6.19.07 - NYY @ COL: All Pregame Info & Discussion

[TheBamTino24]

Tonight, the New York Yankees (35-32) play the first of a 9 game road trip that includes a 6-game tour of the National League’s Western Division before finishing up in Baltimore. The notorious Coors Field in Denver, Colorado is the first stop as the Bronx Bombers tangle with the Colorado Rockies (35-34, 18-18 at home). Colorado has won 7 of its past 10 games.

Mike Mussina (3-3, 5.17) will look for his third consecutive strong outing against RH Josh Fogg (2-5, 4.95).

Mussina has certainly resembled the pitcher we’ve seen over the past 6 years in his last two outings. He’s thrown at least into the 7th inning in both starts, and over 13.2 IP, he has yielded just 10 hits without walking a batter while striking out 11, throwing just 180 pitches and 126 strikes (70%).

Fogg, conversely, has struggled in his last two outings against Houston and in Boston. Lasting just 5 innings in each start, Fogg has allowed 18 hits, 8 ER, 2 HR, with 8 strikeouts and 2 walks. Fogg threw 102 and 98 pitches, respectfully, in those 5 inning stints. He is 0-3, 6.66 at Coors Field this year in 24.1 IP compared to 2-2, 3.89 on the road (39.1 IP). Fogg has a 1.77 WHIP at home and opponents are hitting .327/.374/.505 against him at Coors Field.

Fogg vs. NYY:

HITTER	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Miguel Cairo	10	2	1	0	0	0	1	2	.200	.273	.300	.573
Bobby Abreu	9	5	3	0	1	4	2	0	.556	.583	1.222	1.806
Andy Pettitte	5	1	0	0	0	1	1	1	.200	.333	.200	.533
Johnny Damon	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000
Alex Rodriguez	2	1	0	0	1	2	1	0	.500	.667	2.000	2.667
Derek Jeter	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	.000	.000	.000	.000
Jorge Posada	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	.000	.500	.000	.500
Totals	33	9	4	0	2	7	6	5	.273	.375	.576	.951

Mussina vs. COL:

HITTER	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Kazuo Matsui	9	1	0	0	1	3	0	3	.111	.111	.444	.556
Todd Helton	2	2	0	0	0	1	0	0	1.000	.667	1.000	1.667
Totals	11	3	0	0	1	4	0	3	.273	.250	.545	.795

[hdb]

WE ARE DOOMED!!!

Did you notice that without K. Matsui's stats, the remaining Rockies are hitting 1000 against the Moose?

Nice writeup as usual. 7 games down in the loss column with the Red Sox playing the Braves. Who would have thought this about 3 weeks ago?

Not I, said the quintessential doubter.

[4bronxbombers]

Funny pic of Fogg.

[Zimmers' Helmet]

Funny pic of Fogg.

He won't be smiling like that after the Yankees get through feasting on him tonight...

[FingersCrossed]

With a park like Coors Field, I feel like we're heading for a 21-14 game. It might wreak havoc on our pitching staff's combined stats, but as long as we can win out at the end, I'd say pffft to the stats.

Let's go Matsui, Damon, Melky and Abreu! Time to grab a hold of some real estate!

Go, Yankee line-up! Everyone get us 2 rbis or more!

But most importantly, bury the Rockies in their own graveyard, Moose!

[Toaderly]

A-Rod's going to launch multiple A-Bombs over Denver.

[BonusCantos]

Do they still put the baseballs in a humidifier?

[Toaderly]

Do they still put the baseballs in a humidifier?

Just before they are smoked out of the park, yes.

[MaximMan121]

You know what, I don't know where else to post this, but it needs to be noted.

The current ALLSTAR headline on MLB.com?

"Prince-Albert battle going down to the wire"

On the list of places I never thought I'd see a cock-ring reference, MLB.com rates high.

[yankswn23]

Do they still put the baseballs in a humidifier?

when I lived in colorado and the yankees came to visit i went to all the games there, i believe the yankees scored a record number of runs at coors for the series, 22 or 26 or something close, they went crazy, Jeter said he loved hitting there..

[Col. Jacob Ruppert]

The last time the Yankees played in Colorado the Yankees pitched Mussina, Pettitte, and Clemens in that order. The Yankees 5 years later are throwing those same three in that order.

[Sam18]

You know what, I don't know where else to post this, but it needs to be noted.

The current ALLSTAR headline on MLB.com?

"Prince-Albert battle going down to the wire"

On the list of places I never thought I'd see a cock-ring reference, MLB.com rates high.

The dude who writes those headlines is most definitely a pervert. He also wrote the tickle your mother's pink thing back on mother's day I bet.

[WeekendWarrior]

Is there anyone Alex Rodriguez hasn't hit a hr off of before? It seems that every day when someone puts this thread up, he has a jack off the pitcher

[Sam18]

Is there anyone Alex Rodriguez hasn't hit a hr off of before? It seems that every day when someone puts this thread up, he has a jack off the pitcher

Probably Curt Schilling, Dice K, Beckett and Papelbon. I'm not sure though.

[yankswn23]

I remember the game the rocket pitched because he was hurt and left the game early, the rockies came back and won that game, the only one in the series.

[WeekendWarrior]

Probably Curt Schilling, Dice K, Beckett and Papelbon. I'm not sure though.

Well if you are talking about this week, your right but I seem to remember him going deep a couple of times this year against the hated rivals

[yankswn23]

Probably Curt Schilling, Dice K, Beckett and Papelbon. I'm not sure though.

I believe hes hit one off each of them this year, I know schilling and papelbon this year..

[vegematarian]

Probably Curt Schilling, Dice K, Beckett and Papelbon. I'm not sure though.

Say what? Have you not been watching the Yankees at all?

[BonusCantos]

Is there anyone Alex Rodriguez hasn't hit a hr off of before? It seems that every day when someone puts this thread up, he has a jack off the pitcher

You might want to rephrase the last clause in this sentence...

[WeekendWarrior]

He has two off of schilling this year, one off of wakefield and one off of papelbon. That doesnt mean he hasn't hit the other guys hard though.

[WeekendWarrior]

You might want to rephrase the last clause in this sentence...

HAHAHAHA. I didnt even notice that. that is just plain wrong.

[BonusCantos]

HAHAHAHA. I didnt even notice that. that is just plain wrong.

Yes, yes it is.

[Sam18]

Say what? Have you not been watching the Yankees at all?

Nope.

[allstarcano22]

lets hope that our offense pounds fogg worse than his last 2 starts!

[Maynerd]

I need to stay home and watch tonight's game on television, but I've got seats for Wednesday night's game as well as the Thursday afternoon contest (I'll be the one wearing the Yankee cap!). The Yankees don't play in this time zone very often, and it's been a long, long time since I've been to a Yankee game!

With two more HRs, Alex ties the Crime Dog and the Iron Horse for 22nd place all time. I'm looking forward to him meeting, and then breaking, that mark.

Yankee Baseball in Colorado!!!! You guys back east don't know how good you've got it!

[Janttje]

Lets go Mike.. Keep the streak alive

[Yankees47]

This will be a slugfest, too bad Wang wasnt pitching in this series cuz he gets groundballs, This will be like a 10-8 game, just hope the Yanks are on top.

[Yankees47]

Is there anyone Alex Rodriguez hasn't hit a hr off of before? It seems that every day when someone puts this thread up, he has a jack off the pitcher

Well he does have like 492 HR's, ha so it makes sense

[BRNXBMRS]

Watch this 3 game series will be all low scores 1-0, 3-2 & 2-1 all Yankee wins ofcourse.

[webassign]

How you guys didn't get Sam18's obvious sarcasm is beyond me.

Anyway, tonight's batting lineup should be interesting. I might just stay up to watch the whole thing if Posada or Damon is playing first.

[FingersCrossed]

This will be a slugfest, too bad Wang wasnt pitching in this series cuz he gets groundballs, This will be like a 10-8 game, just hope the Yanks are on top.

There's no guarantee Wang, or any other pitcher for that matter, in our rotation who could work normally in that ballpark. Although I agree that Wang may have some advantages. But until we find out for sure, I'd say they all have equal chances at success.

"You don't get the same break on your breaking pitches," said Yankees reliever Mike Myers, a resident of Highlands Ranch, Colo., who played for the Rockies from 2000-01. "You do everything the same, but the ball doesn't react the same. You have to adjust. You can't really explain it to anybody; they have to experience it."
There has been a greater percentage of home runs hit at Cincinnati's Great American Ball Park this season. But there is no denying games are different at Coors.
The Colorado pitching staff has a 5.07 ERA at home, but 3.78 on the road. There have been an average of 10.36 runs scored in the 36 games at Coors this season.
"I guess it will be good for us as hitters," said Derek Jeter, who was 8 for 16 when the Yankees last played there. "You have to figure there will be a lot of offense, and we have been swinging the bats pretty well lately." Link

When the Yankees made their first-ever visit to Coors Field five years ago, they left the fans in Denver with a three-day offensive explosion that hasn't been equaled since. The Bombers blasted their way to 41 runs that week, combining with the Rockies to score 70 in the three games.
"It wasn't fun," Derek Jeter said. "I didn't enjoy it. It was like playing a video game." Link

One way or another, we'll play to win this game. Go Moose! Go Yankees!

[PYanks]

Any speculation on who starts in CF during this game (and the NL games this week)? I might start Damon and save Melky for a double switch later in the game. Or, Damon in LF and Matsui in CF.

[BonusCantos]

The speculation has been Melky so far.

[sweet_lou_14]

When are we going to find out if Posada is playing 1B tonight?

[shotz]

YANKEES

[pre73]

I would suggest the following lineup (due to Posada's lack of excitement at the prospect of playing 1B) :

Abreu
Jeter
Cano
Alex
Matsui
Melky
Cairo
Nieves
Moose

Posada is going to come in once moose is done and damon is going to PH and stay on late

[dabomb2045]

I would suggest the following lineup (due to Posada's lack of excitement at the prospect of playing 1B) :

Abreu
Jeter
Cano
Alex
Matsui
Melky
Cairo
Nieves
Moose

Posada is going to come in once moose is done and damon is going to PH and stay on late

Posada better be playing....I mean its only 1 or 2 games he's gonna have to play at 1B before we return to AL rules next week. Just suck it up and get out there. We need his bat in the lineup.

[pre73]

Posada better be playing....I mean its only 1 or 2 games he's gonna have to play at 1B before we return to AL rules next week. Just suck it up and get out there. We need his bat in the lineup.

I agree.. I am sure he wouldnt say no ..

but from what he said, he doesnt seem to think that its an easy transition.. so we will wait and see what joe does..

[SportzStooge007]

It would've been nice to have a groundball pitcher like Chien Ming Wang scheduled to pitch in Colorado.

Mike Mussina has to stand his ground and try to keep the guys from hitting fly balls. Out in the mountains, pop ups find their way out of the stadium.


If the Yankees lineup is on, you're going to see a lot of home runs. I think, unless their pitching is great and ours falls apart, the Yankees will come away with a couple wins.

[MassNYYfan]

How you guys didn't get Sam18's obvious sarcasm is beyond me.

On topic: The Yankees offense should put up gratuitous amounts of runs the next 3 days. They better, anyway.

[yankeesmarc923]

I would suggest the following lineup (due to Posada's lack of excitement at the prospect of playing 1B) :

Abreu
Jeter
Cano
Alex
Matsui
Melky
Cairo
Nieves
Moose

Posada is going to come in once moose is done and damon is going to PH and stay on late

this is an incredibly weak lineup. i hate seeing nieves and moose right at the bottom because it's pretty much two automatic outs.
I could see this:
Jeter
Melky
Abreu
ARod
Posada
Matsui
Cano
Nieves
Moose

When Moose comes out, Posada goes to catcher, Cairo slides perfectly into the 9 spot in the order and plays first. Unfortunately, the odd man out is damon, who will hopefully fit in as a pinch hitter somewhere.

[Yankee Fan in Boston]

this is an incredibly weak lineup. i hate seeing nieves and moose right at the bottom because it's pretty much two automatic outs.
I could see this:
Jeter
Melky
Abreu
ARod
Posada
Matsui
Cano
Nieves
Moose
.

Yeah, it's weak, but every team will have the pitcher batting ninth, so you really have to focus on the first eight -- and it is not really so bad that way. I wish they could have gotten comfortable with Damon playing first base -- that would solve several problems

[PYanks]

Why can't Moose just pitch to Posada? I know what the numbers say, but Moose benefits with Posada's bat in the order. If I'm Moose, I want Posada's bat, and Cairo's glove at 1B.

I still think Matsui and Damon could switch positions, or Melky can be a late inning defensive replacement.

[sweet_lou_14]

Why can't Moose just pitch to Posada?

The better question is, do you expect Posada to catch all six games this week?

He has to rest some time, might as well be with Moose on the mound.

[BxBomber44]

I'll be there tomorrow night. Flying from LA babyyy - lets get it done

[BxBomber44]

Melky
Jeter
Abreu
Arod
Matsui
Cano
Cairo
Nieves
Moose

[TheDynasty26]

You gotta remember having a bat on your bench can be a valuable pinch hitter once that pitcher is pulled.

Having Damon or JoPo to pinch hit in the 6th when its Mooses turn at the plate could be nice.

I guess you have to start
Melky - CF
Jeter - SS
Bobby - RF
Arod - 3b
Damon or Jorge - 1b
Matsui - LF
Robbie - 2B
Neives - C
Moose

If you go with Damon at first you can double switch jorge in there after pinch hitting for moose.

[FingersCrossed]

Even if we're gonna have to make Posada play as the 1st baseman/PH/DH (which means no rest for Po), it still may not be a bad idea to team up Moose and Nieves. The battery is just starting to find its groove. As the season grows old, the need to rest Posada may grow with all the wear and tear. Better strengthen the battery now -- unless Cashman gets us another catcher.

[Rastven]

Giving Po two complete days off from the field (maybe he pinch hits if needed but I doubt we will need the production against either team) seems like a great idea to me. Lessen the wear and tear now before we play the good AL teams in that stretch before the ASB.

[b-ball-lunachick]

Just a few articles from the Colorado papers today -- some quotes dripping with anger over our payroll -- the usual from those types of teams....

"They're no longer Bronx Bumblers" -- long article with a lot of yankee quotes and a cute pic of Melky and Cano:

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drm...592391,00.html


This article is from the Denver Post:

gotta love the title of the article - -ugh.

Back in the money
Yankees and their parade of millionaires are back to being new edition of Bronx Bombers

http://www.denverpost.com/rockies/ci_6173049


(where's that roll eyes smiley when you need it? )

Above the tunnel leading into the Boston Red Sox's clubhouse is a sign reading "Watch Your Head."

Watch your back would be more appropriate.

The angst in Boston is palpable these days as the New York Yankees have climbed back into the American League East race, having carved the Red Sox's lead from 14 1/2 games to 8 1/2 during the past three weeks.

"They have a lot of players who are considered to be the best at their position," Rockies starter Rodrigo Lopez said. "The Yankees are different because of their mystique. It's everywhere you go. It makes people want to watch them. They provide extra motivation."
The Rockies are anticipating sellouts, or near sellouts, each of the next three days. Many of those in attendance will be vocal, if not irritable Yankees fans.

After a forgettable playoff experience last season and amid back-page headlines about his personal life this season, A-Rod has gone off, clubbing a major league-leading 27 home runs. He is on pace to hit 65 home runs and drive in 177.
"They have a lot of talent, but A-Rod's numbers are just silly," the Rockies' Matt Holliday said. "Twenty-seven home runs in June - that's a great season for most guys."