April 9th Yankees @ Twins

[jacksonianmarch]

Carla Pussana vs Fat boy Ponson. First to 100 runs win!

In all seriousness, the yankees finally get a reprieve from the chill that has been burying them in the northeast. And with the controlled temp should come some better control of their breaking stuff. Except, Pavano isnt the one that suffered from control problems.

Pavano was masterful through 4 innings in his last start, then looked gassed. His long layoff and multitude of injuries has left him without some stamina (and likely a reason why all his playthings have left him recently as well). If he can get his arm strength and stamina back to what it was, he could be effective.

The big games I look forward to will be the next 2 with Pettitte and Mussina taking the hill. Both had fits trying to get their curves over in the frost of NY, they should have more success with their location this time around.

[26 Reasons to Hate Us]

Let's try to do this right:

New York (2-3) at Minnesota (4-1), 7:05 p.m. ET

vs.
Carl Pavano (0-0, 8.31) Sidney Ponson (0-0, 0.00)

Pavano, Yanks open set against Twins
New York (2-3) at Minnesota (4-1), 7:05 p.m. ET
By Anthony DiComo / MLB.com
Every Yankee starter has now had his chance, and not one has been able crack the elusive sixth inning in New York. And while the offense has kept the team somewhat afloat, the fleeting outings are creating early troubles for the bullpen -- so much so that starter Andy Pettitte was forced into relief duty in a 6-4 loss to Baltimore on Sunday.
So now it's time to try again. Carl Pavano will get his second shot at reversing the trend on Monday, when the team opens a three-game set in Minnesota.

"We all expect more of ourselves, and obviously, taxing the bullpen like that doesn't do anybody any good," Pavano said. "It's early, but it's something definitely that we need to focus on."

Pavano will be trying to right a Yankees team that lost three of the past four in freezing New York temperatures. The right-hander struggled in his brief Opening Day start -- ultimately taking a no-decision in a 9-5 Yankees win -- but has not pitched since then. He will take the mound on an extra two days' rest, in the inviting warmth of the Metrodome.

"He'll probably be a little more comfortable," manager Joe Torre said. "I thought he ran out of gas, and maybe part of that was anxiety because he hadn't been out there competing in a long time. I'm curious, and I'm looking forward to his start."

Pavano will oppose former Yankee Sidney Ponson, who will be debuting with his fourth team in the past three years. Ponson is making his first start of the season after posting a combined 4-5 record and 6.25 ERA with both the Yankees and Cardinals last year.

Pitching matchup
NYY: RHP Carl Pavano (0-0, 8.31 ERA)
Pavano struggled through Opening Day while his defense struggled behind him, as he allowed five runs -- four earned -- in just 4 1/3 innings. The former National Leaguer has never faced Minnesota in his 10-year Major League career.

MIN: RHP Sidney Ponson (4-5, 6.25 ERA in 2006)
Ponson has started 26 career games against the Yankees, his most against any team. The right-hander holds a 6-12 lifetime record against New York, with a 4.63 ERA. He hasn't faced the Bombers since 2005, however, when he was 1-0 against them in two starts with Baltimore.

Player to watch
Few Twins have much history against Pavano other than Luis Castillo. The speedy second baseman has just six hits in 23 career at-bats against the right-hander, but he has also swiped four bases off his former Marlins teammate. Castillo is off to a hot start this season, batting .381 through the season's first week.

Ponson, Twins set to face Yanks
New York (2-3) at Minnesota (4-1), 6:05 p.m. CT
By Kelly Thesier / MLB.com
Facing the Yankees is always a difficult challenge for the Twins, no matter who is in the team's lineup.
But the Yankees will be missing one of their stars for the entire three-game series at the Metrodome that begins on Monday.

The Yankees will be without left fielder Hideki Matsui after he was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday with a strained left hamstring. It was an injury that Matsui suffered while trying to run out a ground ball Friday.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said that you never want to see a player get hurt, but he admitted that missing out on Matsui for the series wasn't exactly bad news for him.

"Am I disappointed? No," Gardenhire said. "I enjoy watching him play but as a manager, I don't mind that he's going to miss some of our games. That's OK."

Still, Gardenhire said that the task of trying to beat the famed club won't be made any easier in Matsui's absence. With a lineup that includes plenty of power in Alex Rodriguez and Jason Giambi as well as consistent hitting in Derek Jeter and Robinson Cano, the Yankees have their fair share of talent to throw an opponent's way.

"No matter if it's Matsui or not, they'll have another great hitter in there," Gardenhire said. "Believe me, it's the Yankees. They've got a bunch of good baseball players. When Cano is hitting like eighth, that's a good lineup. Doug Mientkiewicz is hitting ninth, and he hit third for me. That tells you a little about the Yankees lineup."

With or without certain people in the lineup, the series between the Twins and the Yankees is always one that brings an extra excitement to the Metrodome. And this time, the players themselves seem to be a little more amped for the series -- even if it is just to get out of the cold they experienced this weekend while playing two games in Chicago.

"Oh dome sweet dome," Michael Cuddyer said with a laugh. "Everybody talks about how bad the Metrodome is but playing these two games out here, it's nice to be going back to Minneapolis and playing in the dome again."

What awaits the Twins when they do return home is a series against a club that has proven to be quite a difficult opponent in recent years. The Twins are 17-30 against the Yankees over the past six seasons. Most of the Twins' troubles have been on the road against the club as they've won just one series at Yankee Stadium since 1992, but there is always quite a battle that has gone on at the Metrodome, especially over the past couple seasons. That's because the Twins have won three straight series at home over New York.

But while there have been plenty of pundits that say this upcoming series will be a good early test to see where the Twins stack up against quality competition, the players are trying to take it as just another series.

"I'm just going to go out there and play," Torii Hunter said. "The Yankees are just another team, just like I played the White Sox, the Orioles, I'm going to attack the same way. Go out there and just try to win."

Pitching matchup
MIN: RHP Sidney Ponson (4-5, 6.25 ERA in 2006)
It's been a different Ponson that arrived at Twins camp this spring. With his weight in check and a focus on pitching for groundouts, Ponson has turned himself into an efficient, work-horse pitcher. The hope for the Twins is that he maintains that attitude into the season and doesn't let things fall apart like he did in some outings this spring, when his ball got up in the strikezone. In his career against the Yankees, Ponson is 6-12 with a 4.63 ERA.

NYY: RHP Carl Pavano (0-0, 8.31 ERA)
Now that Pavano has finally erased June 27, 2005, from the public consciousness, the right-hander's task is to continue taking turns around the rotation. Pavano didn't allow the atmosphere of Opening Day nor some sloppy defense to derail his effort against the Devil Rays; more accurately, he ran low on gas in the fifth inning, but the start was still a stepping-stone. As he learned Monday, the Yankees will score runs -- all Pavano needs to do to win a few games is pitch competently.

Player to watch
Jeff Cirillo is a career 6-for-11 hitter off Pavano with a home run and a walk. Despite having been limited to only pinch-hitting this weekend due to a sore left knee, Cirillo is expected to be used in a larger capacity once the club returns back to the dome.

[TheKilo]

Hahaha nice pictures.

[jacksonianmarch]

Mac does look a lot like Pavano. It is almost scary.

[Optimist]

I wonder if Cairo is available to pitch today.

I shouldn't joke...it might happen.

[jacksonianmarch]

Originally Posted by Optimist

I wonder if Cairo is available to pitch today.

I shouldn't joke...it might happen.

Good or bad, Pavano will throw 6 innings today. i think Torre is dubbing this pussy the sacrificial lamb.

[yankees228]

Originally Posted by jacksonianmarch

The big games I look forward to will be the next 2 with Pettitte and Mussina taking the hill. Both had fits trying to get their curves over in the frost of NY, they should have more success with their location this time around.

The problem I have with this is that it didn't seem like Mussina had any command of his fastball either. It seemed like it was either out of the strike zone, or in a really hittable location. But hopefully he throws strikes with his FB and offspeed stuff, and goes deep in the game.

As for tonight's game, it seems probable that we'll be watching another slugfest. There is no reason they shouldn't be able to put up a decent amount of runs tonight, especially with Damon back in the lineup. As for the bullpen, Pettitte pitching an inning yesterday basically saved Bruney from having to work consecutive days. So he should be ready for a sixth inning appearance if Pavano can only go five. I'd rather not even think about the possibility of Pavano not even getting through five. Farnsworth hasn't pitched in a few days so he should be capable of handling the eighth. Vizcaino only faced a batter yesterday, but he also pitched on Saturday. It would be very nice to get this win tonight with Pettitte and Mussina going in the next two.

EDIT: After owning the Twins for the early part of this decade, including a long win streak, they haven't won a regular season series in the Metrodome since 2003.

[jacksonianmarch]

The pen has been filthy. Problem is, you can only feed the monster so much until he pukes. (Old southern saying I picked up in Florida).

[yankees228]

Off topic, but speaking of pitching, has anyone heard a specific target date for Wang's return? I noticed that they play up in Fenway from the 20th - 22th. That seems right around the time where he would return.

[jacksonianmarch]

Originally Posted by yankees228

Off topic, but speaking of pitching, has anyone heard a specific target date for Wang's return? I noticed that they play up in Fenway from the 20th - 22th. That seems right around the time where he would return.

I think that was the target, but right now, I think they be careful with him and work him back into the rotation for the first week of May. I wouldnt be surprised if he gets a rehab start or two.

[shortstop]

I read somewhere this morning that Torre said Wang would have at least two minor league starts.

[jacksonianmarch]

Originally Posted by shortstop

I read somewhere this morning that Torre said Wang would have at least two minor league starts.

this is where I agree with him. Wang never finished ST and the last thing we need is for him to be rushed and hurt his arm while recovering from a leg injury. It happens more than you can know.

[jacksonianmarch]

our rotation has a 9.97ERA and our bullpen has a 1.16. Wow.

[jacksonianmarch]

Man, Ponson is bringing back some seriously bad memories.

[jacksonianmarch]

Top 1st

leadoff double for Damon, nice start. Broken bat bloop that Damon hustled out.

Jeter with the infield hit, Damon to third. Damon running nicely.

Ponson sitting low 90s and leaving it FAT. CMON YANKEES

Abreu RBI single to CF, Jeter to second. Ponson is getting slapped hard. Yankees up 1-0.

Arod takes a cockshot down the middle. 0-1. ARod lines out to RF, Jeter tags and goes to third. ARod is hitting the ball right on the sweet part of the bat thus far.

Giambi takes 2 balls and 1 strike. This ump has a SMALL zone. 3-1, the last 2 pitches were down the middle. Giambi walks on a pitch that was way outside. Sacks packed, Ponson is visibly losing it out there.

Posada takes a worse pitch than the 2 that Giambi had called a ball and the ump calls the strike. 0-1. Posada slaps one to LF and the OFer misplays it. It is a ground rule double, yankees up 3-0 with runners on 2nd and 3rd with 1 out.

Cano flies out on first pitch to shallow left, Giambi holds at 3rd. 2 outs.

Monkeybitch takes a cockshot. 0-1. Ponson misses high with the sinker, 1-1. Monkeybitch hits a high chopper to SS, 3 outs.

End of top of 1st. Yankees lead 3-0.