The DH half of Subway Series 2011 is over. We can now return to intraleague play for a few weeks before the circus top goes up again. What can we take away from the first three AL/NL days of the year?
1) The Yanks and Red Sox took care of their inferior opponents, while the Rays didn’t.
2) The Yanks can drive in runs with bloopers and nubbers just fine. I still don’t get how those are preferable to home runs.
3) Ivan Nova showed remarkable resiliency. He was off all game, but stuck it out and minimized the damage.
4) A.J. Burnett… well, we learned nothing. He was on. That happens as often as it doesn’t. I’m done declaring that one start or the other is the “real” A.J.
5) Derek Jeter is getting a move on 3,000. There was a time when early July was an aggressive bet. If we get through June and haven’t partied with The Captain yet, something will have gone wrong.
6) The two leagues split Round 1 21-21, but let’s not declare them equals just yet.
7) The Felix Hernandez/Michael Pineda combination is going to be the best duo of this generation- if the Mariners keep them together.
8) The Red Sox can keep winning without production from Carl Crawford. This race will likely be decided by which team’s underachievers start performing first.
9) Bartolo Colon is a pioneer.
10) The Phillies are about to improve.
11) The Rangers are about to improve even more.
Anyone else learn anything? Let me know in the comments.
The Truest Yankee 
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