The young 2009 MLB season has brought us its first matchup of the Yankees and Red Sox in a series that will be less about the AL East standings and more about finding out what these teams are made of.
As of right now both teams are looking sharp. After the Sox got of to a 2-6 record they have won seven straight to put them equal with the Yankees in the standings, two back of the Blue Jays. Each season there are some surprises that come along, so here are some that jump out at me:
Red Sox surprised so far
- Tek is hitting the ball!
- Neither Lugo or Lowrie are at short
Yankees surprises so far
- Burnett not hurt
- Wang’s 34 era
- Nick Swisher has a solid 8th inning of relief
- The New Coors Field has resulted in the most home runs at a new park in the first 26 games EVER!!
Sox not surprises
- Bullpen has been stellar
- WBC resulted in Daisuke’s worst star in the states and a trip to the DL
Yanks not surprises
- Rivera has been solid
- New Coors Field can’t fill the best seats
We will see how these play out over the rest of the season. Stay tuned to Yankees vs Red Sox for the latest updates news.
This weekends Red Sox Yankees series:
The 2009 MLB season starts with the Yankees looking to right the ship after some frustrating seasons the past few years. By now everyone has heard of the Yankees big moves. After missing the playoffs for the first time since 1993, the Yankees went out and got three of the four biggest free agents this winter, opting to not participate in the Manny sweepstakes. [This was a surprising non-talk for both Red Sox and Yankee fans alike, and now with ARod out it looks like signing Manny might have been a good move. For years Yankee fans have been telling their foes up north to wait until Manny was a free agent because he would come home to New York. After dishing out unheard of cash for Sabathia Burnett and Teixeira, it looked like the Yankees didn't even try to sign a Manny that would have come at a much lower price. You have to think that the Yankees overpaid some for their three acquisitions, since nobody else in baseball was spending money. So it stands to reason that had they not doled out money like Richard Prior in Brewsters Millions they might have been able to add Manny to what was already one of if not the most potent offenses in baseball for not much more than their payroll is right now.]
Anyway,
With ARod out, you can estimate the bats should be pretty evenly matched (both teams have scored 84 runs). The teams have identical records at 9-6, but so far the Sox pitching, as was the plan, has been better. Boston has allowed 63 runs to New York’s 97 (74 if you subtract Wang’s 23 earned runs). So with that in mind, it looks like pitching could likely decide the series, although Red Sox fans are hoping the team can continue its offensive onslaught that has seen the team score no less than 55 runs in their seven-game win streak, just under eight runs a game!
The first Yankees vs Red Sox game is being pitched by Jon Lester and Joba Chamberlain, a matchup of the two top young starting pitchers in each organization. You know Fenway park is going to be a bit crazy when Joba faces Kevin Youkilis, who he has thrown at four times. Youk has two hits and 2 strike out to match his bruises. In his career Lester is 2-0 and has a 1.19 era against the Yankees. Additionally, Lester is 17 – 3 at Fenway. The Red Sox have hit .220 of Joba, with 11 hits and 15 ks. This likely wont be the last time these guys face off, and we could be seeing the future of both staffs blossom right before out eyes.
On Saturday, the two top pitchers from the Marlins team that beat the Yankees in the 2003 World Series, as well as two pitchers whose last names and in double ts, face off in Josh Beckett and AJ Burnett. Both have been awesome when they avoid injuries. They have been great so far, so expect a duel on Saturday. Beckett (2-1, 3.79 era) vs Burnett (2-0, 3.20 era) will be nationally televised, and with the 4pm start could be the most watched game of the season so far. Burnett is 3-0 at Fenway with a 0.40 era, but expect the the Fenway Faithful to keep up the “Becketts Better” chants he is used to hearing in Boston.
On the last game of the first Red Sox Yankees series we will see the past of the Yankees facing off against the Future of the Sox. Reliever Justin Masterson, who will be making his second start while filling in for Matsuzaka, will try to beat Andy Pettite, one of the few Yankees left from the Yankees team that won four of five Word Series in the late 1990s. Pettitte (who has two double ts in his last name) has been terrific this year, going at least seven innings in his first three starts and has a 2.53 era to match. With only one start and five relief appearances, Masterson has a 3.18 era with 10 ks. He has not been great against the Yankees in his short career, as the Yanks are hitting .414 off him with 12 hits and 2 ks in 29 at bats.But this is a pitcher the front office and fans like a lot, so Red Sox Nation will be looking for him to have a great performance so Pettitte vs Masterson should be quite nightcap on Sunday.
Other notes for the Yankees Red Sox series:
- Mark Teixera’s first time in Boston after leading the front office and Red Sox Nation along for months before signing with the Yankees for more cash, in a move many fans of both organizations were surprised at.
- They will be playing at Fenway, not the new Coors Field, so we will see how potent the Yankees bats are in a stadium that doesn’t have a vacuum sucking balls to right field.
- The Red Sox wont see two of the Yankees supposedly best pitchers, as Chein Ming Wang is out after a 34 era in three starts and CC (I will gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today) Sabathia will miss Fenway.
This should be a great series that will tell us a lot about what these teams are planning on doing this year. Check back with Yankees vs Red Sox to hear our analisis of the series.
