Time to Duel

Looks at these lines from starters around the majors today:

NYY @ CLE (NYY wins 1-0)
Chien-Ming Wang: 7IP, 113P, 4H, 0ER, 2BB, 9K
C.C. Sabathia: 8IP, 111P, 4H, ER, BB, 8K

* Both starters were absolutely phenomenal. Wang improved to 5-0 on the season (first Yankee starter to do this since Kevin Brown), and showed a wide repertoire of pitches of not just his sinker, but also a devastating slider. He was on. The 2007 Cy Young winner wasn't a pushover either; during the 6th he worked around a leadoff double from Jeter and completely overpowered Arod and Duncan to get out of the inning. Yet, he made one mistake more than Wang (a solo shot to Melky) and that made all the difference.

ARI @ SD (ARI wins 2-1)
Brandon Webb: 6IP, 97P, 5H, R (unearned), 4BB, 5K
Jake Peavy: 7IP, 116P, 4H, 2ER, 3BB, 9K

* Peavy's only mistake came in the 2nd with a two-run homer to catcher Chris Snyder. Unfortunately, in a duel between Cy winners, even a pair of runs is too much. Brandon Webb improved to 6-0 on the season, making him only the third pitcher in MLB history with this perfect record in April (teammate Randy Johnson did it twice).

BOS @ TB (TB wins 3-0)
Josh Beckett: 7IP, 107P, 4H, 2R (1 unearned), BB, 13K
James Shields: CG, 98P, 2H, 0ER, BB, 7K

* The Sox were completely stifled by Shields as they were swept at the hands of the Rays for the first time ever, sending them on a five game losing streak. Beckett struck out a career high 13, but it was no to avail--Shields was more brutal. And since when don't the Red Sox have crazy luck in late innings?

If you're a pitching person like I am, then you found today to be a very special one.

...But if you're a Yankees fan as I am, then Wang's ace-ness was bittersweet. Jorge Posada allegedly tore a muscle in his throwing arm and will be put on the DL for the first time in his career. Solving this problem may mean surgery---argh. What did we do to displease the baseball gods so much?