Cold start in New York

The Rays are going to have to battle the Yankees and the elements today as it's in the high 40s here in New York today with a wind chill of 39 degrees about 40 minutes before game time.

Principal owner Stuart Sternberg had the most interesting news of the day, that Tuesday's home opener is expected to be sold out later today or sometime Monday at the latest.

Not much news from manager Joe Maddon's pre-game session, except a slight tweak of the batting order, with RF Eric Hinske moving up to sixth and 3B Willy Aybar down to seventh. That puts lefties Cliff Floyd and Hinske back-to-back, but with righthanded hitting Jonny Gomes available as a pinch-hitter Maddon likes his options.

Also Maddon had praise for the way C Shawn Riggans - the interim starter with Dioner Navarro out at least two week - called Saturday's game, specifcially the way he called an unpredictable game and took charge with the pitchers. "I thought he was non-predictable in a good way,'' Maddon said.

Here is the Rays lineup:
Iwamura, 2b
Crawford, lf
Pena, 1b
Upton, cf
Floyd, dh
Hinske, rf
Aybar, 3b
Riggans, c
Bartlett, ss
Shields, rhp

And the Yankees, who get CF Melky Cabrera back from his suspension and now lose Shelley Duncan for two games, and have Jason Giambi bothered by a sore groin:

Damon, lf
Jeter, ss
Abreu, rf
Rodriguez, 3b
Matsui, dh
Cano, 2b
Posada, c
Betemit, 1b
Cabrera, cf

Comments

[Julian]

When they say that the game could be sold out how much of the stadium does that really include? If I remember correctly they closed off sections of the upperdeck last year and was wondering if they were doing the same this year.

[Re: Julian]

Who cares, Julian?