FRIDAY NIGHT IN THE BRONX: GAME 1METS 9-1 vs. AL GOING INTO FINAL WEEKEND OF SUBWAY SERIES
In danger of losing his rotation spot once John Maine returns from the disabled list, Takahashi enjoyed his first solid outing in three starts last weekend in Baltimore. Allowing one run on six hits in seven innings, Takahashi won for the second time since joining the rotation last month. His next start will provide a far greater challenge, however. Not only will Takahashi have to face the mighty Yankees, but he must do so having faced them just four weeks earlier. That may make things difficult for the 35-year-old rookie, who relies on deception. Vazquez continued his resurgence on Saturday against the Astros, holding them to three runs on six hits in seven innings to pick up his fifth win in six outings and push him over .500 for the first time this season. Vazquez struck out six and didn't walk a batter all game. Since missing a turn in the rotation in early May, Vazquez is 5-2 with a 2.93 ERA and .181 opposing batting average. One of those wins came against the Mets, who he limited to an Angel Pagan single in six innings before leaving with a bruised right index finger.
Vazquez is 10-8 with a 3.24 ERA in 24 career starts against the Mets.
Further Series Analysis: The Mets are hot and the Yankees are waiting for them. When Round 2 of the Subway Series hits the Bronx on Friday night, the home team will be facing a reborn club from Queens, and it should make for typical crosstown drama. For the Mets, it will be a case of trying to keep a good thing going. The team has swept two straight road series and has won seven in a row overall. And on Friday, manager Jerry Manuel will hand the ball to lefty Hisanori Takahashi, and hope that he doesn't falter after pitching six scoreless frames against the Yankees and striking out five in his first career start on May 21. "I don't know if he needs to change up," Manuel said. "Obviously when you see a guy the next time around, you hope offensively you make some adjustments. But I think Takahashi is clever, instinctive enough so if you make an adjustment, he has other things he can go to to try to keep you off-stride. "That will be kind of the challenge for both him and the Yankees, really: who makes the adjustments and where he ends up after that." For the Yankees, it's about dealing with a Mets team that hadn't hit its stride the last time the clubs met, but is clicking in a big way right now. "I know they've won [seven] games in a row on the road, but I haven't really watched a lot of video on them or seen a lot of their games because we're usually playing at the same time," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "Obviously, they have players that are hot. I think I read today that David Wright is leading the National League in RBIs. He's been hot. We'll worry about that tomorrow, but I know they're playing well. "I still think the competitive nature is there because it's New York vs. New York. Maybe it will be more. I imagine it will feel different because we're at home. That's going to feel different. It seems to be an excitement that the city really loves no matter where the two teams are. It could be more [exciting] just because they're playing well and we've been playing well." Yankees: A loaded question With the bases loaded, the Yankees lead the Major Leagues in batting average (.429, 36-for-84), grand slams (six), RBIs (99) and walks (11). ... According to the Elias Sports Bureau, catcher Jorge Posada, who hit grand slams in consecutive games on Saturday and Sunday, became the first Yankee to hit grand slams in consecutive games since Bill Dickey did it Aug. 3-4, 1937. ... Mark Teixeira will greet graduating seniors from the Harlem RBI program prior to Friday's game. Mets: Interleague intensity The Mets have hit 10 home runs against American League teams this year and 248 all-time during Interleague Play, the second-most among National League clubs to Philadelphia (258). The Mets have a .301 batting average (100-for-324) and a 3.00 ERA (81 innings, 27 earned runs) in Interleague action this year. ... First baseman Ike Davis ranks in the top 10 among Major League rookies in average (.266), runs (33), doubles (13), home runs (eight), RBIs (25) and walks (24). Worth noting Mets general manager Omar Minaya said Thursday that second baseman Luis Castillo will not return when he is eligible to come off the disabled list this weekend, noting that his second baseman is "just not ready yet." Castillo, on the disabled list since June 2 after enduring issues with both feet, has been working out in Port St. Lucie, Fla., hitting and taking ground balls, but otherwise staying off his feet as much as possible. ... Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano owns the outright Major League lead in batting average (.372). He leads all Major League second basemen in RBIs (49) and is tied for first with 14 home runs. He has reached safely in 60 of 66 games in 2010, and over his last 28 games since May 17, he's batting .425 (51-for-120) with 12 doubles, five homers and 26 RBIs. He currently has an active 10-game hitting streak. (MLB.com)
In danger of losing his rotation spot once John Maine returns from the disabled list, Takahashi enjoyed his first solid outing in three starts last weekend in Baltimore. Allowing one run on six hits in seven innings, Takahashi won for the second time since joining the rotation last month. His next start will provide a far greater challenge, however. Not only will Takahashi have to face the mighty Yankees, but he must do so having faced them just four weeks earlier. That may make things difficult for the 35-year-old rookie, who relies on deception. Vazquez continued his resurgence on Saturday against the Astros, holding them to three runs on six hits in seven innings to pick up his fifth win in six outings and push him over .500 for the first time this season. Vazquez struck out six and didn't walk a batter all game. Since missing a turn in the rotation in early May, Vazquez is 5-2 with a 2.93 ERA and .181 opposing batting average. One of those wins came against the Mets, who he limited to an Angel Pagan single in six innings before leaving with a bruised right index finger.
Vazquez is 10-8 with a 3.24 ERA in 24 career starts against the Mets.Further Series Analysis: The Mets are hot and the Yankees are waiting for them. When Round 2 of the Subway Series hits the Bronx on Friday night, the home team will be facing a reborn club from Queens, and it should make for typical crosstown drama. For the Mets, it will be a case of trying to keep a good thing going. The team has swept two straight road series and has won seven in a row overall. And on Friday, manager Jerry Manuel will hand the ball to lefty Hisanori Takahashi, and hope that he doesn't falter after pitching six scoreless frames against the Yankees and striking out five in his first career start on May 21. "I don't know if he needs to change up," Manuel said. "Obviously when you see a guy the next time around, you hope offensively you make some adjustments. But I think Takahashi is clever, instinctive enough so if you make an adjustment, he has other things he can go to to try to keep you off-stride. "That will be kind of the challenge for both him and the Yankees, really: who makes the adjustments and where he ends up after that." For the Yankees, it's about dealing with a Mets team that hadn't hit its stride the last time the clubs met, but is clicking in a big way right now. "I know they've won [seven] games in a row on the road, but I haven't really watched a lot of video on them or seen a lot of their games because we're usually playing at the same time," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "Obviously, they have players that are hot. I think I read today that David Wright is leading the National League in RBIs. He's been hot. We'll worry about that tomorrow, but I know they're playing well. "I still think the competitive nature is there because it's New York vs. New York. Maybe it will be more. I imagine it will feel different because we're at home. That's going to feel different. It seems to be an excitement that the city really loves no matter where the two teams are. It could be more [exciting] just because they're playing well and we've been playing well." Yankees: A loaded question With the bases loaded, the Yankees lead the Major Leagues in batting average (.429, 36-for-84), grand slams (six), RBIs (99) and walks (11). ... According to the Elias Sports Bureau, catcher Jorge Posada, who hit grand slams in consecutive games on Saturday and Sunday, became the first Yankee to hit grand slams in consecutive games since Bill Dickey did it Aug. 3-4, 1937. ... Mark Teixeira will greet graduating seniors from the Harlem RBI program prior to Friday's game. Mets: Interleague intensity The Mets have hit 10 home runs against American League teams this year and 248 all-time during Interleague Play, the second-most among National League clubs to Philadelphia (258). The Mets have a .301 batting average (100-for-324) and a 3.00 ERA (81 innings, 27 earned runs) in Interleague action this year. ... First baseman Ike Davis ranks in the top 10 among Major League rookies in average (.266), runs (33), doubles (13), home runs (eight), RBIs (25) and walks (24). Worth noting Mets general manager Omar Minaya said Thursday that second baseman Luis Castillo will not return when he is eligible to come off the disabled list this weekend, noting that his second baseman is "just not ready yet." Castillo, on the disabled list since June 2 after enduring issues with both feet, has been working out in Port St. Lucie, Fla., hitting and taking ground balls, but otherwise staying off his feet as much as possible. ... Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano owns the outright Major League lead in batting average (.372). He leads all Major League second basemen in RBIs (49) and is tied for first with 14 home runs. He has reached safely in 60 of 66 games in 2010, and over his last 28 games since May 17, he's batting .425 (51-for-120) with 12 doubles, five homers and 26 RBIs. He currently has an active 10-game hitting streak. (MLB.com)
No comments:
Post a Comment