June 16, 2008

Home games: Yanks play Padres, Reds - sans Wang

NewYorkology contributor Scott Ross keeps you abreast of upcoming Mets and Yankees home games in New York City. Ross toils in anonymity for a giant online news aggregator. Here's your look at major league baseball in New York City this week:

The Yankees’ have made their inevitable turnaround, winning 17 of their past 25 games and getting to four games over .500 for the first time this season. Unfortunately, Sunday’s victory came at a too-high cost, as starter Chien-Ming Wang hurt his foot rounding third base. Early indications are that he tore a ligament and could be out for as long as three months.

If the injury to Wang is as feared, this would be a major blow to the Bombers and would likely force them to pursue Indians ace CC Sabbathia with renewed vigor. As for whether Cleveland – only 5 ½ back in the AL Central – is ready to give up on the season quite yet is another question altogether. But the Bombers would have to pull off something big to replace Wang. Guys who pitch 200 innings and win 73 percent of the time don’t just grow on trees and the team is a paltry 25-30 in games he hasn’t started this year.

The Yanks face two of the NL’s best this week in San Diego Padre Jake Peavy and Cincinnati Red Edinson Volquez. Peavy, the reigning NY Cy Young Award winner, squares off against Darrell Rasner, who, after making a promising start to the season, has been hit hard in two of his past three outings. If Rasner is beginning to show his true journeyman colors, that’ll be just one more hole in the rotation the Yankees will have to address.

Volquez, 24, has been arguably the best pitcher in the NL thus far, compiling a 9-2 record with a 1.64 ERA and 105 strikeouts in only 88 innings. In 14 starts this year Volquez has gone at least five innings in every one and has yet to give up more than three runs or seven hits. It’s too bad he’s playing for Dusty Baker, a manager with a rich history of blowing out young arms. But thus far Volquez has averaged 103 pitches a start and is on pace to pitch 195 innings, both reasonable numbers given his history and age. If Dusty can stay free of the delusion that the Reds can make the playoffs, Volquez should be OK.

It should be noted that Jason Giambi has been on an absolute tear of late. Many terrible things have been written about him in this space, but he has led the way for the Yankee offense during their current surge, batting .346/.466/.701 with 10 homers and 23 RBIs in his last 131 plate appearances. At $22 million, he remains wildly overpaid, but he is far from done and could sneak his way onto the All Star team.

San Diego Padres at New York Yankees
Tuesday @ 7:05 p.m. Randy Wolf (5-4) vs. Andy Pettitte (6-5), final season cup night
Wednesday @ 7:05 Jake Peavy (5-3) vs. Darrell Rasner (3-4), cap night
Thursday @ 1:05 Josh Banks (2-0) vs. Joba Chamberlain (1-2), final season cap day

Cincinnati Reds at New York Yankees
Friday @ 7:05 Edinson Volquez (9-2) vs. Mike Mussina (10-4), lightswitch cover night
Saturday @ 1:05 Homer Bailey (0-3) vs. TBD, final season magnetic picture frame day
Sunday @ 1:05 Johnny Cueto (5-6) vs. Andy Pettitte (6-5), Topps 10-pack day

Next Week: The Willie Randolph Deathwatch returns to Shea Stadium – assuming he isn’t fired this week – as the Metropolitans play host to the Seattle Mariners and New York Yankees. As a special treat, the Mets and Yankees will be playing another home-and-home doubleheader on Friday.

Tickets to Yankees games can be purchased here. See NewYorkology's guide to Yankee Stadium for the rundown on how to get there, where to meet, eat and eventually, sit.

Image source: Chien-Ming Wang Life Style Series A Limited Edition Bobblehead

June 16, 2008 11:14 AM in Kids, Out of Manhattan, Sports

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