Game #42 - New York Yankees @ Tampa Bay Rays

by anaconda on May 15, 2008 3:46 PM EDT in Game Threads

New York Yankees at Tampa Bay Rays, May 15, 2008 4:10 PM EDT

NEW YORK YANKEES

Johnny Damon, LF
Melky Cabrera, CF
Derek Jeter, SS
Jason Giambi, DH
Shelley Duncan, RF
Morgan Ensberg, 1B
Robinson Cano, 2B
Alberto Gonzalez, 3B
Jose Molina, C

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
Ian Kennedy	0-2	6	5	0	0	0	0	23.2	28	22	22	1	20	16	8.37	2.03

TAMPA BAY RAYS

Akinori Iwamura, 2B
Carl Crawford, LF
B.J. Upton, CF
Carlos Pena, 1B
Cliff Floyd, DH
Evan Longoria, 3B
Eric Hinske, RF
Shawn Riggans, C
Ben Zobrist, SS

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
Scott Kazmir	1-1	2	2	0	0	0	0	10.0	9	4	3	0	6	11	2.70	1.50

PREGAME NOTES:

Great news on A-Rod. Pete Abe reports that A-Rod has now been cleared to play some rehab games starting on Saturday. He will play in an extended Spring Training game on Saturday, an intrasquad game on Sunday, and another Spring Training game on Monday. Barring any setbacks this weekend, he will likely be activated on Tuesday.
Hard to believe, but the Yanks have averaged just 2.9 runs over their last 8 games.
As expected, Kei Igawa has been sent back down to Scranton to make room on the roster for Ian Kennedy.
Kennedy is a lifetime 1-1, 5.87 ERA, 1.63 WHIP in 3 starts against the Rays, including a no decision in his best start of the 2008 season (6 IP, 3 ER) on April 14.
Scott Kazmir is a lifetime 2-3, 3.00 ERA, 1.41 WHIP in 9 games (8 starts) against the Yanks, including 1-0, 2.66 ERA, 1.18 WHIP in 4 starts against them in 2007.
Yanks career numbers vs. Kazmir can be viewed here. Rays career numbers vs. Kennedy can be viewed here.

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A quickie

My alter ego is giving a lecture out in Delaware Valley tonight on the Grapes of Wrath, so I’ll catch up with everything when I get back.

While I like Jeter hitting third to break up the lefties, inserting Melky second defeats the gain. This is decidedly the ‘B’ lineup of the currently available options, with Abreu and Matsui on the bench against Kazmir.
While I agree with benching Abreu against the lefty, Matsui has crushed lefties the last couple of years- I think Joe G. might have gone with conventional wisdom and forgotten to look at the splits…

"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."

by jscape2000 on May 15, 2008 3:52 PM EDT reply actions

Girardi does that a lot

but Matsui is 4 for 20 in his career against Kazmir. I’d still keep him in the lineup since he’s been one of the only Yankees hitting well.

by anaconda on May 15, 2008 4:01 PM EDT up reply actions

A win today would be enorrmous

All things considered, Yankee fans would have to be happy with a .500 record and just 2 games behind Boston and 3 games behind TB in the loss column.

And A-Rod coming back next week.

It may be a tall order against Kazmir, but stranger things have happened.

by anaconda on May 15, 2008 4:08 PM EDT reply actions

I expect Matsui to PH for Duncan or Ensberg

No way he should not hit in this game. He’s on fire-probably our only hitter we can really say that about. Other players have had their moments-Melky, Abreu, Cano and Giambi (of late, maybe), Damon and Jeter at times—but Matsui is our only consistently productive hitter so far this year.

"If you lived in my grandfather's house...and you wanted to eat, you had to be a Yankees fan." --Joe Biden

by SenorSwanky on May 15, 2008 4:28 PM EDT reply actions

Cano could not have looked more lost in that AB against Kazmir. He just does not pick up the ball well against him.

That was a horrendous attempt at a bunt, too.

by anaconda on May 15, 2008 4:36 PM EDT reply actions

did you guys (and gals) see this?

Rays ink Kazmir to a 4 year 39 mil. deal. Pretty good deal for the Rays if you ask me.

"Here, if you have a milkshake, and I have a milkshake, and I have a straw. There it is, that's a straw, you see? You watching?. And my straw reaches acroooooooss the room, and starts to drink your milkshake... I... drink... your... milkshake!"-Daniel Plainview

by yankee come lately on May 15, 2008 4:51 PM EDT reply actions