How many times in your entire life can you remember a major league manager missing a game because he was sick?

I am sure it has happened a few times in history, but it is so rare, that I honestly can't think of a single case. Last night Yankees manager Joe Girardi missed the Yankees-Rays game because of an "upper respiratory infection" which in my book sounds a awful lot like a "common cold".

Is it a coincidence that Girardi was ill on the night in which the Yankees and Rays were to meet for the first regular season contest since the bench-clearing incident in spring training? Maybe...

Is it also a coincidence that Girardi got a cough on the same day that Shelley Duncan and Melky Cabrera had their 3-game suspensions reduced by a game without even an appeal hearing with Major League Baseball?

Or is it more likely that Major League Baseball agreed to reduce the suspensions of Cabrera and Duncan, if in return, Girardi would serve a one game suspension himself?

Remember, it was Girardi's comments to the media immediately following the Elliot Johnson home plate collision that led to the bad blood in the first place.

So, if Girardi was suspended for one game after-the-fact, why not just make an official announcement? Simple. Major League Baseball does not want to set a precedent in which other teams try to negotiate the reduction of suspensions for on-field incidents.

Please keep in mind that there is absolutely no evidence for any of this. Just a series of really strange coincidences involving the most powerful organization in sports. But in the end, I find it really hard to believe that Joe Girardi would miss just his third game as Yankees manager because he had a "cold".

AL EAST	W	L	GB	L10	STK	E#
Toronto Blue Jays	4	2	-	4-2	W3	--
Boston Red Sox	3	3	0.5	3-3	W1	156
New York Yankees	3	3	1.0	3-3	W1	156
Baltimore Orioles	3	4	1.5	3-4	W2	155
Tampa Bay Devil Rays	2	4	2.0	2-4	L3	155

Yankees 8, Twinkies 2. What the heck is going on with the Bombers? Alex Rodriguez hit his 5th home run and is all of the sudden the Prince of New York and Carl Pavano pitched seven strong innings for the win, and probably won't get booed in his next home start.

Blue Jays 9, Royals 1. The Jays won their home opener behind the pitching of AJ Burnett and their high powered offense. Burnett worked inot the 7th for the win and Vernon Wells hit his second home run.

Orioles 6, Tigers 2. The Orioles (and the Rays bullpen) helped return the Rays to their rightful place in the standings

NOTES FROM AROUND THE AL EAST...

• For those of you that ever read the Devil Rays mailbag on the team's website, THIS is the way it is supposed to be done. Give us the facts...And tell us what you think and say it with confidence.
• Melky Cabrera is now hitting .095. Somewhere Bernie Williams is smiling.
  
• The are some bizarre urban legends about the Blue Jays. Apparently they are true.
• The Blue Jays and their fans are thinking world series this year.
• The Blue Jays offense is good enough to get to the playoffs, but the pitching is not good enough to win in October.
• We have to remember that the first week can be hard on team's that open on the road. None of the coaches and players have been home in almost two months. The Orioles were glad to finally get some home cookin'.
• It amazes us how many people predict the Orioles to do well this season.
  
• Even Camden Yards has trouble drawing fans when the team is not good. It has never been about the Trop or the location of the field. WIN, and they will come.
• During pre-game introductions at the Oriole's home opener, Kevin Millar did the Ray Lewis-dance. Oh no. You can find the clip HERE.