Yankees-Orioles Series Preview: New York Road Trip Concludes in Baltimore
April 26, 2010 · Bronx Baseball Daily · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
The New York Yankees will wrap up their nine-game road trip with a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles.
It’s been a start to forget for Baltimore so far this season, as they sport a 3-16 record after their first 19 games.
Baltimore’s offense is mostly to blame, as they’ve averaged only a measly 3.26 runs per game, which is good for the worst mark in the majors.
There have been some bright spots for the O’s, though, as veteran infielder Ty Wigginton has gotten off to a hot start (.327/.410/.712) and young catcher Matt Wieters kicks off his sophomore year (.324/.370/.397).
Notable players performing on the other end of the spectrum: OF Adam Jones, 1B Garrett Atkins, OF/DH Nolan Reimold, and DH Luke Scott, all of whom are sporting batting averages of .215 or less. All-Star second baseman Brian Roberts remains sidelined with a strained abdominal muscle.
On the mound, though, it’s been a different story. Baltimore’s top two starters, Kevin Millwood and Jeremy Guthrie, have been very effective (3.40 ERAs), though have nothing to show for their efforts (combined 0-5 record). The only exception so far has been rookie phenom Brian Matusz (2-0).
Unlike the starting pitching, the Baltimore bullpen has been rather shaky, recording five blown saves (second-most in the league). Look for the Yankees to do what they do best, as they wear down the starters and try to get to the bullpen as early as possible.
The Orioles (3-16) are coming into this game after a roller-coaster ride of a series against Boston. They only took one of three, but each game was decided by only one run. The Yankees (12-6) head into Baltimore having lost their first rubber game of the season.
Probable Starters
RHP Phil Hughes (2-0, 2.19) v. RHP Kevin Millwood (0-3, 3.38)
LHP CC Sabathia (2-1, 3.00) v. RHP Jeremy Guthrie (0-2, 3.46)
RHP A.J. Burnett (2-0, 3.20) v. LHP Brian Matusz (2-0, 4.38)
Notes
- Everyone should remember the last time Hughes took the mound. He can’t possibly improve upon that outing, can he?
- The Yankees have good numbers against the Orioles’ starting pitchers. Millwood is 2-4 with a 4.86 ERA in nine career starts against the Yankees. Guthrie is 3-6 with a 4.78 ERA in 12 appearances (11 starts).
- Small sample size be damned—Robinson Cano is hitting .438/.600/1.154 when leading off an inning this season.
- I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but Derek Jeter has struggled somewhat in his first at-bat of each game this season. He’s only 2-for-17 (0.118). For his career, he’s a .353 hitter leading off the game.
- The Orioles are taking advantage of the day off on Monday, and have decided to skip the fifth starter’s turn in the rotation. Brad Bergesen was optioned to Triple-A due to ineffectiveness in his first three starts (12.19 ERA).
- UPDATE: Matusz will be throwing in his usual slot in the rotation for Baltimore.
Keys to Yankee Success
- Get on the board early and often. The Baltimore bullpen has been shaky, and the Yankees should exploit that weakness.
- Can Hughes keep the ball rolling? Against a weak Orioles offense, it appears that he has a good chance.
- Curtis Granderson did not hit the ball well (1-for-16) on a West Coast trip that had some tough matchups against lefties. Will he turn it around with the prospect of facing some righties in Baltimore? We sure hope so.
Expected Outcome
The Yanks should beat up on a struggling Orioles team. Wins for Hughes and Sabathia, but the starters will rest in the final game and the Yankees will lose.
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