richards. Taking the series from Balitmore would be a sweet way to gear up for the World Chumps. And oh yeah, Tanaka’s in da Bronx on a night striped with tidings of Spring.

Haven’t gotten wind of a lineup yet, but I will try to post it when I do.

Cover Art by Jack Kirby, Fantastic Four #48, publishedby Marvel Comics

Brett Gardner LF
Derek Jeter SS
Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Carlos Beltran RF
Brian McCann C
Alfonso Soriano DH
Brian Roberts 2B
Kelly Johnson 1B
Yangervis Solarte 3B

And our man Hiroki.

Never mind the chill:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Via: Baseball-Fever]

Brett Gardner LF
Derek Jeter SS
Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Brian McCann C
Alfonso Soriano DH
Kelly Johnson 1B
Brian Roberts 2B
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Yangervis Solarte 3B

Let’s Go C.C.!

It’s Michael Pineda folks. (Teixeira to the DL.)

Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Derek Jeter SS
Carlos Beltran RF
Brian McCann DH
Alfonso Soriano LF
Kelly Johnson 1B
Francisco Cervelli C
Yangervis Solarte 3B
Dean Anna 2B

Never mind brunch:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Picture by Bags]

Masahiro Tanaka makes his American debut tonight in Canada.

Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Brett Gardner LF
Carlos Beltran DH
Brian McCann C
Mark Teixeira 1B
Kelly Johnson 3B
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Yangervis Solarte 2B
Dean Anna SS

Never mind those butterflies, brother:

Let’s Go Yan-kees!

[Image Via Stellar Caprice]

Yanks play tonight, they win tonight.

Brett Gardner CF
Derek Jeter SS
Carlos Beltran DH
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alfonso Soriano LF
Francisco Cervelli C
Brian Roberts 2B
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Yangervis Solarte 3B

RHP Ivan Nova

Fug what you hoid.

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Derek Jeter SS
Carlos Beltran RF
Brian McCann C
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alfonso Soriano DH
Brett Gardner LF
Brian Roberts 2B
Kelly Johnson 3B

And our man Hiroki. 

Never mind the false start:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Painting by Claude Monet]

Kelly Johnson came to bat with the bases loaded and two men out last night in the seventh inning. The Yanks were behind 6-0. Johnson faced Kevin Chapman, a left-handed reliever, took a ball outside and then looked at two strikes–a breaking ball and a fastball, both on the outside corner. The next pitch tailed away from Johnson and when he swung the ball hit off the end of his bat causing it to sputter and spin. It looked like someone shooting marbles. Chapman fielded it on the third base side of the mound and threw home for the force to end the inning.

That weird, weakly struck ball summed up the Yankees’ opener. C.C. Sabathia gave up six runs in the first two innings and his fielders looked crisp enough to start for Chico’s Bail Bonds. Yes, Sabathia muscled his way through four scoreless innings after that, and yes, the Yanks strung together a bunch of singles in the 8th and plated a couple of runs, but there would be no comeback.

And so the first game of the year was one to forget. 

Final Score: Astros 6, Yanks 2. 

The good news? There’s 161 left, and they’ll be back at it tonight.

Yanks open the season in Houston against the Astros tonight.

Whadda ya know, it’s the 12th Opening Day we’ve covered here at the Banter.

Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Derek Jeter SS
Carlos Beltran RF
Brian McCann C
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alfonso Soriano DH
Brett Gardner LF
Brian Roberts 2B
Kelly Johnson 3B

LHP CC Sabathia

Never mind the cobwebs:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Tonight gives the Yanks and Orioles on TV. 

Smile.

[Photo Credit: Don Dell via It’s a Long Season]

Cards look to stay alive and force a Game 7.

I say the Sox end it tonight.

Never mind the bollocks:

Let’s Go Cards!

This is the fear and loathing Whirled Serious for Yankee fans.

Gotta figure the Cards need to win tonight, right? They go back to Boston down 3-2 they are going to need a whole lot of Buckner on their side to pull this shit out.

I got no call on the game tonight–but I’m not feeling especially optimistic. Just hoping the Cards find a way.

Never mind the nerves: Let’s Go Red Boids!

[Photo Via: MPD]

Game Three, St. Louie. Says here the Sox take this one.

Hoping I’m wrong.

Never mind nuthin’:

Let’s Go Cards!

[Photo Via: Ghost in the Machine]

Cards look to leave Boston with the Serious tied one-game apiece. The Sox look to continue their postseason run of undisturbed good fortune.

Wacha vs. Lackey.

Never mind those shaggy bastards:

Let’s Go Cards!

Sox vs. Cards. Nothing to do but root for St. Louis.

Never mind the bitterness:

Let’s Go Card-‘nals!

Kershaw and the Dodgers hope to live another day.

A trip to the Serious is on the line for the Cards. It says here that they find a way to win.

Never mind nuthin’:

Let’s Go Dod-gers!

[Picture By Toni Demuro via This isn’t Happiness]

The ALCS is going back to Boston. Only question is, which team will have a 3-2 lead?

We’re rooting for the Tigers but I think the Sox will win, which means zilch because I always think they’ll win. Worst case scenario. That’s how I operate. So that says the Sox win. (Then again if the Tigers win that just means I think the Sox’ll win the next two at home.)

Just file me under hopeless hater, Red Sox division, American League.

Ah, never mind the angst:

Let’s Go Tig-ers!

[Photo Via: This Isn’t Happiness]

But it’s knocking at the door for the Dodgers today.

Hate to say it but I think the Cards will end their season while the Red Sox take a 3-1 lead against the Tigers.

[Photo Via: The Minimalisto]

Couple of games today. First, the Red Sox will beat Justin Verlander in Detroit. Later, the Cards will take a 3-1 NLCS lead in Los Angeles.

Least that’s how I see it.

Never mind me: Let’s Go Base-ball!