Kei Igawa needs all his mental strength after getting sent to the minors by the Yankees, who kept rookies Darrell Rasner and Matt DeSalvo in the rotation over Igawa. Most scouts don’t believe Igawa has the stuff to justify the $46 million Brian Cashman invested in him. He’s New York’s property through 2011. It’s amazing Cashman doesn’t take more heat for the pitching moves he has made the last five years, including Jose Contreras-for-Esteban Loaiza and the signing of Carl Pavano. … When the Yankees’ Wil Nieves got a hit Wednesday night off Texas’ C.J. Wilson, it left the White Sox’s Gustavo Molina as the last hitless position player who was on an Opening Day roster. Nieves had been 0-for-32 over parts of three seasons before getting that hit and kept his out streak alive by getting thrown out trying to stretch the single into a double. … They’re still trying to understand what happened to shortstop Edgar Renteria in Boston. He looks like an All-Star again and has been a big reason for the Braves’ fast start. “He’s as solid as they come defensively,” Chipper Jones said of Renteria, who is batting .338. … Credit Josh Beckett’s fast start for Boston to the dermatologist who diagnosed him with eczema, which had been contributing to his recurring blister issues. He also is throwing a lot more breaking pitches for strikes. … St. Louis’ Scott Rolen is in as big of a funk as a good hitter can get in — 1-for-34 entering the weekend. … Tampa Bay’s B.J. Upton had a five-day run leading the AL in hitting and strikeouts. It marked the first time a hitter had led the league in both categories for more than one day since Dick Allen in 1965. Allen hit .302 for the Phillies despite a league-high 150 whiffs.
