Series Preview: Yankees vs. Rangers

Yankees vs. Rangers
New Yankee Stadium
(three games)

After a weekend in Boston that may have sealed the AL East title, the Yankees head home to face the surprising Texas Rangers for three games at the stadium.

This is kind of a strange series because if the Yankees beat up on Texas they will be helping Boston who lead the Rangers by 1.5 games in the Wild Card race. Honestly, if someone told me the Sox and Angels would lose their next three games I'd have no problems watching the Yankees get swept. I know, I know, how can I say such things. But I really don't want Boston to make the playoffs. Any team with that lineup, Josh Beckett and Jon Lester in a short series scares me.

At 65-49 they're just five games back of the Angels in the AL West.Texas was a team I thought would fade, like the Rangers and the Royals, who were in first back in May, but they haven't and Nolan Ryan's new method of teaching pitchers seems to be working. At least it's working this year, we will have to wait and see how these guys react to the added workload next year. They're currently third in the AL in team ERA, first in runs allowed, and second in earned runs allowed.

Offensively they're solid. Led by Nelson Cruz, Ian Kinsler and Michael Young they rank second in the AL in homers, behind only our Yankees.

As for those Yankees, we all know how well they've been playing. They've been the best team in baseball since Alex Rodriguez came back in early May, and that has led them to an MLB-best 78-46. They've taken four of the six games against the Rangers this season.

Pitching Matchups

Game 1: Tonight @ 7:05 p.m. | TV/Radio: My9, WCBS
RHP Joba Chamberlain (8-3, 3.98) vs. RHP Kevin Millwood (9-8, 3.48)

Game 2: Tomorrow @ 7:05 p.m. | TV/Radio: YES, ESPN2, WCBS
LHP Andy Pettitte (10-6, 4.25) vs. LHP Derek Holland (7-7, 4.72)

Game 3: Thursday @ 1:05 p.m. | TV/Radio: YES, WCBS
RHP A.J. Burnett (10-7, 4.08) vs. RHP Dustin Nippert (4-2, 3.95)

Players to Watch

YANKEES: Mark Teixeira - The Yankees first baseman is putting up a MVP caliber year, hitting .288/.385/.556, with 31 HR, 34 doubles, and 93 RBI. He also seems to be getting better, so far in August he's hitting .321/.421/.580 with 5 HR and 18 RBI in 21 games.

In five games against his former team Tex is hitting .350/.458/.800 with 2 HR, 3 doubles, and 8 RBI. In his career against Texas he's hitting .305/.427/.610 with 4 HR and 16 RBI in 18 games.

Teixeira vs. Millwood: .364/.364/.727 (4-for-11) HR, 2B, RBI
Teixeira vs. Holland: 2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI
Teixeira vs. Nippert: 1-for-3, 2 K's

RANGERS: Michael Young - Young is having a fantastic season for the Rangers, hitting .329/.382/.538 with 21 HR, 35 doubles, and 63 RBI.

He's always done well against the Yankees, hitting .292/.326/.396 with 4 HR and 35 RBI in 69 games. In the Bronx he's hit .299/.319/.416 over his career.

This year he's been even better. In six games against the Yankees this season he's hitting .318/.423/.409. In the three games in the Bronx those numbers jump to .417/.500/.500.

Young vs. Chamberlain: .375/.375/.750 (3-for-8) HR, 3 RBI
Young vs. Pettitte: .292/.387/.375 (7-for-24) 5 RBI, 5 BB, 5 K's
Young vs. Burnett: .250/.280/.417 (6-for-24) HR, RBI, 4 K's

Injury Report

YANKEES:
- Chien-Ming Wang, SP: 15-day DL is done for the year after arthriscopic surgery on his shoulder. He will likely be out for 12 months.
- Xavier Nady, RF: Done for year, season-ending Tommy John surgery. 10-12 months to recover.
- Brett Gardner, CF: 15-day DL with a broken bone in his hand. He had his cast taken off, but he's going to have to remain in a splint for a few weeks before starting a rehab assignment. He should be back in the first week of September.
- Alfredo Aceves, RP: Has some back issues, but will continue to pitch through it.

RANGERS:
- Eddie Guardado, RP: 15-day DL with left knee inflammation.
- Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C : 15-day DL with a sore right arm, and numbness.
- Esteban Germán, 2B/LF: 15-day DL with a strained right groin.
- Matt Harrison, SP: 60-day DL with thoracic outlet syndrome - out for season.
- Brandon McCarthy, SP: 60-day DL with a stress fracture in his right shoulder.
- Joaquín Benoit, RP: 60-day DL as he recovers from right rotator cuff surgery.
- Eric Hurley, SP: 60-day DL with a torn right rotator cuff - out for season.