Yankees vs. RaysNew Yankee Stadium
(2 games)
After taking another embarrassing beat down from the Red Sox the Yankees will welcome another AL East opponent to The Bronx, this time the Tampa Bay Rays. The Yankees already faced the Rays one time this year in Tampa and took two out of three. Alex Rodriguez is days away from his return, but every other day it seems like the Yankees are losing another very important piece of their puzzle. The latest victim was Jorge Posada, who be on the shelf for at least two-three weeks with a strained hamstring. With all these injuries the Yankees are going to need their starting pitching to step up. Hopefully that starts with this series against Tampa. At 13-13, the Yankees are in third place in the AL East, 4.5 games behind the first place Blue Jays.
Following their improbable run to last year's World Series the Rays have not gotten off to the start they had wanted. They are currently 12-16, in fourth place in the AL East and trail the Jays by 6.5 games. Tampa has won four of their last six, including taking three of four from Boston. While their three and four hitters (Evan Longoria and Carlos Pena) have both had great starts to the year, the rest of the offense is struggling a bit. The Rays have scored 138 runs, which is good for eighth in the American League. They also haven't gotten much from their four and five starters, Andy Sonnanstine and Jeff Niemann, and luckily for the Yankees that's just the two pitchers the Yankees will be facing in this series.
YANKEES: As you know this is usally an area set aside for me to pick an offensive player to watch for each team. Well today will be a little different. How about some pitching? My Yankees to watch this series are A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte. As I said earlier, with all the injuries, and now with a lineup that is without both A-Rod and Posada, it's time for the starting pitchers to step up.
Burnett is 2-0 with a 5.40 ERA. On the positive side, but has had a lot of success against Tampa in their careers. Burnett is 8-4, with a 2.94 ERA in 17 starts against them, including his near no-hitter from the series earlier this season.
Pettitte has also had a lot of success against the Rays, going 15-4, with a 3.63 ERA in 26 games in his career. He's made one start against them this year, and in 7.1 IP he allowed three runs on six hits, walked one and struck out four.
TAMPA: Evan Longoria - This guy looks like one of the best players in the sport right now. Besides the fact that he's hitting .365/.417/.721, with 8 HR, 34 RBI, and 13 doubles, he's also a gold glove calibur third baseman. He currently leads the team in batting average, RBI, OBP, slugging percentage, doubles, hits, and runs scored.
In his young career Longoria has not had the best success against Yankees pitching. He's hitting .267/.353/.378 with a HR and six RBI. In two games this season, he's hitting .286/.375/.286 against them with 2 RBI. He's also struck out five times.
Longoria vs. Burnett: .154/.154/.154 (2-for-13), 7 K
Longoria vs. Pettitte: .125/.222/.250 (1-for-8), 2B, BB, 5 K
YANKEES
- Alex Rodriguez, 3B: 15-day DL with a torn labrum in right hip. He is down in Tampa rehabbing at the Yankees' minor-league complex in Tampa. He's expected back in early to mid May.
- Xavier Nady, RF: 15-day DL with an injured right elbow. It was thought that he would need season-ending surgery, but it is now being reported that he may avoid the surgery and miss just 4-6 weeks.
- Cody Ransom, INF: 60-day DL with a strained right quad.
- Brian Bruney, RP: 15-day DL with a sore right elbow.
- Chien-Ming Wang, SP: 15-day DL with hip abductor muscle weakness.
- Damaso Marte, RP: 15-day DL with a sore shoulder.
- Jorge Posada, C: 15-day DL with a strained right hamstring. He will miss at least 2-3 weeks.
RAYS
Shawn Riggans, C: 15-day DL with right shoulder tendinitis.
Jason Isringhausen, RP: 15-day DL as he recovers from right elbow surgery.
Chad Bradford, RP: 15-day DL as he recovers from right elbow surgery.
Fernando Perez, OF: 15-day DL with a dislocated left wrist. He will miss 3-4 months.
(2 games)
After taking another embarrassing beat down from the Red Sox the Yankees will welcome another AL East opponent to The Bronx, this time the Tampa Bay Rays. The Yankees already faced the Rays one time this year in Tampa and took two out of three. Alex Rodriguez is days away from his return, but every other day it seems like the Yankees are losing another very important piece of their puzzle. The latest victim was Jorge Posada, who be on the shelf for at least two-three weeks with a strained hamstring. With all these injuries the Yankees are going to need their starting pitching to step up. Hopefully that starts with this series against Tampa. At 13-13, the Yankees are in third place in the AL East, 4.5 games behind the first place Blue Jays.
Following their improbable run to last year's World Series the Rays have not gotten off to the start they had wanted. They are currently 12-16, in fourth place in the AL East and trail the Jays by 6.5 games. Tampa has won four of their last six, including taking three of four from Boston. While their three and four hitters (Evan Longoria and Carlos Pena) have both had great starts to the year, the rest of the offense is struggling a bit. The Rays have scored 138 runs, which is good for eighth in the American League. They also haven't gotten much from their four and five starters, Andy Sonnanstine and Jeff Niemann, and luckily for the Yankees that's just the two pitchers the Yankees will be facing in this series.
Pitching Matchups
Game 1: Today @ 7:05 p.m. | TV/Radio: YES, WCBS 880
A.J. Burnett RHP (2-0, 5.40 ERA) vs. Andy Sonnanstine RHP (1-3, 6.75 ERA)
Game 2: Tomorrow @ 7:05 p.m: TV/Radio: YES, WCBS 880
Andy Pettitte LHP (2-1, 3.82 ERA) vs. Jeff Niemann RHP (2-3, 5.68 ERA)
A.J. Burnett RHP (2-0, 5.40 ERA) vs. Andy Sonnanstine RHP (1-3, 6.75 ERA)
Game 2: Tomorrow @ 7:05 p.m: TV/Radio: YES, WCBS 880
Andy Pettitte LHP (2-1, 3.82 ERA) vs. Jeff Niemann RHP (2-3, 5.68 ERA)
Players to Watch
YANKEES: As you know this is usally an area set aside for me to pick an offensive player to watch for each team. Well today will be a little different. How about some pitching? My Yankees to watch this series are A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte. As I said earlier, with all the injuries, and now with a lineup that is without both A-Rod and Posada, it's time for the starting pitchers to step up.
Burnett is 2-0 with a 5.40 ERA. On the positive side, but has had a lot of success against Tampa in their careers. Burnett is 8-4, with a 2.94 ERA in 17 starts against them, including his near no-hitter from the series earlier this season.
Pettitte has also had a lot of success against the Rays, going 15-4, with a 3.63 ERA in 26 games in his career. He's made one start against them this year, and in 7.1 IP he allowed three runs on six hits, walked one and struck out four.
TAMPA: Evan Longoria - This guy looks like one of the best players in the sport right now. Besides the fact that he's hitting .365/.417/.721, with 8 HR, 34 RBI, and 13 doubles, he's also a gold glove calibur third baseman. He currently leads the team in batting average, RBI, OBP, slugging percentage, doubles, hits, and runs scored.
In his young career Longoria has not had the best success against Yankees pitching. He's hitting .267/.353/.378 with a HR and six RBI. In two games this season, he's hitting .286/.375/.286 against them with 2 RBI. He's also struck out five times.
Longoria vs. Burnett: .154/.154/.154 (2-for-13), 7 K
Longoria vs. Pettitte: .125/.222/.250 (1-for-8), 2B, BB, 5 K
Injury Report
YANKEES
- Alex Rodriguez, 3B: 15-day DL with a torn labrum in right hip. He is down in Tampa rehabbing at the Yankees' minor-league complex in Tampa. He's expected back in early to mid May.
- Xavier Nady, RF: 15-day DL with an injured right elbow. It was thought that he would need season-ending surgery, but it is now being reported that he may avoid the surgery and miss just 4-6 weeks.
- Cody Ransom, INF: 60-day DL with a strained right quad.
- Brian Bruney, RP: 15-day DL with a sore right elbow.
- Chien-Ming Wang, SP: 15-day DL with hip abductor muscle weakness.
- Damaso Marte, RP: 15-day DL with a sore shoulder.
- Jorge Posada, C: 15-day DL with a strained right hamstring. He will miss at least 2-3 weeks.
RAYS
Shawn Riggans, C: 15-day DL with right shoulder tendinitis.
Jason Isringhausen, RP: 15-day DL as he recovers from right elbow surgery.
Chad Bradford, RP: 15-day DL as he recovers from right elbow surgery.
Fernando Perez, OF: 15-day DL with a dislocated left wrist. He will miss 3-4 months.
5 Comments:
they have to win both, just look at the pitching matchups.
Agreed. They have to recover from that Boston series and recover quickly.
yankees.com has Pettitte going tomorrow. I'd prefer that since it sets up what should be a 5 game winning streak based on the pitching matchups.
Andy Pettitte is pitching tomorrow not CC, he's pitching Friday...
It has been corrected.
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