Yankees vs. Orioles Series Preview - The Final Series

Yankees vs. Orioles

Yankee Stadium
(3 games)

So this is it, the final series at the great Yankee Stadium. The first two games should be pretty normal, but the finale is set to be something very special. The fans will be allowed to walk along the warning track and up to home plate before the game, and the pregame ceremonies should be something very special.

The Yankees come into the series after taking two of three from the Rays, and three of four from the White Sox, both first place teams. It makes you wonder where this Yankee team has been all year. They're currently 82-71, and 9 games behind the first place Rays, and 7.5 behind the Wild Card leading Red Sox.

The O's coming into this series with nothing to play for, they're in last place in the AL East with a 67 - 84 record, and have lost 22 of their last 27 games.

The Yanks have taken 8 of the 15 games the Yanks and O's have played this year.

MATCHUPS

Game 1 - Today @ 7:05 p.m.
TV: MY9; Radio: WCBS 880
Carl Pavano RHP (3-1, 5.26) vs. Radhames Liz RHP (6-5, 6.90)

Game 2 - Tomorrow @ 1:05 p.m.
TV: YES; Radio: WCBS 880
Alfredo Aceves RHP (1-0, 1.80) vs. TBA

THE FINAL GAME
Game 3 - Sunday @ 8:05 p.m.
TV: ESPN; Radio: WCBS 880
Andy Pettitte LHP (13-14, 4.57) vs. Chris Waters LHP (3-3, 4.75)

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Yankees - All of them: This is it, the last series at Yankee Stadium. Every single member of that team has to play their best baseball right now. None of them will ever get a chance to play in that great Stadium so they better all show up.

Orioles - Aubrey Huff: Huff has had a great season, hitting .313/.370/.574 with 32 HR and 106 RBI. And he's killed the Yankees, hitting .389/.443/.741 with 4 HR and 19 RBI in 14 games. At The Stadium this year he's hitting .391/.423/.739 with 2 HR and 9 RBI.

In his career against the Yanks, he's hitting .308/.363/.495 with 6 HR and 22 RBI.And in his career at the House That Ruth Built he's hitting .308/.364/.470 with 3 HR and 20 RBI.

vs. Pavano: 4-for-15, HR, 3 RBI, .267/.267/.467
vs. Aceves: NR
vs. Pettitte: 4-for-26, .154/.241/.192

INJURY REPORT

Yankees:
- Chien-Ming Wang: 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 pitching in minor league games, and could get called up after the minor league playoffs have ended.
- Hideki Matsui: his knee is still not quite right, he will have one at-bat on Sunday and then have season-ending knee surgery.
- Jorge Posada: out for the remainder of the season after having shoulder surgery.

Baltimore:
- Melvin Mora: day-to-day with a hamstring injury.
- Daniel Cabrera: 15-day DL with a right medial elbow sprain.
- Dennis Sarfate: 15-day DL with a right distal clavicle fracture.
- Jeremy Guthrie: 15-day DL with right shoulder impingement.
- Jim Johnson: 15-day DL with a right shoulder impingement.
- Adam Loewen: 60-day DL with a stress fracture in left elbow.
- Matt Albers: 60-day DL with a torn labrum in his right shoulder.
- Jim Hoey: 60-day DL after having right shoulder surgery - out for season.
- Troy Patton: 60-day DL with a torn left labrum - out for season.
- Chris Ray: 60-day DL recovering from right elbow surgery.
- Danys Báez: 60-day DL after having right elbow surgery - out for season.