Monday Service Plays 5/12/08
- Thread starter the duke
- Start date
Larry Ness' 15* Pitching Mismatch of the Week (SEVEN straight wins ups GOW run to 22-8 s/Apr 7!)
My 15* play is on the NY Yankeees at 7:10 ET. Maybe Tampa should have rid itself of the "devil" part of its nickname years ago. The Devil Rays became just the Rays this year and the team opens this four-game series with the Yankees having won 13 of its last 18 games and sporting a 21-16 record (first time club has been five games over .500 in its history!). Beginning with a three-game sweep of the Blue Jays at Disney's Wide World of Sports facility from April 22-24 (considered Tampa home games), the Rays own a nine-game home winning streak. The Yankees come into this game after poor weather shortened their three-game series in Detroit to just two games (1-1) over the weekend, leaving them at only 19-19 and "looking up" at the Rays in the AL East standings (how weird is that?). These teams have met six times already this year, with the Rays taking the first two but the Yankees winning the last four. Make that five straight after tonight. Andy Pettitte goes for the New Yorkers and while he's just 3-3 with a 3.77 ERA this year in seven starts, he's 3-1 on the road in '08, including a win here in Tampa on 4/15. That win gives him a 14-3 record with a 3.62 ERA in 23 career appearances versus the Rays, including an 8-1 mark with a 3.30 ERA in 11 starts here in Tampa. Tampa has traditionally struggled with lefties, going 59-85 (.410) vs left-handers from 2005-07 and opening this year at 5-6 vs lefties, averaging only 3.6 RPG. Pettitte's mound opponent is Matt Garza, in his third season in the majors but first with the Rays. He pitched for the Twins the last two seasons, making 26 appearances (24 starts) with an 8-13 record (4.47 ERA). The Twins went 11-13 in his starts but that included a 3-9 home mark where is ERA was 6.39. He's made five starts for the Rays in '08, going 1-1 with a 4.91 ERA (team is 2-3). However, in his only two home starts, he's again struggling in his home park, lasting just 7.2 innings, while allowing 11 hits, six walks (just three Ks) and six ERs for a 7.04 ERA. The Yanks may not be at full speed (A-Rod and Posada on the DL) but Pettitte vs Garza is a "no-contest!" Pitching Mismatch of the Week 15* NY Yankees.
Good Luck...Larry
My 15* play is on the NY Yankeees at 7:10 ET. Maybe Tampa should have rid itself of the "devil" part of its nickname years ago. The Devil Rays became just the Rays this year and the team opens this four-game series with the Yankees having won 13 of its last 18 games and sporting a 21-16 record (first time club has been five games over .500 in its history!). Beginning with a three-game sweep of the Blue Jays at Disney's Wide World of Sports facility from April 22-24 (considered Tampa home games), the Rays own a nine-game home winning streak. The Yankees come into this game after poor weather shortened their three-game series in Detroit to just two games (1-1) over the weekend, leaving them at only 19-19 and "looking up" at the Rays in the AL East standings (how weird is that?). These teams have met six times already this year, with the Rays taking the first two but the Yankees winning the last four. Make that five straight after tonight. Andy Pettitte goes for the New Yorkers and while he's just 3-3 with a 3.77 ERA this year in seven starts, he's 3-1 on the road in '08, including a win here in Tampa on 4/15. That win gives him a 14-3 record with a 3.62 ERA in 23 career appearances versus the Rays, including an 8-1 mark with a 3.30 ERA in 11 starts here in Tampa. Tampa has traditionally struggled with lefties, going 59-85 (.410) vs left-handers from 2005-07 and opening this year at 5-6 vs lefties, averaging only 3.6 RPG. Pettitte's mound opponent is Matt Garza, in his third season in the majors but first with the Rays. He pitched for the Twins the last two seasons, making 26 appearances (24 starts) with an 8-13 record (4.47 ERA). The Twins went 11-13 in his starts but that included a 3-9 home mark where is ERA was 6.39. He's made five starts for the Rays in '08, going 1-1 with a 4.91 ERA (team is 2-3). However, in his only two home starts, he's again struggling in his home park, lasting just 7.2 innings, while allowing 11 hits, six walks (just three Ks) and six ERs for a 7.04 ERA. The Yanks may not be at full speed (A-Rod and Posada on the DL) but Pettitte vs Garza is a "no-contest!" Pitching Mismatch of the Week 15* NY Yankees.
Good Luck...Larry