Thursday, May 7, 2009

Game 28: Tomorrow Is A Long Time


If today was not an endless highway,
If tonight was not a crooked trail,
If tomorrow wasn't such a long time,
Then lonesome would mean nothing to you at all.
[We are gong with the blues until this losing streak is over]

-----

It's official. A-Rod is coming back tomorrow. However, the Yanks need a win tonight. There is going to be enough pressure and media attention on the team because of his return, and it would be really nice if that didn't coincide with a five game losing streak.

They are now 3-9 in their division and 2-7 against the Rays and Sox. It's May, but these games count just as much as the ones in September when it comes to the standings. The Yanks are digging themselves a deeper and deeper hole against the teams who they are likely to be competing for a playoff spot against. 

The pitching match-up favors the home team, with Andy Pettitte making the start. Andy is coming off his worst performance of the year in which he gave up 5 runs in 5 2/3 innings, but his ERA is still a staff leading 3.82. His career numbers against the Rays are top notch, but those were mostly collected when TB was a laughingstock. The guy who hit the game winning home run last night off ot lefty Phil Coke also seems to have Pettitte's number. Carlos Pena is 10-30 off of Pettitte with three homers and two triples. 

His opponent is a 26 year old right hander by the name of Jeff Niemann, making his 8th career start in the majors. He is currently holding down the number 5 spot in the Tampa Bay rotation and in five starts this year, he has averaged just over 5IP and accrued an ERA of 5.68. 

The Yankees need to stop the slide, and Niemann needs to get knocked around. Good teams beat up on bad pitchers. Let's do this. 

3 comments:

  1. And there goes Carlos Pena. Good call.

    FUCK.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Haha, thanks, but I really wish I was wrong on that count.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I know it's a very long season and there is a whole lot of baseball to be played, but this 5 game losing streak has been really fucking frustrating.

    Cross our fingers for Molina's MRI.

    The injury list so far this season by position:

    Catcher, Back up catcher, 3rd baseman, back up 3rd baseman, right fielder, 2nd starter and both 8th inning guys. Can it get worse?

    Here's to the big guy on the mound tomorrow and Arod back. Things have to start turning around, right?

    ReplyDelete