Headed to Detroit, where two teams expected to be higher in the standings will face off. The Tigers have been bigger underachievers, compared to expectations, than the Yankees. The Tigers are 15-21 and in last in the AL Central. The Yankees are 18-18 (but only a game up on the last-place Blue Jays in the tight AL East). Then again, the Tigers swept a three-game series against the Yankees in New York last week.
Probably the most interesting thing to watch from a Yankees standpoint is how Kei Igawa fares in his first big league start this season. He is 3-3 with a 3.86 ERA at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and has 40 strikeouts in 39 2/3 innings. But the major leagues were much tougher for him last year. The Yankees keep getting lots of left-handed pitching opponents, with Kenny Rogers on the mound tonight for Detroit and Nate Robertson on Sunday. Right-hander Jeremy Bonderman will pitch Saturday for the Tigers.
Comments (20)
Igawa love Igawa love ew ew ew Igawa love .(Baby Love)(Motown)???? No ? doesn't have quite the necessary ring to it does it ?
"I heard it through the Oracle(grapevine)" Igawa will win tonight.
Detroit has potent bats and ours are (kinda) waking up. Kenny Rogers is a joke and always has been but for some reason the Yanks cant hit him. Lets stand back and look at this for a minute. Were sending Igawa out to pitch against the most potent offsenive team in the majors, fresh off getting sweep AT HOME by these very same Tigers just 1 week prior, and taking on Rogers who pitched 7 innings of own-age against us in game one of that debacle. Everyone tends to me chipper and willing to believe things that are so not going to happen, following a Yankee win.
Come on folks, 11-2 Detroit tonight. Igawa's minor league stats arent even that good. Hes like Carl Pavano, but instead of constantly hurting himself, he hurts the team. Its game over tonight. I cant fault the team for wanting to get something out of their investment but Im not one to believe Igawa, with so-so numbers in the minors, is going to shut down Detroit. I look for basically no run support for him and an inability to find the strike zone.
Im just looking forward to seeing how Rasnar fairs in this series.
It's true not anything to hang your hat on w/Igawa.One thing he has going for him is he's never faced Detroit and the one thing he has going against him is he's never faced Detroit.
If he doesn't get hammered early he might be able to get thru 5 innings before they start zeroing in on him.
He's definitely going to be nervous.I'm not expecting much.
I'm hoping for 5 innings 7 hits 3 runs from Igawa but it might turn into an early walk fest for Detroit.
The World Champs just took 3 out of 4 from Detroit (in Detroit) and were 1 Julio Lugo away from a sweep. Count on Detroit to take advantage of their sweep in the Bronx last week as motivation. The Tigers will probably do it again at home this weekend.
Yankee pitching looks weak the the next 2 games....real weak, and Pettite hasn't exactly been tear'in it up lately!
D. Wells back in pinstripes? NY Post indicated, along with quotes from Hank, that it is a possible scenerio !? If it goes down....well...simply put, "goodness graciouis!"
I love me some BOOMER!!!!
RICK
Which era ? Trying to recapture the past is a waste of time.
Bonderman 4.17
Robertson 6.64
Rogers 6.27
haven't exactly been tearing it up either
Joba is a punk. If he pulls that rookie crap on the Sox, they will bash him! Come up to Boston and pull that fist pumping crap up here. You won't know what hit you! Sox rule!
Joba is a punk. If he pulls that rookie stuff on the Sox, they will bash him! Come up to Boston and pull that fist pumping stuff up here. You won't know what hit you! Sox rule!
ruse
ANYTHING is better than Igawa in my book. And, Boomer is a big game guy who loves the big stage of the NYY. I give him the shot to fail. What do we have to lose by giving him an incentive ladden look see?
Anonymous...
Boston has not had much luck with Joba up to now. What makes you think he can't cut it against your Bsox? Besides, for you to cry about Joba is funny, How about Manny/ Big O? 27/08.
If the Yanks sign Wells then Edwar Ramirez better watch his back. With all those 260+ pound pitchers around his 160 pound frame, he might be mistaken for an item on the buffet table and never seen again. At least that will open up a roster spot, No?
Signing Boomer is a step backwards. Let Boomer fail at the cost of more Yankees loses?? Makes little sense to me .Is he in shape? Can he still pitch ? How long will it take for him to be ready? + the buffet table it would all prove to costly especially when you throw in Forest Ham & Swiss cheese sandwiches and Edwar's limbs.You can forget about the pate.
I won't be surprised if the pitching situation hasn't resolved itself, if around June you start to hear the name...(whispered) ....Carl Pavano, being mentioned by the Yankee brass.
ruse
You need to brush up on your Boomer info. He has lost 25 lbs since being diagnosed with diabetes and has been working out. He seems to be in good shape. Not saying he is Cy Young material at all. Just think he is better than a parade of younsters who can't even go 4 innings most times out. And Igawa SUCKS.
Igawa's numbers are good at SWB: 1.13 WHIP, 40 K's to 12 BB's, but they are almost exactly the same as last year - and we know how that ended up - he is a very good, AAAA, pitcher - which is probably what the Japanese leagues translate to.
Rick,
Yeah he is "Down" to 250 now!
Nudge
245, but who's counting! ;-) BTW, how much does Joba weigh, or Sabathia, or Bruney, etc.? Just curious as to what weight has to do with going 6 innings, not walking anyone, and keeping your team in a game? Not to mention saving your bullpen.