The Yankee Clippard

Another rookie pitcher will be making his way to the Bronx this weekend. Actually it will Queens, where the Yankees start a 3 game series with the Mets on Friday night. Triple-A starter Tyler Clippard will start that game against the Mets' John Maine.

Clippard started today's Scranton Yankees game, but was pulled after 1 inning when word came down that Clippard had received "the call". The 22-year old becomes the 4 rookie pitcher (joining Kei Igawa, Matt DeSalvo, and Chase Wright) to start a game for the Bombers this season.

Clippard has fashioned a 3-2 record with a 2.72 ERA in 8 Triple-A starts this season. He's allowed 40 hits in 39.2 innings, while walking 17 and striking out 41. The International League is hitting .268 against him. Clippard had a very good season at Double-A Trenton in '06, where he struck out 175 hitters in 166.1 innings. He also limited hitters to a .200 average.

The right-hander tops out at about 92 mph fastball, and has a wicked curve, taught to him by Yankee's minor league pitching guru Nardi Contreras.