Yanks vs. Mariners Series Preview

Yankees - Mariners
@ Yankee Stadium
(3 games)

For the second time and final time this season the Mariners visit Yankee Stadium for a 3-game series. The first time these teams met the Yanks swept the series.

The Mariners have been struggling all month, they're just 5-15 in May, and 18-30 overall, and they're coming off a 3-game sweep at the hands of the Detroit Tigers.

The Yankees have also been struggling, winning just 3 of their last 9, but they are coming off of a series victory over the Baltimore Orioles. The Yanks are 22-25, 7.5 games behind first place Boston, and still in last place in the AL East.

MATCHUPS

Game 1 - Tonight @ 7:05 p.m.
TV: MY9, Radio: WCBS 880
Andy Pettitte LHP (3-5, 4.42) vs. Erik Bedard LHP (3-2, 3.24)

Game 2 - Tomorrow @ 1:05 p.m.
TV: YES, Radio: WCBS 880
Mike Mussina RHP (6-4, 4.11) vs. Carlos Silva RHP (3-3, 4.91)

Game 3 - Sunday @ 1:05 p.m.
TV: YES, TBS, Radio: WCBS 880
Chien-Ming Wang RHP (6-2, 3.51) vs. Jarrod Washburn LHP (2-6, 6.99)

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Yankees - Bobby Abreu: Like last series against Seattle, I think Abreu is the player to watch. He's always hit well against Seattle, and for his career Abreu is a .375 hitter with 2 HR, 13 RBI, and a .946 OPS in 22 games. Abreu has been one of the more consistent Yankees this season, and he enters the game hitting .285 with 5 HR and 25 RBI.

**UPDATE** 4:50 PM: Felix Hernandez, who Abreu is a .333 hitter against, was supposed to start the middle game of the series, but will most likely be skipped so now the Yanks will face two lefties which may lessen the importance of Abreu this series.

Abreu vs. Bedard: .200 (4-for-20), 0 HR, 1 RBI, .520 OPS
Abreu vs. Silva: .800 (8-for-10), 0 HR, 4 RBI, 1.618 OPS
Abreu vs. Washburn: .077 (1-for-13), RBI

Mariners - Raul Ibanez: Ibanez has been the Mariners overall best hitter this season. He enters this weekend's series hitting .291 with 7 HR, 31 RBI and an .842 OPS. He's also done very well against the Yankees in his career, in 68 games he's hitting .295 with 5 HR, 33 RBI and an OPS of .780. At The Stadium he's hitting .289 with 3 HR, 18 RBI, and a .741 OPS in 38 games.

Ibanez vs. Pettitte: .417 (5-for-12), 2 RBI, .917 OPS
Ibanez vs. Mussina: .423 (11-for-26), 1 HR, 6 RBI, 1.195 OPS
Ibanez vs. Wang: .200 (4-for-20), 4 RBI, .490 OPS


INJURY REPORT

Yankees:
- Chien-Ming Wang has a mild calf strain, and will start Sunday instead of Saturday.
- Jorge Posada is still 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. According to the NY Times Bruney will start his rehab this weekend in Tampa and he's optimistic about returning after the All-Star break.
- Wilson Betemit is on the 15-day DL with a strained right hamstring
- Jonathan Albaladejo is on the 15-day DL with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament and a strained posterior capsule in his elbow.

Mariners:
- Felix Hernandez left his last start in the 6th because of an injured calf, but is expected to make his scheduled start on Saturday.