Yankees ready for home opener

The Yankees have six games under their belt, but for those in the clubhouse, the season finally begins in earnest Friday afternoon.

That's when the Yankees return to the Bronx for their home opener against Albert Pujols and the Angels.

"It just never seems like the season officially gets under way until you have the home opener; that's how I've always felt," Derek Jeter said. "It's special, it's fun, it's a great atmosphere. It's something we all look forward to. We usually get at least a couple opening days [on the road] during the course of the season, but it just doesn't feel like it gets under way until we get the one at home."

The Yankees' oldest player sounded a similar theme.

"It's wonderful," 42-year-old closer Mariano Rivera said. "We've been away so long, it's like we haven't started the season yet. When we open in New York, that will be nice, that will be wonderful. The season starts for us now."

Hiroki Kuroda, who didn't make a great first impression on Yankees fans in his debut, allowing six runs (four earned), eight hits and four walks in 52/3 innings in an 8-6 loss to the Rays last Saturday night, will get another chance to impress them Friday afternoon.

Righthander Ervin Santana, who allowed five earned runs in 52/3 innings in his first start of the season against the Royals, goes for the Angels.

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Kuroda said his prevailing emotion isn't one of excitement.

"Rather than being excited, I'm more worried about how I'm going to perform," he said through his translator.

Kuroda doesn't lack for confidence, though.

"It's definitely an honor," he said of pitching the home opener. "Because of that, I really have to do the best I can, and I think I will.''

Kuroda's challenge is a powerful Angels lineup featuring the offseason's biggest free- agent acquisition in Pujols, who signed a 10-year deal worth $240 million. Though the sample size is small, the slugger hasn't had a great deal of success against Kuroda in his career, going 3-for-15, including a homer and a double, with no walks and four strikeouts.

"Obviously, he's one of the greatest hitters in the game, so I have to challenge him, I have to stay aggressive against him," Kuroda said.

The Angels (2-4) and Yankees (3-3) are among the Super Six in the American League who for a variety of reasons -- whether it be free-agent pickups, rosters stocked with veterans or those bursting with talented young players -- have big dreams for October. The Rays, Red Sox, Tigers and Rangers (and as scouts and talent evaluators said throughout spring training, don't count out the Blue Jays) are the others.

Jeter said that even without Pujols, the Angels, who routinely were October pests for the Yankees until the 2009 ALCS, were a chore.

"I know they're pretty excited in Anaheim about the team they have," Jeter said. "They've always played us tough regardless of who's on that team. It seems like every year they're competitive. So for us, it's nothing new."

What is new, early in this 2012 season, is what's on tap today:a game at the Stadium.

"Can't wait," Joe Girardi said. "Seems like we've been gone forever. I think we're all anxious to get back and play at home in front of our crowd. We're fortunate. Wherever we travel, we have a lot of fans, but home is still home . . . There's something about going home and really feeling like the season is started when you go home."