Yanks Prime for Picking

by Matt Bishoff on Apr 14, 2008 10:19 AM EDT Comment 6 comments

As the Rays get ready to "welcome" the Yankees for a brief, two-game series, the Yankees may be at their highest level of vulnerability. After playing an emotional series against the BoSox(in which they lost), the Yankees must now hit the road to face the Rays, who are coming off of their first series win. The Yankees final game against Boston last night did not end until after midnight. The team then had to fly down to Tampa, and will be playing tonight at 7:10 with limited rest.

The Yankees bullpen may also have reason to feel tired. They were not used too often in the first 2 games of the Red Sox series, but they got plenty of action last night. Phil Hughes early exit forced their bullpen to work six innings of ball. One of the pitchers who did not work yesterday was Joba Chamberlain. Joba's father Harlan is in critical condition and Joba will not be making the trip to Tampa. We would like to send our best wishes to Harlan Chamberlain in hopes of a speedy recovery. With three relievers going last night and Joba's unavailability, the Rays need to get to the bullpen early and hurt them where they are weak.

The Yankees will be getting Derek Jeter back, but will also be hurting at a different position. Last night, Jose Molina hurt his hamstring, which is another injury at the catching position for the Yankees. With Posada's throwing arm not quite ready, expect the Yanks to send down SS Alberto Gonzalez with Jeter returning and callup C Chad Moeller.

This team is beat up, tired, and missing key players. The Rays need to take this as an opportunity to snag a win or two before heading to Minnesota for a strange quirk in the schedule.

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Playing the Yanks

What sucks about playing the Yankees is that even though they're missing a few guys they still have A-Rod, Matsui, Giambi, Cano, Damon, and Posada who will all be in the lineup and can all do some damage if they get hot.

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by SeanDubbs on Apr 14, 2008 10:42 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Im not saying were gonna win

They are still a hell of a team....but, they are coming in a vulnerable position... you forgot Jeter and Cabrera

"I'd hate to leave right when the getting is good." -CC

by Matt Bishoff on Apr 14, 2008 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Best Wishes

To Joba and the Chamberlain family

by dropkicknu on Apr 14, 2008 1:44 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

How gracious you all are today!

Should be a good, if short, series.

Our pen isn't as bad off as you might think. They may put Joba on bereavement leave and call up Albaladejo or Britton, though no word of that yet, even from the Yanks excellent Scranton blogger Chad Jennings, so maybe not. But only Ohlendorf (3 IP last night), Hawkins (2 straight days), and Farns (cause he sucks! And pitched last night, and back to backs just don't seem to be in his repertoire) are possibly missing. The latter 2 could go in a pinch - but after their 4/4 appearance against the Rays (2 IP, 7ER) I can't imagine anyone you'd rather see.

Yanks are calling up Chad Moeller (ugh!) to fill in at C. Molina may hit the DL. So the Attorney General (get it, Alberto Gonzalez) might get to stick around for a bit more, or Shelly Duncan - who's torn it up in AAA but played against Durham today. Order restored there, 9-1 Scranton, tough day for Talbot - might return, though only if replacing a DL.

Been a tough stretch for the Pinstripers, nagging injuries and a wicked schedule. 3rd consecutive road series that starts following a night game (ESPN is killing us). At least it doesn't start with a day game like last Tuesday in KC - NY to KC to Boston to Tampa. Then home, after a night game tomorrow, for 2 more with Boston, then back on the road (again, after a night game but at least only to Baltimore) for 10 more. At least our first off day comes after the Baltimore series. If the scheduled games get played, Yanks will play the most April road games of any team ever! And the last 2 series were cold and rainy. Its been crazy.

Need Kennedy to show a little more than last time against your guys. His last start - which he didn't start - was incredibly weird. A storm was forecast in KC for early in the game. So Girardi started Bruney, not wanting Kennedy to get wasted in a short outing. It rained steadily throughout the 1st half of the game, pretty hard in the 2nd and 3rd, the IF was a swamp, but the umps never stopped it. So Kennedy didn't enter until the 6th, went only 3 (2 ER. Farns took loss allowing first 2 in the 5th. See why we love to hate him) in a 4-0 Yanks loss, while Greinke started for KC, was very solid. The Yanks can't hit the water if falling out of a boat right now. So there's your Yankees minute!

Of course, you guys have your share of injuries as well, so we can't complain. But we're NY fans, so we will!

Sad for Joba and his dad - he's so close to him, and it's been such a storybook kind of tale. Hope all is well.

by nyyfaninlaaland on Apr 14, 2008 3:40 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs