Lester versus Joba. Francona versus Girardi. Beantown versus Gotham City. Friendly Fenway on a fine Friday. Fools would tell you that this series has little meaning because it is early in the season.
Game One of this series, which starts at 7:10 pm, is a pitching matchup of the Red Sox best young pitcher versus the Yankees best young pitcher. This is a matchup of a proven World Series winning Manager(who has great interpersonal skills) going against a second year Manager with alot to prove(who is highly intelligent but not very skilled with people). This a matchup between a city with a 100 year old stadium in a great part of town versus a city with a mint new stadium in the Bronx. These two teams could not be more different from the top down(I haven't even touched on the different ownership groups). The personification of these differences will be seen in the match up between Kevin Youkilis at the plate and Joba Chamberlain on the pitching mound.
Youkilis will be at the plate ready to take some pitches and ready to duck from a pitch or two as well. Joba will be on the mound ready to set a tone tonight for the season. We all know that he has attacked Kevin Youkilis in the past. The Yankees missed the playoffs last season for the first time since 1993 and undoubtedly they will be fighting tooth and nail with the Red Sox for a playoff spot this year. The matchup between Youkilis and Joba has to live up to expectations in order for the Yankees to prove to the Red Sox and Major League Baseball in general that they have the gumption to make the 2009 postseason.
Red Sox versus Yankees Game One 2009. The winner has the upper hand.
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