It's far too hot to piece together anything resembling a cogent preview. It's the middle game of the series between the Yankees and A's, as hometown guy CC Sabathia faces off against Trevor Cahill. Both hurlers were named to the AL All-Star team on Saturday. However, with both starting tonight they're on pace to start again on Sunday, thereby making them ineligible for the mid-summer classic.
Forecasts call for a 62 degree game-time temperature in Oakland tonight. It's currently 97 in my neck of the woods and 102 in NYC. By the time Cahill delivers the game's first pitch, the sun will have been down for a good hour plus on the East Coast, yet it will still be a good fifteen or twenty degrees warmer here than at the Coliseum. And there isn't much relief in sight.
Yankees: Brett Gardner leads off for the second night in a row, Nick Swisher DH's for the second night in a row, and Colin Curtis starts in right field for the second night in a row. Jorge Posada is back behind the plate; he left Sunday's game after a foul ball sprained his ring finger.
Brett Gardner LF Derek Jeter SS Mark Teixeira 1B Alex Rodriguez 3B Robinson Cano 2B Nick Swisher DH Jorge Posada C Curtis Granderson CF Colin Curtis RF
A's:
Coco Crisp CF Daric Barton 1B Kurt Suzuki C Kevin Kouzmanoff 3B Mark Ellis 2B Jack Cust DH Adam Rosales SS Matt Carson RF Rajai Davis LF
Well here we are Fackers. It's the final day of Spring Training and we're just one day away from real baseball. Much like the Yankees' starting rotation, Jay and I have limited our innings this spring, trying to preserve some energy after a long 2009 season. But we're in the best writing shape of our lives and are working on some new pitches.
So before we kick things off for real tomorrow night, I suppose we should get in some training of our own with one of signature our game previews. We haven't done one all spring, but today's Spring Training finale offers a good opportunity.
The Yankee regulars will take on a team of the organization's top prospects at 1 PM on YES. Javier Vazquez will get the nod for the regulars. It'll be interesting to see if the mentally weak Vazquez can handle the immense pressure of facing the best minor leaguers the organization has to offer.
According to Chad Jennings, Marcus Thames has officially made the roster, bringing the Yankees' 40 man roster to 39. The final bullpen spot is the only thing up for grabs. Boone Logan is still in camp, and his making the team likely depends on the health of Damaso Marte, and to a lesser extent, Alfredo Aceves. Jorge Posada is in the line up today after missing the last two days with a stiff neck. Catchers Mike Rivera and P.J. Pilittere are still in camp, in case the bumps and bruises of Posada and Francisco Cervelli require a third catcher for the opening series. However, Jennings is also reporting that the Yankees have signed the recently released Chad Moeller, who spent much of the 2008 season with the club, to a minor league contract and that Rivera will be released. As expected, Nick Johnson is not playing today after suffering a bone bruise yesterday. Nick Swisher will DH; Randy Winn will play right, and the rest of the regulars are in the starting line up.
For the Prospects, Jonathan Albaladejo inexplicably gets the start. I guess Manny Banuelos, Jeremy Bleich, Zach McAllister, et. al. had other plans. Albie goes from making the Opening Day roster both of the last two years to starting for the Prospect team this year. Tough break. The Prospects' starting line up features last year's first round pick Slade Heathcott, Corban Joseph, Jesus Montero, David Adams, last year's second round pick JR Murphy as the DH, Colin Curtis, Bradley Suttle, Eduardo Nunez, and Melky Mesa. I'm sure we'll see others, including Austin Romine, as the game progresses.
In light of the recent injuries and the long, boring grind of the spring, these guys are more than ready to get away from Tampa. The prospects will stay behind a few days longer until the minor league season starts. Let's just hope everyone finishes today without any further bumps and bruises.
So as we get a chance to see the kids of the organization today, we'll turn to footage of some of rock and roll's foremost geezers, back when they were just young whippersnappers. In light of the embarrassing Super Bowl halftime show two months ago, I suppose it's nice to have reminder that back when Keith Moon and The Ox were still around, The Who weren't a total joke.
Sometimes, I feel I gotta get away Bells chime, I know I gotta get away And I know if I don't, I'll go out of my mind Better leave her behind with the kids, they're alright The kids are alright
After being held to only one hit last night, the Yankees' bats figure to have a better showing today. Having Derek Jeter and Nick Swisher back in the line up will probably help, but not as much as swapping Brett Cecil for Roy Halladay, one would think.
The rookie lefty has a 5.42 ERA in 16 starts this year which have spanned only 83 innings (just over 5 per outing). His WHIP is an unsightly 1.639 because in addition to giving up 102 hits in those 83 innings, Cecil has also walked 34. The Yanks faced him the day after the Fourth of July at the Stadium and knocked him around for 7 runs in 3 2/3 IP.
Andy Pettitte gets the ball for the Yankees today. After CC Sabathia he's been the Yanks most reliable starter since the All-Star break. The team has gone 7-2 in his past 9 starts and he's picked up the win in four of those. Over that span, he's struck out a batter per inning, and has a 2.35 ERA and WHIP of 1.000.
I'm not going to be around during the game today, but if you are at your computer, be sure to check out our pal Jason's Heartland Digital Living Room. He'll be hosting a live chat similar to the one's we've had before and if you spend any time in the comments section here, you know that Jason always has some insightful things to say. Head over and pop in, and don't forget to tell him we sent you.
You don't have to play, You can follow or lead the way, I want you to join together with the band, We don't know where we're going, But the season's right for knowing, I want you to join together with the band.
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