Top 5 - Red Sox / Yankees Game 1

Here are five thoughts on last night's Red Sox / Yankees game:

1. Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia are going to have monster seasons. I know it's just one game but I just get that feeling. Combined the duo was 5 for 8 with 5 RBI and 5 runs scored. Mark down Kevin Youkilis as the real early leader in the clubhouse for AL MVP.

2. Fat CC Sabathia. Man did he look huge. I know that some players are just going to be big ala David Wells. However, when you're that big and you run out of gas so abruptly like Sabathia did in the sixth then you have to wonder at his off-season conditioning and commitment. You also have to wonder at how in tune Joe Girardi is with his players. Everyone at home could see that Sabathia was gassed yet Girardi still left him in for another few batters.

3. The Red Sox won despite the best efforts of the Yankees AND the umpiring crew. Joe West was squeezing Josh Beckett for all he was worth. With another guy behind the plate - Beckett escapes without much damage done. First base ump Angel Hernandez wiped out two Red Sox baserunners by himself and you get the feeling that he would have rung up more if given the opportunity. Awful, awful umpiring for last night's game.

4. With all the gimmicks and singers I had to wonder if this was in some way an inside joke by the Red Sox owners. Were they sending a big FU to Bud Selig who wanted quicker games by the Red Sox? If not then I hate this crap. It was opening night - real Red Sox fans don't need dancing ponies. Having Pedro come back was great but the impact gets diluted by having straight out of rehab Steven Tyler looking like Gollum in a wig trying creepily to french kiss his own daughter. I have to be careful about saying anything bad about Neil Diamond because he'll smack you in the mouth. And what is worse - the NCAA trying to expand March Madness to 96 teams or ESPN and NESN peddling Dr Dre's headsets? I hope we don't see all this crap for all 162 games.

5. It was great having Pedro throw out the first pitch. Him giving Johnny Pesky a big hug was my favorite moment of the game.