Yankees vs. Jays Series Preview

Yankees - Blue Jays

Yankee Stadium
(3 games)

After dropping two of three to things don't get much easier for the Yanks as the Blue Jays come into town for a three game series at The Stadium. Of course the Yankees will have to face both A.J. Burnett and Roy Halladay, two pitchers who have owned the Yanks lately. The Yanks and Jays have split the first 12 games this season between the two.

The Yankees are currently 71-62, 10.5 games behind the first place Rays, and 6 games behind the Wild Card leading Red Sox. They have also lost 10 of their last 18 games, and are 13-17 since their 8 game winning streak. It's looking more and more likely that they will miss October baseball for the first time since 1993.

The Jays are also out of the mix for October as they sit 13.5 games behind the Rays, and 9 behind Boston. Since taking two of three from the Yankees two weeks ago they have lost four of six to the Red Sox and Rays.

MATCHUPS

Game 1 - Today @ 7:05 p.m.
TV: YES; Radio: WCBS 880
Carl Pavano RHP (1-0, 5.40) vs. A.J. Burnett RHP (16-9, 4.58)

Game 2 - Tomorrow @ 1:05 p.m.
TV: YES; Radio: WCBS 880
Darrell Rasner RHP (5-9, 5.03) vs. John Parrish LHP (1-0, 4.05)

Game 3 - Sunday @ 1:05 p.m.
TV: YES; Radio: WCBS 880
Andy Pettitte LHP (13-10, 4.37) vs. Roy Halladay RHP (16-9, 2.69)

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Yankees - Jason Giambi: It appears that Joe Girardi is not going to take Giambi out of the no. 5 spot. So with that being the case he's going to have to go on a tear if the Yankees are going to make a final run at this thing. Yesterday was a nice start, going two-for-two with a game-tying two-run homer, and a game-winning RBI single.

This season he is hitting .251/.379/.514 with 27 HR and 81 RBI. Against the Jays he's been pretty awful this season, hitting just .188/.263/.375 with 2 HR and 6 RBI, numbers that are way down from his career .282/.393/.512 against them. He has had some success against the three pitchers the Yankees will be facing this weekend, though.

Giambi vs. Burnett: 5-for-19, HR, RBI, .263/.300/.421
Giambi vs. Parrish: 1-for-2, 2B, 2 BB
Giambi vs. Halladay: 20-for-64, 3 HR, 8 RBI, .313/.380/.453

Toronto - Vernon Wells: Usually I would pick Yankee-killer Alex Rios as the Blue Jay to watch, but I'm getting bored with that, so I decided to pick Vernon Wells. Wells has been on fire lately. Over his last seven he's hitting .400/.444/.960 with 4 HR and 9 RBI. And in his last 14 he's hitting .341/.408/.682 with 4 HR and 11 RBI.

Wells has not had a great year against the Yankees, though, hitting just .261/.292/.391 with a homer and 2 RBI. Like Giambi those numbers are down from his career marks of .308/.360/.521 against the Yanks.

Wells vs. Pavano: 2-for-8, HR, RBI
Wells vs. Rasner: 1-for-5, BB
Wells vs. Pettitte: 13-for-32, 4 2B, HR, 7 RBI, .406/.457/.625

INJURY REPORT

Yankees:
- Dan Giese is on the 15-day DL with rotator cuff tendinitis.
- Joba Chamberlain has rotator cuff tendinitis, and is on the 15-day DL. He is supposed to have a bullpen session tomorrow and could rejoin the Yankees shortly after. He will probably pitch out of the bullpen when he returns.
- Chien-Ming Wang is out for the year with a mid-foot tearing of the Lisfranc ligament and a partial tear of the peroneal longus tendon.
- Jonathan Albaladejo is out for the year with a stress fracture in his right elbow.
- Jorge Posada is out for the remainder of the season after having shoulder surgery.

Blue Jays:
- Brad Wilkerson is on the 15-day DL with lower back spasms.
- Aaron Hill is on the 60-day DL with a mild concussion.
- Casey Jensen is out for the year with a torn right labrum.
- Dustin McGowan is out for the year after having surgery on his right shoulder.
- Jeremy Accardo is on the 15-day DL with tightness in his right forearm.