Yankees @ Twins Series Preview

Yankees @ Twins

@ The Metrodome
(three games)

Yesterday was frustrating, but besides some terrible umpiring Yankees fans don't have much to be upset about right now. They're 48-34, they've won 10 of 12, and they're just a game behind Boston for first in the division.

Losing Chien-Ming Wang for a month could hurt, but he hasn't been himself all year and maybe the Yanks can get a few good starts from Mitre or Aceves. And with the all-star break a week away, he may only end up missing three or four starts.

This is a very important week for the Yanks. It's always good to go into the break on a high note. With these three games with the Twins, and then three more out west against the Angels it would be great to go 5-1, but that might be pushing it. So how about 4-2?

The Twins come into this series on a little bit of a roll. They've won 7 of their last 10 and their last three in a row. They do what they've always done, they hit a little, they pitch a little, and they play fundamentally sound baseball. And in this year's AL Central that could be good enough to win it. At 43-40 they're just 1.5 games behind the first place Tigers, and 5.5 behind the Yankees in the Wild Card.

Offensively they're led by their 1-2 punch of Joe Mauer of Justin Morneau. They're both having MVP-type seasons, with Mauer is hitting .389/.465/.648 with 14 HR and 45 RBI, and Morneau at .323/.399/.601 with a team-leading 21 homers and 69 RBI. They do other quality bats in the lineup too, Jason Kubel (.302/.360/.531), Denard Span (.291/.379/.384), and Michael Cuddyer (.278/.359/.516) have all had solid first halves of their seasons.

The Yanks they will miss the Twins' top two starters this week; Nick Blackburn, who leads the team with a 2.94 ERA, pitched a complete game on Sunday, and Kevin Slowey, who leads the team with 10 wins, just went on the DL with a strained wrist. Although Thursday's starter Anthony Swarzak has had a solid debut, going 2-2 with a 3.90 ERA in his first five starts. They have a good bullpen, ranking fourth in the AL with a 3.76 ERA. Jon Nathan is having another all-star season, with 22 saves in 24 chances and an ERA of 1.35.

Pitching Matchups

Game 1: Tonight @ 8:10 p.m. |TV/Radio: MY9, WCBS
LHP CC Sabathia (7-5, 3.85) vs. RHP Scott Baker (6-6, 4.99)

Game 2: Tomorrow @ 8:10 p.m. | TV/Radio: YES, WCBS
RHP A.J. Burnett (7-4, 3.83) vs. LHP Glen Perkins (4-4, 4.38)

Game 3: Thursday @ 1:10 p.m. | TV/Radio: YES, WCBS
TBA vs. RHP Anthony Swarzak (2-2, 3.90)

Players to Watch

YANKEES: Hideki Matsui - Now that the Yanks are back in AL parks Matsui has begun to heat up. Matsui hit .500/.545/1.167 with 3 HR and 10 RBI on the recent six-game homestand.

He has hit well against the Twins in his career, hitting .328/.404/.588 with 6 HR and 25 RBI in overall and .302/.384/.413 with 9 RBI in Minnesota. This season he's just 2-for-9 against Twins' pitching.

Matsui vs. Baker: 0-for-3
Matsui vs. Perkins: 1-for-2, RBI
Matsui vs. Swarzak: He's never faced Swarzak.

TWINS: Mauer and Morneau - The Yankees can't let these guys hit with men on base. If they hit with men on base they'll drive them in, it's as simple as that. If the Yankees some how get these guys out it will be a miracle.

Morneau vs. Sabathia: .167/.279/.306 (6-for-36) with a HR, 3 RBI, and 7 K
Morneau vs. Burnett: .333/.500/.583 (4-for-12) HR, 3 RBI

Mauer vs. Sabathia: .250/.318/.300 (5-for-20) 2 RBI, 8 K
Mauer vs. Burnett: .300/.417/.300 (3-for-10) 3 K

And here are their numbers in four games against the Yankees:

Morneau: .563/.650/1.250, 2 doubles, 3 HR, 4 RBI
Mauer: .313/.450/.688 2 HR, 3 RBI

Injury Report

YANKEES:
- Chien-Ming Wang, SP: 15-day DL with a strained right shoulder. The Yanks are hoping for an early August return.
- Xavier Nady, RF: Done for year, will have season-ending Tommy John surgery this week. It will take 10-12 month to recover.
- Jose Molina, C: On the 15-day DL with a strained left quad. He playing rehab games with the Double-A Trenton Thunder. The Yanks want him to play two more games before being added to the roster.
- Damaso Marte, RP: 15-day DL with a sore shoulder. He's still playing catch. Will we ever see him again?

TWINS:
- Kevin Slowey, SP: 15-day DL with a strained right wrist.
- Boof Bonser, SP/RP: 15-day DL after having right shoulder surgery. He's out for the year.
- Pat Neshek, RP: 60-day DL as he recovers from right elbow surgery.