Game 80: Yanks VS. Mets

Here’s the lineup (via PA):

YANKEES (42-37)
Damon LF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Rodriguez 3B
Giambi 1B
Cano 2B
Cabrera CF
Molina C
Ponson RHP

METS
Reyes SS
Castillo 2B
Wright 3B
Beltran CF
Delgado 1B
Nixon LF
Castro C
Chavez RF
Martinez RHP

Couple of roster moves to make note of as well. Hideki Matsui has been placed on the DL (hopefully he’ll be around for the AS Game) which opens up a spot for Sidney Ponson. Also, Kei Igawa is up so be prepared to see him out there if Ponson gets manhandled (so then Igawa can come out and continue what has been an ongoing trend for the Yankees today).

Insert Curse Words Here

After seeing a dismal Met team (Carlos Delgado?) waste our relievers (the Edwar Experiment is officially over and done with), I can’t watch anymore (I’m not into sadomasochism). Is Sidney Ponson supposed to give us a long outing tonight, because at this rate he’s going to have to (oh wait, there’s always LaTroy!). Good grief, maybe the Yanks should give these little guys a shot in the bullpen.

Fictional or not, at least they’d get someone out by accident.

Game 79: Yanks VS. Mets

Lineup via PA:

YANKEES (42-36)
Cabrera CF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Rodriguez 3B
Giambi DH
Posada C
Cano 2B
Betemit 1B
Christian LF
Giese RHP

METS (38-39)
Reyes SS
Castillo 2B
Wright 3B
Beltran CF
Delgado DH
Nixon RF
Anderson LF
Tatis 1B
Schneider C
Pelfrey RHP

How cool is today? We’ve got Dan Giese versus Mike Pelfrey, which isn’t really the best matchup in the world, but what’s really cool is that our old foes, Trot Nixon and Pedro Martinez (second game), will square off against the Yanks today. Now that is some interesting stuff.

Rainouts Are Not Cool

And, as Tyler Kepner notes (with the help of Mike Mussina) the Yankees hate them because now they’ll have another extra game to play on another one of their well-deserved off days. It’s important to realize that the Yankees are a big money team and, although they’re not in first place, they will always draw a crowd whether that’s through a media outlet (tv, radio, etc.) or in person (the actual ballgames). So, when schedules are created (a stork doesn’t just fly them in), this is definitely taken into account as the schedule tries to optimize financial revenue for the parties involved. PA at the LoHud Blog identifies the culprit in this case, as the Pirates were attempting to “appease their television partners” by having a night game (more people are available to watch night games, obviously), which is why the game wasn’t played earlier in the day despite complaints from the Yankees (with a doubleheader tomorrow, it’s tough).

It’s hard being a multi-millionaire, baseball player (…).

Matsui to the DL?

From Bryan Hoch (MLB):

Concerned that hitting in the cages might do more harm than good, the Yankees have ordered Hideki Matsui to not pick up a bat for the remainder of the club’s stay in Pittsburgh.

Matsui missed his third consecutive start on Thursday with a sore left knee and a stiff neck, and Yankees manager Joe Girardi acknowledged that the team will discuss the option of placing the designated hitter on the disabled list when it returns to New York.

“It’s always a possibility,” Girardi said. “You don’t want it to come to that, but if we feel that’s in the best interests of him and the club, we’ll talk about that.”

Without his legs under him, Matsui isn’t much of a hitter and that was certainly demonstrated in last year’s second half. The Yankees could possibly rest him throughout the weekend (no hitting at all) and hope for the best. If they need an extra hitter, they might as well get the most out of Justin Christian’s bat while it’s still hot.