(< The house that Ruth laughs at)
As the high school year nears close and summer approaches, this week should be the biggest to date in all of baseball, especially in New York.
With the Yanks playing their best baseball of the year and now with a one game lead on Boston, they will head to Fenway Park tonight for a three game series, before heading back home to host the first inter-league subway series with the sputtering Mets. Meanwhile, as the Yanks and Sox square off, the Mets will be hosting the Phillies (leading the Mets by 3 games for the division lead) in a big-time NL East match-up, before the teams exchange opponents as the Sox head to Philly. Big week in the Northeast and the eastern divisions in each league, should be the week that officially marks a shifting of people going into full-blown baseball mode with basketball and hockey coming to a close and the football season still off in the distance.
The atmosphere should be pretty electric as this is the first chance for New York fans to mix it up in the new ballparks, and at least it will be played at Yankee stadium where there is sure to be plenty of home runs to cheer about.
Speaking of the Yankees playing their best baseball of late, it appears they may be getting another boost as Phil Hughes came out of the bullpen throwing 95 for a flawless inning that included a strikeout last night. Hughes could end up becoming the bridge to Mariano that the Yankees needed...and if Joba pitches like he has recently and Wang gets it together, this team is probably the best in baseball.
Since I have only been half paying attention to baseball while the NBA drags out the playoffs..here are the pitching match-ups and some half-assed predictions as the divisional rivals square off Tuesday-Thursday:
6/9: Burnett / Beckett - This game will feature two hard throwing right-handers with a history of pitching well against these perennially dominant offenses. Both of them struggled at times this year with command, but are coming off consecutive strong outings, has all the makings of a pitcher's duel.
Prediction: Burnett's control gets him in trouble, Sox win 5-2.
Santana / Happ
Prediction: Happ runs out of magic, Mets 7-2.
6/10: Wang / Wakefield - Wang still hasn't put it all together but he pitched three scoreless out the pen and while he gave up a bunch of runs last outing had 5 k's to 1 bb.
Prediction: Wang has his first real good start of the year, Yanks win 6-1.
Pelfrey / Hamels (OK can I say these Phils/Mets pitching match-ups are brutal?)
Prediction: Phils 5-0.
6/11: Sabathia / Penny - With a lot of trade rumors surrounding a possible Brad Penny trade (not sure I'd give up even a low-level prospect like N. Huard at this point for him), the Sox would love to see him throw a good game to increase his value.
Prediction: CC with a nice effort, Yanks win 5-3.
Redding (pride of Rochester?) / Moyer
Prediction: Phils 1-0, Jamie Moyer tosses no-hitter, Bud Selig blows up Citi Field afterward with dozens of fans still in it after being lulled to sleep by a 2009 pitching duel between Tim Redding and Jamie Moyer.
(Actual advance photo of Citi Field 15 minutes before Redding/Moyer start >)
Queens heads uptown / Uppity Boston Fucks meet Rugged Philadalphians:
6/12: Joba / Maine - Joba throwing better, Maine coming off getting thumped (finally), hard to pick against the Yanks here.
Prediction: Yanks 7-5.
Lester / Blanton
Prediction: Lester cruises, Sox 8-2.
6/13: Pettitte / Livan - Livan is walking on water right now, he's going to get absolutely crushed Saturday though.
Prediction: Yanks 13-9.
Dice-K / Bastardo
Prediction: Longest 9-inning game in MLB history. Sox win 11-8.
6/14: Burnett / Santana - Mets salvage series with a big outing from Santana.
Prediction: Mets 9-1.
Beckett / Happ
Prediction: Happ continue to regress, Beckett continues to throw well, 5-1 Sox for the sweep. Mets fans rejoice.
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