Yanks @ O's Series Preview

Yankees - Orioles

Camden Yards
(three games)

And here we are, the opening series of 2009. The Yankees are in Baltimore to open the year against the Orioles. There are always high expected for the Yankees, but when you spend nearly $500 million on three free agents the expectations are even higher.

Last season the Yankees were 11-7 against the O's.

Matchups

Game 1: Monday @ 4:05 p.m.
TV: YES, Radio: WCBS 880
CC Sabathia LHP (17-10. 2.70 in 2008) vs. Jeremy Guthrie RHP (10-12, 3.63)

Game 2: Wednesday @ 7:05 p.m.
TV: YES, Radio: WCBS 880
Chien-Ming Wang RHP (8-2, 4.07) vs. Koji Uehara RHP (6-5, 3.81 for Yomiuri Giants)

Game 3: Thursday @ 1:35 p.m.
TV: YES, Radio: WCBS 880
A.J. Burnett RHP (18-10, 4.07) vs. Alfredo Simon RHP (0-0, 6.23), 1:35,

Players To Watch

YANKEES - Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia, and A.J. Burnett. I know you could probably say that these are the players to watch for the entire year, but for now let's just stick with this Baltimore series.

CC Sabathia has always pitched well against the O's. In nine career starts he is 5-0, with a 2.38 ERA in his career, and he's 3-0, with a 2.60 in four starts at Camden Yards. He did not face the O's last year.

A.J. Burnett is 7-1 with a 4.97 ERA in nine starts against the O's, at Camden Yards he's 3-0 with a 3.91 ERA in four starts. Last season he went 2-1 with a 9.82 ERA.

Mark Teixeira has played 38 games against his home town team and has hit .313/.387/.619 with 12 homers and 35 RBI. In 18 games in Baltimore he's a .261/.329/.493 hitter with 4 HR and 14 RBI. And in three games last season he hit .400/.538/.500.

Teixeira vs. Guthrie: 0-for-0 with a walk
Teixeira vs. Uehara: NR
Teixeira vs. Simon: NR

ORIOLES: Aubrey Huff has always played well against the Yankees, he's a career .302/.356/.484 hitter with 16 HR and 84 RBI in 116 games. Last year he was even better, hitting .333/.384/.621 with 4 HR and 20 RBI in 17 games.

Huff vs. Sabathia: 7-for-25, .280/.280/.360
Huff vs. Wang: 7-for-21, .333/.364/.333 with 2 RBI
Huff vs. Burnett: 7-for-45, .156/.283/.222 with 4 RBI and 11 K

Injury Report

YANKEES:

- Alex Rodriguez: 15-day DL with a torn labrum in right hip. He's expected back in mid May.

ORIOLES:

- Rich Hill: Will start the season on the 15-day DL with an elbow injury.
- John Parrish is out with a small tear in left shoulder and will not pitch in 2009.