The final score doesn't reflect how one-sided this game was.
Andy Pettitte self-destructed in the fourth, the offense couldn't put anything together and Matt Garza showed why he was a former first round pick as the
Rays foiled the Yanks 7-1 in St. Petersburg. Robinson Cano extended his modest hitting streak to seven games and Johnny Damon's RBI-ground out helped avert the shutout, but those were hollow achievements on this night. The loss drops the Yanks a game below .500 once again.
The Good:Alberto Gonzalez. The Bombers managed only six hits and Berto collected two of them. So much for the good glove, no stick scouting report. Gonzalez looks confident at the plate and is a solid defender who can play the entire infield. The kid has showed he belongs in the Big Leagues and shouldn't have to shuttle back and forth to Triple-A anymore. Let's see what happens. Gonzo finished 2 for 3.
The Bad:Andy Pettitte. Baseball is a numbers game, but sometimes numbers lie. Pettitte entered Monday night with a 14-3 career record against Tampa and an 8-1 mark with a 3.30 ERA at The Trop. But that trend didn't continue. The lefty recorded five strikeouts in the first three innings, but things quickly came unglued in the fourth. Andy has faltered the second time through the order in three of his past four starts and that's not a good sign. I don't know if he's tipping pitches, getting fatigued or is just plain unlucky, but this pattern has to be rectified. Pettitte fell to 3-4 with this: 4 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 5 K.
Hideki Matsui. Godzilla has been the most productive and consistent Yankee thus far, but he had a tough time Monday night. Matsui went down on strikes not once, not twice, but thrice! Hideki did work out a walk, but he still pulled off the hat trick. Matsui finished 0 for 3 with the walk.
The Ugly:The time isn't right. The Yankee offense has been spinning its wheels without Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada and it looks like they'll have to make due without those guys for a little while longer.
A-Rod's right quad has improved, but not enough to have him back in the lineup this week. Rodriguez had an MRI on Monday and the results will be compared to an earlier image. The Yanks need A-Rod's bat in the lineup in the worst way, but it's better to be safe than sorry.
And it looks like Ian Kennedy's stay in Scranton will be a short one. The Yanks moved (banished)
Kei Igawa to the bullpen and pulled Kennedy after just 12 pitches against Indianapolis on Monday. It's not official yet, but it looks like Kennedy will start Thursday against the Rays and Darrell Rasner will go Friday night against the Mets.
Chien-Ming Wang (6-1, 3.12 ERA) will try and bounce back from his first loss of the year and will battle Edwin Jackson (2-3, 4.04 ERA). Wang shut down the Rays at The Stadium back on April 6 and owns a stingy 1.64 ERA on the road. Jackson will be making his third start against the Yanks in 2008. He's 1-1 with a 4.90 ERA.
Time to get Wang and the Yanks back on the winning track.
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