Yanks @ Tigers Series Preview

Yankees - Tigers
@ Comerica Park
(3 games)

The Yankees look for some revenge this weekend when they visit Detroit to take on the Tigers who swept the Yankees at Yankee Stadium for the first time since 1966. Although that revenge won't be easy, as they have Kei Igawa and Darrell Rasner starting the first two games of this series.

Since they left New York, the Tigers have not played well losing 6 of their last 7 games to the Twins and Red Sox. The Tigers are now 15-21 and in last place in the AL Central, 3.5 games behind first place Minnesota.

Following the Tigers series the Yanks swept Seattle and lost two of three to the Indians. Offensively they're still looking to find themselves, and without Jorge Posada and Alex Rodriguez that has proven to be very difficult. The Yanks are 18-18, and 4.5 games behind first place Boston in the AL East.

MATCHUPS

Game 1 - Tonight @ 7:05 p.m., on MY9, Kei Igawa LHP (3-3, 3.86 ERA with Triple-A Scranton) vs. Kenny Rogers LHP (2-2, 6.27 ERA)

Game 2 - Tomorrow @ 3:45 p.m., on FOX, Darrell Rasner RHP (1-0, 3.00 ERA) vs. Jeremy Bonderman RHP (2-3, 4.17 ERA)

Game 3 - Sunday @ 1:05 p.m., on YES, Andy Pettitte LHP (3-3, 3.77 ERA) vs. Nate Robertson LHP (1-4, 6.64 ERA)

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Yankees - Robinson Cano: Is Cano coming out of his slump? Well he's 5 for his last 15 with 2 HR and 3 RBI. Hopefully this isn't a tease, and he continues to hit. If he does, this offense will
improve greatly.

In his career he has been pretty good against the Tigers, in 24 games he's hit .271 (26-96) with 3 HR, 9 RBI and an OPS of .728. At Comerica he's a little better hitting .333 (16-48) with a homer, 4 RBI, and an OPS of .833 in 11 games.

Cano vs. Rogers: .333 (1-3) HR, 2 RBI
Cano vs. Bonderman .238 (5-21), .511 OPS
Cano vs. Robertson .278 (5-18), 1 RBI, .667 OPS

Tigers - Magglio Ordonez: The same player to watch as the first series against the Tigers, Ordonez continues to be one of the Tigers more consistent hitters. He's hitting .304 wit 6 HR and 24 RBI. He has also been very good against the Yankees. In 80 career games he's hitting .307 with 19 HR, 70 RBI, and an OPS of .948.

Ordonez vs. Igawa: NR
Ordonez vs. Rasner: 1-for-1, 2 RBI
Ordonez vs. Pettitte: .351 (13-37), 2 HR, 6 RBI, 1.050 OPS

INJURY REPORT

Yankees:
- Alex Rodriguez is on the 15-day DL with a strained quad.
- Jorge Posada is on the DL with a shoulder injury.
- Phil Hughes is out until at least July with a stress fracture of the rib.
- Brian Bruney might miss the rest of the season with an injured foot.

Tigers:
- Dontrelle Willis is on the 15-day DL with a hyperextended right knee.
- Denny Bautista is on the 15-day DL with a shoulder injury.

- Fernando Rodney is on the 15-day DL with a shoulder injury.
- Joel Zumaya is on the 15-day DL also with a shoulder injury.