Friday: RHP Phil Hughes (1-1, 5.87) vs. RHP Fausto Carmona (13-6, 3.17)
Saturday: RHP Mike Mussina (7-7, 4.66) vs. RHP Paul Byrd (10-4, 4.13)
Sunday: LHP Andy Pettitte (8-7, 4.00) vs. RHP Jake Westbrook (3-6, 5.00)
Does anyone remember the pitching matchups between these clubs back in April at Yankee Stadium?
It was at a time when A-Rod was on a tear for the ages and Yankee pitchers were dropping like flies with Wang, Moose, and Pavano (naturally) all on the DL.
Check this out:
4/17: Jake Westbrook vs. Chase Wright
4/18: Jeremy Sowers vs. Kei Igawa
4/19: Fausto Carmona vs. Darrell Rasner
Yes, that's three rookies in three games and none of them are likely to be successful major leaguers.
Personally, I don't recall a worse trio of starting pitchers for the Yankees in recent years -- yet they still swept the series and finished off the Indians with that dramatic comeback in the 9th inning on A-Rod's walk-off HR.
By no means am I suggesting the Yanks are going to have an easy time of it this weekend. Quite the contrary. Cleveland is a very good ballclub who can pummel you on any given night and the Yankee bullpen can't get hitters out with any consistency (outside of Mo and Vizcaino).
However, what I am suggesting is that we shouldn't be too caught up in the pitching matchups with Hughes and Moose going this weekend when you consider the matchups the last time these teams squared off.