Yankees 7, Orioles 1

Another game over in te first inning. Having watched Andy Pettitte pitch about 200 times over the past fourteen years, I can tell when his cutter (the pitch that sets up every other pitch) in snapping. At this moment, it looks better than it has since the second half of 2005, when Pettitte was the best pitcher in baseball en route to a 17-9 record.

I missed the start of the game. All it took, for me, was two pitches down around Melvin Mora's knees and I thought, with apologies to Eight Men Out, Man you guys are in trouble today.

A-Rod is hurt. My guess is we'll see if Morgan Ensberg can help out. If there is one guy you want to root for, it's Mo. When he was an Astro, Mo (along with Dan Wheeler and Eric Bruntlett) was legendary for working the pre-game autograph line down the right field railing. An fellow ex-Trojan, he signed my USC cap and shook my hand before one game--this, during his one All-Star season, also 2005, when the 'Stros had him figured into their plans for the next half-dozen years. With his short, compact swing, he looked good for twenty balls a year into the Crawford Boxes alone. But injuries and ineffectiveness killed him; the enormity of expectations turned him into the symbol of everything the Astros wee not after their first World Series. in the end, given the choice of Ensberg, Mike Lamb, Mark Loretta and Ty Wigginton, the 'Stros went with Ty, who could provide a steady .260 and field his position.

Now, it appears Ensberg gets another chance. It really and truly almost hurts, since Ensberg is one of those players you almost feel protective toward. (Yankee fans might think of Tino Martinez in his second go-around.) Here's hoping.

Now, a whole off-day to think about Hillary and Obama and Pennsylvania.