CC Sabathia, LHP (0-1, 12.46)
Gil Meche, RHP (0-0, 1.29)


Scouting Report:
Yankees: Sabathia's first turn as the ace of the new-look Yankees rotation was shaky one, as the left-hander struggled to find the command of his fastball and was knocked out in the fifth inning at Baltimore. He was roughed up for eight hits in 4 1/3 innings, walking five and striking out none, the first time he had not recorded a strikeout since July 25, 2005, at Oakland. Sabathia also threw two wild pitches in one inning, something he had not done in his career. Sabathia was 1-2 with a 3.54 ERA in three starts vs. Kansas City in 2008, allowing 22 hits and eight runs in 20 1/3 innings, including a complete game. He walked three and struck out 19 Royals.

Royals: Meche pitched very well on Opening Day, holding the White Sox to just one run on seven hits in seven innings. He went unrewarded when the bullpen blew his 2-1 lead. Meche has become used to disappointments, though; in his previous two years with KC, his cumulative ERA was a mere 3.82, but his won-lost record was a modest 23-24. If his first outing is any indication, he's primed for another good season.

Joba Chamberlain, RHP (0-0, -.--)
Horacio Ramirez, LHP (0-0, -.--)


Scouting Report:
Yankees: The 23-year-old fireballer makes his first start of the season against the Royals, during which he'll face fellow University of Nebraska alum Alex Gordon. Chamberlain was 3-1 with a 2.76 ERA as a starter last season and the Yankees went 8-4 in his starts. Among AL rookies, he ranked first in ERA, second in strikeouts (118), fourth in opponents' average (.233) and seventh in innings pitched (100 1/3). He had no record and a 3.18 ERA in two games vs. Kansas City, including a June 8 start when he went 4 1/3 innings, allowing three runs (two earned).

Royals: The Royals are gambling that Ramirez, strictly a reliever last year for K.C. and the White Sox, will regain his status as a starter. That was his vocation in five years with the Braves and Mariners and he was pretty good at it. In 104 Major League starts, he's 38-29 with a 4.55 ERA. Through April, he'll likely make just two starts and be used in the bullpen otherwise. He's the only left-hander in the Royals' rotation, a key factor in his winning the No. 5 job.

According to the Associated Press:

The Royals placed right fielder Jose Guillen on the 15-day disabled list Friday with a partially torn hip flexor and purchased the contract of right-hander Sidney Ponson from Triple-A Omaha.

Guillen started the first three games for the Royals, opening the season 2-for-12 (.167) with no extra-base hits. He hit .264 with 20 homers and 97 RBIs last season after signing a $36 million, three-year contract with Kansas City.

This throws a little monkey wrench into the lineup. Does "Skip" go with the Offensive lineup by putting Willie Bloomquist in right field, or does he play defense by sticking Teahen in right, and having Callaspo fill in at second?

Sidney Ponson will take Guillen's spot on the roster, as the Royals purchased his contract from Omaha today.

Andy Pettitte, LHP (0-0, -.--)
Sidney Ponson, RHP (0-0, -.--)


Scouting Report:
Yankees: Returning to the Yankees on an incentive-based one-year contract, Pettitte will make his first start of the year as the Yankees open a three-game series with the Royals. Pettitte led the Yankees with 204 innings pitched last year, grinding through late-season weakness in his pitching shoulder as the club tried in vain to secure a playoff spot. Pettitte's 215 victories are the third-most in the Majors since he debuted in 1995, trailing Mike Mussina and Greg Maddux. Pettitte was 1-0 with a 6.20 ERA in three starts against Kansas City last year and 12-3 with a 3.59 ERA in 22 games (20 starts) in his career.

Royals: Ponson jumped into the limelight along with Team Netherlands as the Dutch twice stunned the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. K.C. scouts liked what they saw from Ponson and signed him to a Minor League deal. He reeled off a stirring five innings in a Triple-A game. In two Cactus League outings, his numbers weren't good but he snared the No. 4 job. He is 90-106 in his big-league career.

With closer Bobby Jenks called out of the bullpen to keep the Royals from taking the lead in a tie ball game, newly acquired outfielder Coco Crisp crowned the ChiSox reliever.

With one out, Alberto Callaspo doubled to set up Crisp's dramatic two run homer off Jenks, who described the first pitch gopher ball as a "cutter that didn't cut".

Kyle Davies was dominant again, striking out eight batters while allowing only three hits over seven innings pitched.

Teahen Watch: Teahen batted third and played second and right field. He wound up going 0-5 at the plate, striking out twice and leaving eight runners on base. Ouch.

Kansas City	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Crisp, CF	3	1	2	2	2	0	0	.364
DeJesus, D, LF	5	0	2	0	0	0	4	.214
Teahen, 2B-RF	5	0	0	0	0	2	8	.250
Guillen, DH	4	0	1	0	1	2	1	.167
Butler, 1B	3	0	0	0	0	1	1	.000
b-Jacobs, PH-1B	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	.000
Gordon, 3B	3	0	0	0	0	1	3	.200
Aviles, M, SS	4	0	0	0	0	2	4	.200
Buck, C	4	0	1	0	0	0	0	.250
Bloomquist, RF	2	0	1	0	0	1	1	.500
a-Callaspo, PH-2B	2	1	2	0	0	0	0	1.000
Totals	36	2	9	2	3	10	23
a-Singled for Bloomquist in the 7th. b-Struck out for Butler in the 8th.
BATTING 2B: Crisp (2, MacDougal), Callaspo (1, Jenks), DeJesus, D (1, Jenks). HR: Crisp (1, 9th inning off Jenks, 1 on, 1 out). TB: Crisp 6; DeJesus, D 3; Guillen; Buck; Bloomquist; Callaspo 3. RBI: Crisp 2 (3). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Aviles, M 2; Teahen 3; Guillen. Team RISP: 2-for-12. Team LOB: 11. BASERUNNING SB: Gordon (1, 2nd base off Danks/Pierzynski), Guillen (1, 2nd base off Danks/Pierzynski). FIELDING E: Gordon (1, fielding).

Kansas City	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Davies	7.0	3	0	0	2	8	0	0.00
Mahay (W, 1-0)	1.0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0.00
Soria (S, 2)	1.0	1	1	1	1	1	0	4.50

Kyle Davies, RHP (0-0, -.--)
Jose Contreras, RHP (0-0, -.--)


Scouting Report:
Royals: What Davies has to prove early this season is that last September was no mirage. He made five starts in the month and came out 4-1 with a 2.27 ERA. Of course the entire team was on a roll, going 18-8. Davies began last season in Triple-A but battled his way back with a 6-2 record for Omaha and made 21 starts for Kansas City. The good news is he looked very good in Spring Training.

White Sox: The big right-hander's comeback from a ruptured left achilles tendon really is nothing short of miraculous. Contreras suffered the injury covering first base during a game against Boston on Aug. 9, but will be ready to start when the White Sox play host to the Twins on the season's first Friday night. Contreras bounced back from a rough 2007 campaign to finish above .500 and lower his ERA from 5.57 to 4.54 last season. He attacks hitters from a couple of different angles to keep them off stride and has been able to throw all of his pitches during his ongoing Spring Training recovery. Contreras has a 4-3 record with a 4.13 ERA against the Twins and has a lifetime 26-20 mark with a 4.22 ERA at U.S. Cellular Field.

Zack Greinke struck out seven and allowed only six base runners in six innings of work, leading to a 2-0 shutout of their Central Division Rivals.

Mark Teahen and Coco Crisp each knocked in a run and the bullpen was able to hold the lead for the victory.

Teahen Watch: Teahen went 2-4 with an RBI and made a sweet diving/gliding/god-like play over at second base.

Kansas City	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Crisp, CF	3	0	1	1	0	1	0	.250
DeJesus, D, LF	4	0	0	0	0	2	2	.111
Teahen, 2B	4	0	2	1	0	1	0	.429
Guillen, RF	4	0	0	0	0	1	2	.125
Bloomquist, RF	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Jacobs, 1B	3	0	0	0	1	2	0	.000
Butler, DH	4	0	0	0	0	2	2	.000
Gordon, 3B	3	0	1	0	1	1	0	.286
Olivo, C	4	0	0	0	0	3	4	.250
Aviles, M, SS	3	2	2	0	0	0	0	.333
Totals	32	2	6	2	2	13	10
BATTING 2B: Aviles, M (1, Floyd), Crisp (1, Floyd). TB: Crisp 2; Teahen 2; Gordon; Aviles, M 3. RBI: Crisp (1), Teahen (1). 2-out RBI: Crisp; Teahen. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: DeJesus, D; Olivo 2. S: Crisp. Team RISP: 2-for-6. Team LOB: 6. FIELDING DP: (Aviles, M-Teahen-Jacobs)

Kansas City	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Greinke (W, 1-0)	6.0	3	0	0	3	7	0	0.00
Cruz, J (H, 1)	2.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.00
Soria (S, 1)	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0.00