Series preview: BOS @ NY

Red Sox (14-7) at Stankees (8-12)

Yes, it's that time again folks. Time for another hardball headbashing known as a Sox/Stankees series.

It seems like it was just last weekend that Boston was pummelling New York pitching into submission en route to 3 straight come-from-behind victories that resulted in a 3-game smackdown that sent their archenemies into a 6-game tailspin. Something about 4 consecutive home runs, too...

Oh that's right, it was just last weekend. And thanks to the schedule makers (the same morons who gave the Sox no trips to St. Pete until late July), Boston gets to catch their nasty neighbors at the lowest point they have been in in a long time.

Since that Sox sweep New York also lost 2 games at Tampa Bay, and yesterday lost the only game of a rain-shortened mini series with the Jays, 6-0 in the Bronx. In that game highly-touted pitching prospect Phillip Hughes made his big league debut, months earlier than the New York management wanted him to, but due to the flatlining status of their pitching they really had no choice.

The New York offense, ranked first in the league in runs and average, has been spectacular, but it's the horrendous mound efforts that are sinking the Stankees' season.

Meanwhile the Sox are heading in the opposite direction for the exact opposite reason. While the Sox offense has been spotty, the starting pitching has been consistently above average. In fact the three New York games last weekend were the worst performances by Sox starters all year.

Thanks to the terrific pitching the Sox have won 7 of 9 and now own a 3-game lead in the East over second-place Toronto; New York currently resides in the basement, tied with the Rays in games back (51/2) but with a lower winning percentage (.400-.409)

As I like to say, oh how the mighty have fallen.

And I hope they never get up.

Let's take a look inside the series as Boston and New York take their show to the Big Apple with revenge on the Stanks minds and the Sox salivating for another sweep.
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GM 1, FRI 7PM
Dice-K (2-2, 4.00) vs. Pettitte (1-0, 1.78)

GM 2, SAT 3:55 FOX
Wakefield (2-2, 2,08) vs. Igawa (1-1, 7.84)

GM 3 SUN, 1:05
Tavarez (0-2, 8.36) vs. Wang (0-1, 5.68)

NEW YORK STATS:

Batting:

• 1st in ML in runs (120)
• 4th in ML in avg. (.275)
• 1st in ML in RBI (116)
• 2nd in ML in HRs (27)

Pitching:

• 11th in AL in ERA (4.83)
• last in AL in qual. starts (5)
• t-2nd to last in AL in wins (8)
• 4th in ER allowed (96)
• 3rd in AL in walks allowed (81)

Who's hot?

• A Rod- despite going homerless in 3 out of the last 4 games, Mr. April did add another 2-homer game down here in St. Pete to bring his tally to 14 for the month; he is leading the majors in home runs by 6, RBIs by 10, and slugging percentage by nearly .200 points (.976-.782) over Bonds- sick. He is 2 homers away for the record for April, held...ah, fuck it who cares if he hits 85 home runs, as long as New York loses
• Giambi-the Juicer has been on a tear for the last two weeks: he is batting .396 (19-48) with 4 doubles 3 homers, and 10 RBI in the last 12 games
• Jeter- before getting plunked on the wrist by Scott Kazmir down here on Tuesday night the Captain was riding a 13-game hitting streak, scoring 14 runs and compiling 20 hits to raise his average from .278 to a more Jeter-like .316

Who's not?

• Judas Demon- karma is catching up to the former Captain Caveman in a big way: beginning with the Boston Sweep the banged-up bonehead is batting just .105 (2-19) with 1 run & 1 RBI
• The Ball Stealer-payback's a bitch for another former Sox as Mientkiewicz is batting just .152 on the season, with a puny 3 hits in his last 10 games, 7 hits total and 1 RBI for the year- nice pickup, Stanks!
• Bobby Abreu- the career .300 hitter is batting only .278 and is in the midst of a 2-17 (.118) skid that began, not coincidentally I might add, with the Boston Sweep.
• the entire pitching staff- you saw the numbers above, but let me add that only 1 starter (Pettitte) has an ERA under 3.50, the staff's walk & hits/innings pitched (WHIP) is an abysmal 1.47, and they have zero saves on the season. Wow.

BOSTON STATS:

Batting:

• 12th in ML (6th in AL) in avg. (.259)
• 8th in ML in runs (106)
• 5th in AL in RBI (95)
• 10th in ML in HRs (22)

Pitching:

• 3rd in ML in ERA (3.21)
• 2nd in ML in qual. starts (13)
• 1st in ML in wins (14)
• 3rd-fewest ERs allowed in ML (66)
• 2nd-fewest BBs allowed in ML (54)
• 2nd in ML in saves (8)

Who's hot:

• Alex Cora & WMP- the two part-timers have been contributing big-time lately; Cora is batting .462 (6-13) over his last 6 games, and Pena, although he has struck out a ton, hit a mammoth game-winning grand slam in Baltimore last night
• Big Papi-despite leaving 5 men on base last night, the big Boston bopper has hit in 8 of the last 9 games with 5 doubles, 2 homers and 7 RBI
• Mike Lowell- the 3rd baseman has been shaky in the field but red-hot at the dish, batting .385 during a 10-game hitting streak in which he has hit 4 homers and knocked in 9 runs

Who's not:

• Cap'n Tek- he came out of a slump last weekend against New York, but in the last 3 games he's 1-10 with 7 K's and 8 men left on base
• Manny- the slugger has shown signs of emerging from his season-long slump, but a sub-.200 average and 2 homers doesn't cut it for ManRam
• 9 & 1 hitters- Lugo & Pedroia have failed to keep the offense moving. The shortstop is mired in a 3-28 slide that has dropped his average to ,234, and second sacker Pedroia has just 3 hits in his last 9 games (.125)

That's all I got for facts & figures. Now it's time to go out and kick some Stankee ass-again. Dice-K makes his Yankee Stadium debut tonight, and he will oppose the Stanks best pitcher, Pettitte, so this game could be the best of the series.

Unless Dice folds like an origami again.