Yankees - Angels Series Preview

Yankees - Angels

Yankee Stadium
(4 games)

After a disappointing series with the Orioles that saw the Yankees drop two of three the Yankees welcome the Angels into town. The Angels are the best team in baseball, they can pitch, they can play defense, they can run the bases, and now with the addition of Mark Teixeira they can really hit too. And luckily for the Yanks, they get to play them ten times in the next two months, starting off with this weekend's four game series.

The Angels are 10 - 2 since the All Star break, and have actually helped the Yankees because six of those wins came against the Boston Red Sox, including a three game sweep at Fenway that was concluded last night. They are currently running away with the AL West with a 67-40 record, and an 11.5 game lead. They've also owned the Yankees lately, in the last three seasons the Angels are 18-11 against the Yankees.

The Yankees are coming off of a disappointing series against the Orioles, in which the Orioles took two out of three at the Stadium. But as I said they were helped by the Angels, and actually gained a game on the Red Sox. They currently have a 59-48 record and are tied with the Minnesota Twins for second place in the Wild Card, 1 game behind the Red Sox. And they're also now 4 games behind the first place Tampa Bay Rays in the division race. New addition Ivan Rodriguez will make his Yankees debut this weekend.

This series will be a huge test for the Yankees, but they have been known to play up or down to their competition so who knows. Anything can happen.

MATCHUPS

Game 1 - Today @ 7:05 p.m.
TV: YES; Radio: WCBS 880
Andy Pettitte LHP (12-7, 3.76) vs. Jon Garland RHP (9-6, 4.30)

Game 2 - Tomorrow @ 7:05 p.m.
TV: MY9; Radio: WCBS 880
Sidney Ponson RHP (6-2, 4.59) vs. Ervin Santana RHP (11-5, 3.57)

Game 3 - Saturday @ 3:55 p.m.
TV: FOX; Radio: WCBS 880
Mike Mussina RHP (13-7, 3.56) vs. Jered Weaver RHP (9-8, 4.11)

Game 4 - Sunday @ 1:05 p.m.
TV: YES; Radio: WCBS 880
Darrell Rasner RHP (5-8, 4.92) vs. John Lackey RHP (9-2, 2.93)

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Yankees - Alex Rodriguez: A-Rod has always been an Angel killer, in his career he's hitting .329 against the Halos, with 58 home runs, 133 RBI, and an 1.085 OPS. The 58 homers are the most A-Rod has hit against any opponent in his career. And with the way they're playing right now he's going to need to step up and have a big series. The timing may be right for A-Rod as he's been on fire since the All-Star break, hitting .425 with 3 HR, 10 RBI, and a 1.270 OPS.

A-Rod vs. Garland: .412 (14-for-34), 2 HR, 8 RBI, 1.134 OPS
A-Rod vs. Santana: .143 (2-for-14), 2 RBI, .343 OPS
A-Rod vs. Weaver: .167 (1-for-6), HR, RBI
A-Rod vs. Lackey: .190 (8-for-42), 3 HR, 5 RBI, .776 OPS

Angels - Mark Teixeira - The newest Angel also has hit very well against Yankees pitching throughout his career, especially after the last three years. From 2005-2007, Teixeira is hitting .327 with 4 HR, 18 RBI, and a .908 OPS against the Yanks, and at Yankee Stadium he's been even better, hitting .339 with 2 HR, 12 RBI, and a .917 OPS. In his career his numbers aren't as impressive but they're still very good, .298 with 7 HR, 25 RBI, and an .864 OPS, and at the Stadium in his career he's hitting .308 with 4 homers, 16 RBI, also with an .864 OPS.

Teixeira vs. Pettitte: .474 (9-for-19), RBI, 1.132 OPS
Teixeira vs. Ponson: .538 (7-for-13), 4 RBI, 1.154 OPS
Teixeira vs. Mussina: .160 (4-for-25), RBI, .352 OPS
Teixeira vs. Rasner: NR

INJURY REPORT

Yankees:
- Chien-Ming Wang is out till at least September with a mid-foot tearing of the Lisfranc ligament and a partial tear of the peroneal longus tendon.
- Phil Hughes is out till at least August, most likely September, with a stress fracture of the rib.
- Brian Bruney is out with an injured foot. He's now pitching with AAA Scranton, and could return soon.
- Jonathan Albaladejo is out for the year with a stress fracture in his right elbow.
- Hideki Matsui is on the 15-day DL with an inflamed left knee. He is trying to rehab is the knee, and says he hopes to be back in two weeks.
- Jorge Posada is on the 15-day DL with a shoulder problem. He is deciding whether to have season-ending surgery, or to attempt to rehab the shoulder so he could return as a 1B/DH.

Angels:
- Mike Napoli is on the 15-day DL with right shoulder inflamation.
- Kelvim Escobar is on the 60-day DL with a torn right labrum.