Chowder Again?

In the oddity that is Major League Baseball scheduling the Yankees travel to Boston today to start a three game series with the Red Sox. This is the third series with Boston this month and the Yankees second trip to Fenway. The first series only lasted one game due to rain. In that one game, their nemesis David Ortiz belted a 3-run home run off lefty specialist Mike Myers to send the Yankees on their way with a loss. The Sox took 2 of 3 in New York a week later and Mark Loretta managed to wipe out Hideki Matsui and Shawn Chacon in the same game with some well placed hits.

Pitching Match Ups

Monday: Chien-Ming Wang 4-1, 3.79 vs. Curt Schilling 6-2, 4.17
Tuesday: Jaret Wright 1-3, 4.94 vs. Tim Wakefield 3-5, 4.17
Wednesday: Randy Johnson 5-4, 5.62 vs. Matt Clement 4-3, 5.36

One player that needs to turn things around in this series is Johnny Damon. Damon is just 1-16 against his former teammates this year. Get over it Johnny. You're in NY now, get some damn hits.

Randy Johnson vs. Matt Clement - that has all the makings of a 10-9 game.

It's time to look at the Yankees Hitting w RISP - Runner in Scoring Position or WNTH - When not to Hit.

Player - 2006 - Career
Derek Jeter .362 .301
A-Rod .250 .302
Jason Giambi .333 .309
Gary Sheffield .250 .316
Robinson Cano .302 .234
Jorge Posada .353 .284
Johnny Damon .303 .298
Bernie Williams .310 .307
Melky Cabrera .125 .083 (12 ABs)
Kelly Stinnett .200 .234
Andy Phillips .167 .174
Miguel Cairo .308 .250

Hideki Matsui .258 .311


Now these numbers are misleading. They're probably better this year than you or I expected. The thing is that these numbers are a product of a high scoring offense. When the Yankees go out and score 6-10 runs a game their RISP average will improve, but there are too many times in lower scoring games where they do not come through. Basically you can throw most of these numbers out the window.