Yankees at Red Sox(3 games)
The rivalry is renewed this weekend when the Yankees travel to Fenway to meet the Boston Red Sox for the first time this season. Both teams have been a little slow out of the gate and head into the series with 5-5 records.
Last year the Yankees took the season series 10-8, and won 9 of the last 12 games between the two AL East rivals.
The weather report for the weekend doesn't look good, and there's a good chance at least one of these games will be postponed.
MATCHUPS
Game 1 - Firday @ 7:05 p.m. (YES): Chien-Ming Wang RHP vs. Clay Buchholz RHP
Game 2 - Saturday @ 3:55 p.m. (FOX): Mike Mussina RHP vs. Josh Beckett RHP
Game 3 - Sunday @ 8:05 p.m. (ESPN): Phil Hughes RHP vs. Daisuke Matsuzaka RHP
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Yankees - Robinson Cano: Cano is a lifetime .330 (62-188) hitter against the Sox, with 5 HR and 31 RBI. Cano, who is off to a slow start, had hit in 5 straight games heading into action on Thursday, but was held hitless by Royals pitching. Maybe some Boston pitching is exactly what he needs to get his swing back.
Cano vs. Buchholz - never faced each other
Cano vs. Beckett - .389 (7-for-18) 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1.167 OPS
Cano vs. Matsuzaka - .083 (1-for-12)
Red Sox - Manny Ramirez: Ramirez has always killed the Yankees, in 189 games against the Yankees Ramirez is hitting .316 with 52 HR, and 152 RBI. Ramirez is hitting .275 with 1 HR, and 8 RBI so far this year.
Ramirez vs. Wang - .591 (13-22), 2 HR, 5 RBI, 1.517 OPS
Ramirez vs. Mussina - .253 (24-95), 6 HR, 18 RBI, .826 OPS
Ramirez vs. Hughes - never faced each other
INJURY REPORT
Yankees:
- Derek Jeter has a strained quad and will probably miss Friday's game, though we may see him at some point this weekend. His status is day-to-day.
- Jorge Posada has a shoulder strain and will probably be limited to a DH role.
Red Sox:
- Mike Lowell is on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained left thumb.
- Alex Cora is day-to-day with an arm injury.
- Mike Timlin, who had been on the DL, will be activated Friday, and in the Sox pen for this weekend's series.
3 Comments:
I'm pumped to see how Phil Hughes does on National TV this Sunday night. I always love this series, even though it's a little early in the season for it. I expect both teams to snap out of the rust/funk and play their typical 3 and a half 4 hr highly executed baseball games.
My closing thought: small ball will win this series. It is too early to rely on the big hit, for either team.
I agree with you on all counts.
OMG I can't wait, even though it's only April there is nothing better than Yanks-Sox, NOTHING!
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