vs.
Hiroki Kuroda will take the mound for the Yankees, looking to build upon his impressive eight innings of shutout baseball against the Angels back on Openind Day in the Bronx. For the Twins, Jason Marquis will make his first start of the season.
The Yankees' lineup tonight features six players who hit at least 18 home runs last season, and 184 combined. Marquis doesn't strike many batters out, has a tendency to walk batters, and at times, is homer prone. He owns a career FIP closer to 5.00 than 4.00. The Yankees, in all likelihood, should tee off on him.
For the Twins, only Josh Willingham topped double digits in home runs, and combined, this lineup produced just 45 homers in 2011. Without Willingham, that number drops to 16 combined. Kuroda, who owns a ground ball rate of nearly 50% for his career, shouldn't have a problem with them tonight.
But you know what John Sterling always says. Anyway, let's go Yanks.