Yankees News and Notes: Murderer's Row 2?

Fresh off his three-run, first inning double, which set the tone for Opening Day, an excited Nick Swisher compared the modern day Yankees' lineup to Murderer's Row. Some might dismiss such a comment as "Swish being Swish", but, over the last five seasons, the team's offense hasn't been far from the level of that immortal lineup.

After walking off the field to a rousing ovation, some fans may have noticed that Hiroki Kuroda did not tip his cap, a gesture that is not a common practice in Japanese baseball. However, that doesn't mean the right hander wasn't appreciative of the reception.

Kuroda wasn't the only one to receive a loud standing ovation for his pitching. Before the game, Jorge Posada's ceremonial first pitch was greeted by an overflowing response from the crowd, which also serenaded the former catcher with chants of "Hip, Hip, Jorge". For Posada, the afternoon was a family affair as not only was he surrounded by his Yankees' brothers, but his son and father also joined him on the field.

The Red Sox extended their winning streak in home openers to eight, but in the process lost one of their best players for an extended period of time. According to reports, Jacoby Ellsbury has been initially diagnosed with "at least" a partially separated shoulder, which he suffered while trying to break up a double play. More details will be provided on Saturday, but the MVP runner-up is expected to miss at least 6-8 weeks.

The Yankees are generally considered to be a very polished team when it comes to presenting a public image, and that's not by accident. During the spring, the team stresses the importance of communicating responsibly with the media and provides training materials to help players prepare for the throngs they'll face in New York.

Yankees' top prospect Manny Banuelos has been placed on the Triple-A disabled list because of complications from a strained muscle in his back. Banuelos is expected to miss one start. Generating buzz in his absence, however, is Jose Campos, the 19-year old prospect acquired from the Mariners along side Michael Pineda.