Moose Hopes to be Big Trouble for Rays

The Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays play the finale of their 4-game series tonight. Mike Mussina tries to bounce back from his bad outing against the Blue Jays for the Yankees, while Jason Hammel makes his first appearance of the season for the Rays.

The networks and schedule makers once again have conspired in an act of stupidity. The Yankees have a 7:05 start tonight, then have to fly to Kansas City for a day game tomorrow. Tonight's game is on ESPN2, which explains that bit of greed.

Mussina is 16-7, 3.50 lifetime against the Rays, but was 0-1, 7.59 in 2 starts against them last year.

Rays vs. Mussina

Upton .500 (5-10) 1 HR 4 RBI
Gomes .333 (2-6) 1 HR 2 RBI
Bartlett 1-3
Crawford .304 (14-46) 5 RBI 5 SB
Floyd .261 (6-23) 2 HR 2 RBI
Hinske (.138) 4-29
Pena (.133) 2-15 1 RBI
Iwamura 0-5

Hammel is 1-1, 6.41 in 6 appearances (4 starts) against the Yankees.

Yanks vs. Hammel

Giambi 2-3 1 RBI
A-Rod .333 (3-9) 2 HR 6 RBI
Abreu .333 (3-9) 1 RBI
Jeter .273 (3-11) 1 RBI
Matsui .250 (2-8) 1 HR 2 RBI
Cabrera .250 (2-8) 1 RBI
Posada 1-5
Betemit 0-1

Shelley Duncan serves the finale of his 2 game suspension tonight. Jason Giambi will sit again due to his strained groin.

Here's tonight's lineup courtesy of Newsday's Kat O'Brien:

Damon LF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Rodriguez 3B
Matsui DH
Cano 2B
Betemit 1B
Cabrera CF
Molina C

UPDATE 4:50 EDT
and now the Rays lineup from Brian Heyman and Peter Abraham:

RAYS
Iwamura 2B
Crawford LF
Pena 1B
Upton CF
Floyd DH
Hinske RF
Aybar 3B
DiFelice C
Bartlett SS