6.24.08 - NYY @ PIT: All Pregame Info & Discussion

[TheBamTino24]

Tonight the Yankees (41-35) open a 3-game series in Pittsburgh at the beautiful PNC Park. It will be the Yankees' first trip to the city since the famous 1960 World Series. The Pirates (36-40) have lost 6 of 10, but are 23-16 at home.

Darrell Rasner (4-4, 3.64) makes the start for New York while Pittsburgh counters with 25-year old LH Tom Gorzelanny (5-6, 6.59).

Rasner had a tremendous start to his 2008 season with NYY. His first 6 starts were exceptional: 38.1 IP, 36 H, 3 HR, 1.07 WHIP, 0.85 GO:AO, with a 2.58 ERA, 5.4 K/9, and just 1.2 BB.9 with only 5 walks allowed. However on June 11th in Oakland he was hammered for 9 hits and 6 ER in just 3.2 IP, and in his last start he allowed just 2 ER over 5 IP, but walked an extremely uncharacteristic 5 batters. Rasner has a 2.08 WHIP in his past 2 starts.

Gorzelanny was outstanding for Pittsburgh last season, finishing the season with a 14-10, 3.88 mark with 201.2 IP, a career-high. Gorzelanny threw 148+ in 2004, 135+ in 2005, and 161+ in 2006 before jumping to 200 last year. Perhaps the workland is best revealed in his K/9 & BB/9 rates this year. His walks have more than doubled (3.03 to 6.34), while the strikeouts are significantly reduced (6.02 to 4.94). He's also allowed 12 HR in just 71 IP, a stark contrast from allowing just 18 in those 201 IP in 2007. He has made just 4 QS out of his 14.

LH vs. Gorzelanny (37 AB): .243/.375/.324
RH vs. Gorzelanny (244 AB): .278/.379/.513

Gorzelanny vs. New York:

HITTER	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Johnny Damon	4	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.250	.250	.250	.500
Alex Rodriguez	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	.000	.000	.000	.000
Bobby Abreu	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000
Jose Molina	3	1	0	0	0	2	0	1	.333	.333	.333	.667
Hideki Matsui	3	2	0	0	1	2	0	0	.667	.667	1.667	2.333
Robinson Cano	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	.000	.000	.000	.000
Andy Pettitte	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	.000	.000	.000	.000
Derek Jeter	2	1	0	0	0	1	1	0	.500	.750	.500	1.250
Jorge Posada	2	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	.500	.667	.500	1.167
Melky Cabrera	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	.000	.333	.000	.333
Totals	27	6	0	0	1	5	3	6	.222	.323	.333	.656

Rasner vs. Pittsburgh:

HITTER	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Jason Michaels	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.500	.500	.500	1.000
Adam LaRoche	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000
Totals	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.333	.333	.333	.667

[Mark19]

We could really use another righty bat up from AAA for the next week.

[MunsonNY15]

BT's quick on the draw today! And it is a welcome sight after yesterday's off day. Go Yankees!

Hit early, hit often.

Heidi

[R.V.47]

We could really use another righty bat up from AAA for the next week.

I guess the first name that comes to mind is Duncan, but Girardi made this mistake to often early on, going with the percentages and sittting down really good lefty hitters like Damon and Matsui. Id rather just put the best lineup out there, especially if the only real option is Duncan.

[ThePost]

I'll be there!

[4bronxbombers]

Wow....Yanks haven't been there since 1960!

[YanksFan1992]

Hopefully we can make it 8 out of 10 against the NL.

Let's go Yanks!

[Bub]

Since its inception, the Yanks have the best interleague record; the Pirates the worst. The Pirates pitching is horrible. All of this worries me.

[TheBamTino24]

http://www.digitalballparks.com/Pirates.html

[Yankee Tripper]

Get Gorzalanny to walk a few and then let's finally get some hits with RISP - get into their pen early and hopefully we can mess them up for the whole series. With Grabow (L), Marte (L) and Capps (R - but good closer, though has struggled some of late) hopefully we can get a lead on their starters or middle relief because their pen sets up fairly nicely against our lefty heavy lineup.

[effdamets]

Let's get back to basics... like scoring runners from 2nd and/or 3rd with less than two outs!

Let's Go Yankees!!!!!!!

[Martini6196]

I guess the first name that comes to mind is Duncan, but Girardi made this mistake to often early on, going with the percentages and sittting down really good lefty hitters like Damon and Matsui. Id rather just put the best lineup out there, especially if the only real option is Duncan.

Maybe Jason Lane????

[yankeesnumber1]

Let's get back to basics... like scoring runners from 2nd and/or 3rd with less than two outs!

Let's Go Yankees!!!!!!!

Exactly. The issue hasn't been getting people on base, its driving them in.


Thanks TBT as always.

[Jasbro]

Maybe Jason Lane????

Over Damon, Matsui or Giambi?

[Brick Tamland]

Would be great to start another winning streak tonight. Let's take the first game Yanks!

[effdamets]

Would be great to start another winning streak tonight. Let's take the first game Yanks!

The greatest of mottos:

Let's take it one game at a time....

[Yankee Tripper]

Over Damon, Matsui or Giambi?

I would hope he meant as a PH off the bench. In NL parks we have a tendency to hit for the pitcher some times

[Martini6196]

I would hope he meant as a PH off the bench. In NL parks we have a tendency to hit for the pitcher some times

That's exactly what I meant.

[Ynkcpt23]

The greatest of mottos:

Let's take it one game at a time....

Absolutely--let's start this off with a big effort from Rasner and some quality ABs with RISP!!

Go !!

[effdamets]

Absolutely--let's start this off with a big effort from Rasner and some quality ABs with RISP!!

Go !!

And when an out is made, let's make it a productive out.

[Mark19]

If we need a pinch-hitter against one of their starters or Grabow/Marte, I could strongly consider bringing up Nick Green. He is 26 for 63 against lefties in AAA with an OPS of 1.114

Overall he's been pretty awful this season but he has somehow developed, over a few months, the ability to kill LHP.

[themgmt]

Gardner has been called up, Moeller has been DFA'd

Robertson has been called up, Traber has been DFA'd

I made all the obvious moves, Cashman has been DFA'd

[Yankee Tripper]

Gardner has been called up, Moeller has been DFA'd

Robertson has been called up, Traber has been DFA'd

Please tell me both of these are for real.

[effdamets]

Please tell me both of these are for real.

Just read the last line of the post.

[ucfjon]

Justin Christian has been called up, according to the NY Post.

[Cheesyhoboe]

The New York Post is wrong half the time, but if true, it's a pleasant surprise. He's put up great numbers this year too and for him it's probably his last shot to show he can be a decent major leaguer. Either way he's a good pinch runner option. Nearly as fast as Gardner.

[effdamets]

Justin Christian has been called up, according to the NY Post.

link?

[webassign]

Justin Christian has been called up, according to the NY Post.

who the hell is that?

[webassign]

link?

http://blogs.nypost.com/sports/yankees/

[THEBOSS84]

I should be feeling good about this series....but I'm not...at all.

[TheBamTino24]

Justin Christian career stats:

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe...hristian.shtml

Just got to AAA last season. 28 year old RH hitter.

[NYIndian2005]

I should be feeling good about this series....but I'm not...at all.

If the offense shows up we win. But whether they show up is anybody's guess.

[bigwampum]

Justin Christian career stats:

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe...hristian.shtml

Just got to AAA last season. 28 year old RH hitter.

So... what has this guy done to deserve a promotion?

[Cheesyhoboe]

He's raked at AAA this year, but that's not why he's up. He's up because he's probably the 2nd fastest runner in our organization.

[TheBamTino24]

YANKEES
Cabrera CF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Rodriguez 3B
Giambi 1B
Posada C
Cabo 2B
Christian LF

Rasner RHP

http://yankees.lhblogs.com/

[THEBOSS84]

Never heard of Cabo at 2b

[Mark19]

http://yankees.lhblogs.com/

Eech, Damon and Matsui both have OPS vs. LHP over .800

Melky is at .630

I would have preferred an OF of Christian-Damon-Abreu but what can ya do?

[bigwampum]

He's raked at AAA this year, but that's not why he's up. He's up because he's probably the 2nd fastest runner in our organization.

.275/.331/.416?

[webassign]

http://yankees.lhblogs.com/

lol, already getting the start in left. I agree that Melky should have his butt on the bench for a bit.

.275/.331/.416?

lol

[ucfjon]

I should be feeling good about this series....but I'm not...at all.

Facing 3 lefties makes me nervous, but hopefully we can take 2 out of 3 and gain a game or two on the Sox

[hardrain]

Never heard of Cabo at 2b

It's amazing -- Interested Reader seems to have a typo in every single line-up post.

[Cheesyhoboe]

.275/.331/.416?

....

Sorry, I haven't looked at his numbers for a while... last time I did they were almost as good as Gardner's.

[hardrain]

Gardner's being a lefty is really holding him back at the present time.

[bigwampum]

....

Sorry, I haven't looked at his numbers for a while... last time I did they were almost as good as Gardner's.

No worries. Here's hoping he kicks all kinds of ass.

[-tz]

So... what has this guy done to deserve a promotion?

Bats right-handed?

[AcidLake]

Did you get the stat from thebaseballcube, that might be his old stat

HERE'S his stat as of now from milb.com:

.309/.360/.455/.815

Along with 18 steals

[YASS]

Did you get the stat from thebaseballcube, that might be his old stat

HERE'S his stat as of now from milb.com:

.309/.360/.455/.815

Along with 18 steals

He's actually got a better stolen base percentage than Brett Gardner.

[TheBamTino24]

This is Justin Christian's Scranton profile:

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/m...pbp&pid=451629

.309/.360/.455 so far.

[Cheesyhoboe]

Oh, good. I knew I wasn't completely insane.

[JOBA RULES]

where the hell is brett gardner!?!?!?!.....