Yankees - Twins Series Preview

Yankees - Twins

Yankee Stadium
(3 games)

After sweeping the A's over the weekend, the Yankees will face the Minnesota Twins for an important three-game series at The Stadium.

The Twins, like the A's, are a team the Yankees are chasing in the Wild Card. They've also been one of the bigger surprises of the season. Minnesota is currently 55-43, in second place in the Wild Card, one game behind the Red Sox, and they're just a half game behind the White Sox in the Central Division race. They've also won 10 of their last 15 games.

The Yanks enter this series with a 53-45 record - a season high eight games over .500, and are currently three games behind the Red Sox in the Wild Card (2 behind the Twins), and 4.5 games behind the Rays in the Division.

As I said before the A's series, if the Yankees are going to make a run they need to take advantage of every opportunity to gain ground. This is now their second opportunity.

MATCHUPS

Game 1 - Today @ 7:05 p.m.
TV: YES; Radio: WCBS 880
Sidney Ponson RHP (5-1, 3.96) vs. Nick Blackburn RHP (7-5, 3.65)

Game 2 - Tomorrow @ 7:05 p.m.
TV: YES; Radio: WCBS 880
Darrell Rasner RHP (5-7, 4.97) vs. Kevin Slowey RHP (6-6, 4.26)

Game 3 - Wednesday @ 1:05 p.m.
TV: YES; Radio: WCBS 880
Mike Mussina RHP (12-6, 3.49) vs. Glen Perkins LHP (7-2, 3.84)

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Yankees - Robinson Cano: As he usually does Cano has started to heat up with the weather. He's a lifetime .350 hitter in July, and this year he's hit .345 in this month. He's also hitting .571 (8-for-14) since the All-Star break. Cano, who was sitting at .227 a month ago is now hitting .258.

Throughout his career he's done very well against the Twins, hitting .330 with 4 HR, 13 RBI, and an OPS of .844. Although this season he has not does as well, hitting just .235 (4-for-17) in the previous four games in Minnesota.

Cano vs. Blackburn: 0-for-2
Cano vs. Slowey: 1-for-2
Cano vs. Perkins: 1-for-2

Twins - Justin Morneau: The Home Run Derby champion is also the Twins most productive offensive player. He's second on the team in batting average with a .322 avg, and he leads in home runs (15), RBI (73), hits (121). Slugging % (.519), and OPS (.909). Morneau has been on a tear this month, hitting .431, with 3 homers and 10 RBI.

He's been very solid against the Yankees in his career, hitting .293 with 5 homers, 19 RBI, and an OPS of .879. At The Stadium he's been even better, hitting .333 with 3 homers, 9 RBI, and an OPS of 1.019.

Morneau vs. Ponson: .231 (3-for-13), 2 RBI, .543 OPS
Morneau vs. Rasner: .400 (2-for-5), 2B, 3B, 1.400 OPS
Morneau vs. Mussina: .357 (5-for-14), 2 2B, 1 RBI, .900 OPS

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 in the next week or so.
- 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. It was reported today that the Yankees will make an announcement in a day or two that Matsui will have season-ending surgery.
- Johnny Damon is on the 15-day DL with a shoulder injury. He's eligible to come off the DL now, and says he's ready, but the appears that they want to wait a few days. Expect to see him back at the end of the week.

Twins:
- Michael Cuddyer is on the 15-day DL with a strained tendon in his left index finger.
- Adam Everett is on the 15-day DL with right shoulder tendinitis.
- Matt Tolbert is on the 15-day DL with a torn ligament in his left thumb.
- Pat Neshek is out for the season with a torn ligament in his right elbow.