September 09, 2005
Games of the Day
The Yankees and the Red Sox open up a three game series which is more meaningful than September series between the two rivals the last couple of years. The two teams are within striking distance of each other and the loser of the division may not win the wild card. While the wild card adds excitement among the also rans, it tends to take excitement away from division races, especially if the two best teams in the league are in the same division. That's not going on in the AL East this season. I know people argue that the excitement is transferred to the post season, but that's only if the division rivals meet in the LCS.
Former Yankees pitcher David Wells battles his old team once again this evening. He'll take on wonder pickup Aaron Small. Wells is 45-19 career at Yankee Stadium, 11-4 when he's a visiting pitcher. Small's strength this season is his ability to get lefties out, something that should help vs. the Red Sox. Lefties have a lower batting average and slugging percentage vs. Small than righties, and left-handed batters have not hit a homer off the righty this year.
The wild card leading Indians have a tough game tonight as they host Johan Santana and the Minnesota Twins. This could be the Twins last chance at the wild card, as these three games with Cleveland have the potential to bring them back into the race or leave them in the dust. Santana will face Jake Westbrook. Jake is not walking many nor allowing home runs lately, but the balls opponents are putting in play against him are falling for hits. He's given 46 hits in his last 29 innings.
The Marlins have the chance to send the reeling Phillies out of the wild card race as well. A.J. Burnett will take the hill against Cory Lidle. Lidle's fallen apart in the 2nd half, posting a 1-4 record with an 8.01 ERA. Burnett pitched two good starts against the Phillies this season, but his last one was miserable, allowing four home runs.
Finally, San Diego travels north to LA to square off against the Dodgers. I'll have more on this series and the chances of San Diego winning the division in another post I'm pondering.
Enjoy!
You can purchase tickets for these and many other events at the Baseball Musings Ticket Store.
Posted by David Pinto at
02:32 PM
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What? No love for the White Sox in their green unis tonight? :)
WHAT???!!!
where's Roger clemens vs doug davis?????
us astros ARE in the wild card race!!!!!!!
What is with this guy Small. Did he find himself at age 33? A lot of pitchers don't figure it out until their late 20s, but 33 is pretty old. Or has he been lucky? Enough luck to go 7-0 with a good ERA seems implausible. Or what?
