--DH Hideki Matsui was the odd man out for the second straight day Wednesday as he took a seat in favor of Jorge Posada. Matsui, who has just three hits in his first 24 at-bats, pinch-hit for Ramiro Pena in the seventh inning and drew a walk. Matsui played in 518 straight games to open his big-league career and played in 1,768 consecutive games in Japan and America from 1993 through 2006, but he was limited to 93 games last season due to knee woes.
--RHP Chien-Ming Wang threw 21 pitches during batting practice in an attempt to fix what has ailed him during his first two starts, during which he has posted a 28.93 ERA and allowed 15 hits and six walks in just 4 2/3 innings. Wang is still scheduled to start against the Indians in New York on Saturday. --3B Alex Rodriguez arrived in Tampa on Monday to begin baseball activities as he continues to recover from the hip surgery he underwent in March. Rodriguez told reporters he might not need a second surgery on the hip after the season and also said he hoped to make it back before the Yankees' target date of May 15.
BY THE NUMBERS: 0 -- Strikeouts by LHP CC Sabathia in his first start for the Yankees in the season opener at Baltimore. He took the loss after giving up six runs in 4 1/3 innings. However, he then allowed zero walks he had in his second start April 11 against the Royals, when he whiffed six in 7 2/3 shutout innings.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "My patience is good right now. Whatever happened last year, I'm leaving in the past." -- 2B Robinson Cano.
