SHOULD NEW YORK BE WORRIED?

I know it's early in the season, but my Schadenfreude that comes from watching New York struggle knows no calendar.

Carl Pavano went 4 innings on Opening Day. Last night Andy Pettitte matched that feet. The Yankees best pitcher, Wang, is on the DL until late April or early May, and the never injured Johnny Damon is missing time with a calf strain, and might be seeing the DL in very short time.

So should New York be worried? They did manage to go 1-1 against Tampa Bay, but this was thanks to the Devil Rays' bullpen blowing the Opening Day game open. The $195 Million Men* fell to the $24 million Devil Rays 7-6. Now imagine if they hadn't rained out Wednesday's game. What would have happened?

New York sends Mussina to the mound tonight. Mussina, as we all know, is one of the most overrated pitchers in baseball. He's capable of brilliance, but also highly capable of mediocrity. Then there's Kei Igawa. As much question marks as the Sox rotation had this season, Kei Igawa? That's a friggin' question. Then Darrell Rasner fills out the rotation. Another question.

Is New York worried? I don't know. Up where I live, the Yankee fans don't seem to be concerned. They still have that unjustified and downright silly cockiness. They still beat their chest and give their war cry "26 rings" and laugh with each other as if they had seen more than a fifth of those titles. They have more question marks than we do, folks. They should be worried, or at least, concerned.

* = I know the Sox have the 2nd highest payroll, but it is still $52 million LOWER than New York's. Five TEAMS have lower payrolls than the difference between us and New York.