Yankees Hope to be Mariners Alabatross

Or is it Albaladejo? The Yankees open a 3-game series tonight against the Seattle Mariners at Yankee Stadium. Chien-Ming Wang hopes to put an end to the Yankees 3-game slide as he goes up against Erik Bedard.

The Mariners, who we picked to win the AL West have started out as badly as the Yankees, going 13-16 in their first 29 games. Bedard had a stint on the DL as did closer J.J. Putz, who has still not fully recovered command of his pitches. The Mariners woes can't be attributed to starting pitching. Three starters have an ERA under 3.00 - Bedard, 2.04, Saturday's starter Felix Hernandez, 2.22, and Carlos Silva, 2.79.

But the Mariners offense has been scuffling for runs. With a lack of output from the right field and DH positions, the Mariners recently cut veteran Brad Wilkerson and benched Jose Vidro against right-handers. The M's called up prospects Jeff Clement to DH and Wladimir Balantien to play right field. Balentien homered in his first major league game.

Raul Ibanez is off to another fine start with 5 home runs and 20 RBI to go along with a .296 average, and though Adrian Beltre also has 5 home runs, he's only driven in 11 runs. 1st Baseman Richie Sexson recently had a hot stretch that gave him 6 home runs and 17 RBI, but he's still hitting just .230. The offensive malaise has even effected Ichiro Suzuki, who enters tonight's play at just .266. His countrymen, catcher Kenji Johjima is below the Mendoza line at .175.

The Yankees are hoping Wang can repeat his dominant performance from his last start against the Indians. Wang has won all 6 career starts against the Mariners with a 2.51 ERA. He had a perfect game going in the 8th inning against the Mariners last May 5 at the Stadium. Ben Broussard hit a solo home run with one out in the inning to break up the perfection, the no-no, and the shutout.

Mariners vs. Wang

Beltre 3-15 1 HR 1 RBI
Betancourt 2-10 1 RBI
Ibanez 3-17 1 RBI
Johjima 2-10
Lopez 2-7 1 RBI
Sexson 4-13
Ichiro 4-20
Vidro 1-7

Yankees vs. Bedard

Abreu 3-17 1 RBI
Cabrera 1-10
Cano 3-14
Damon 3-20 1 RBI
Giambi 3-13 1 HR 3 RBI
Jeter 6-26
Matsui 5-16 1 RBI
Molina 1-8


Bedard will be happy not to have to face A-Rod (.417-2-6) and Jorge Posada (.286, 1 RBI).

Cano sits tonight and Duncan once again in the clean up spot (ouch).

Cabrera CF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Duncan 1B
Matsui LF
Giambi DH
Ensberg 3B
Molina C
Gonzalez 2B