The end of week 1

Well the Sox have still to play tonight, but both our teams have 5 games in the books, and both are an equally unimpressive 2-3, which is good enough for joint second in the AL East behind the (ahem) pace-setting 3-2 Blue Jays.

Given that it is just one week it is hard to take too much from what we have seen, but given I have started writing for the first time in a while, I may as well chuck out any qualms over sample size, and jot down a few thoughts on the past week:

• First off... why does everyone ignore sample size at this stage of the season? A-Rod flopped on Thursday, but was the hero on Saturday... the Mets were unbeatable on Friday, and error strewn a day later...

• The Red Sox rotation did ok first time through - Schill gets the chance to redeem himself tonight, but more importantly, Beckett looked great in the cold, while it seems that Dice-K did not too bad. It is always disappointing not to win a Wake start when he only gives up 2 runs, and Tavares, well he did what we should really expect for a guy with a career era of 4.36, and era's of 4.52 and 5.39 in his two full season's of starting... but then I think we all hope that he is just holding a spot for this guy.

• The Yankees rotation... well, not so good. Pavano went 4 1/3, giving up 4 earned; Pettitte only gave up 2 runs but lasted only 4 innings as his defense let him down, and it genuinely looked as if he had never pitched to Posada before in his life; Mussina gave up 6 runs in 4 innings to the Orioles; Igawa pitched poorly in his debut - he at least broke the 5 inning barrier, but gave up 7 innings doing so; then today, Rasner, in his season debut, was struck by the 4 inning bug - 4 1/3 and 5 earned. In its opening turn, the Yankees starters threw a total of 21 2/3 innings, requiring the bullpen to throw way, way too many pitches in the first week - aided by an inning of work in relief by Pettitte. The upside is, the rotation can't pitch like this week in, week out... it just can't... can it?

• The Yankees saw a shortened series with the Rays, who looked like they do - very decent hitting and speed - the two Dukes HR were very impressive - but not so much on the pitching front... while the Orioles, despite spending money on their pen, looked the way the Orioles do, not so great hitting, and not so great pitching. In their first week, the Jays went 3-2 for first place, but an ugly outing for AJ is what will need watched in the week ahead.

• Outside the East, the highlight has to be Cleveland's inability to get an opening day game in... called one out short of an official game, as the pitcher shook off signs from his catcher...

So anyway, Schilling has only managed one out of his first three hitters, and two very hard hit balls... is it time to worry yet?