MLB Match-Up Thursday - Yanks try to stop free-fall against red-hot Angels

July 30, 2008

Yankees and Angels Do BattleYankees and Angels Battle in NY starting Thursday

MLB Match-Up Thursday - Yanks try to stop free-fall against red-hot Angels

by T.J. Kendrick

Los Angeles Angels at New York Yankees - Thursday, July 31 at 7:05 p.m. ET

The Yankees recently traded for Pittsburgh outfielder Xavier Nady to bolster their lineup. It was a smart, solid move, but it looks pretty insignificant to what Los Angeles did on Tuesday: trade for Mark Teixeira.

Teixeria bolsters an already impressive-looking World Series run for the Angels (66-40). “Tex” can slug the ball about as well as anyone in Major League Baseball. He already has 20 homers and 78 RBIs this season, certainly on pace to be around his career averages of 34 dingers and 111 ribbies.

Nady, on the other hand, has been a bust so far in New York (59-48). That’s pretty unfair considering he’s had just four games since joining the Yanks, but he’s a pitiful 1/11 since the trade. Nady’s numbers are very superior compared to past seasons. New York has to be wondering whether it bought high and the outfielder is ready for a steep decline.

That’s bad news for the Bronx Bombers, because they need all the hitting they can get right now. The pitching completely imploded over the past three games, all losses. During that stretch the team allowed an unbelievable 29 runs.

Andy Pettitte (12-7) will try to get New York back on track. He got New York its last victory, which was the final one of an eight-game winning streak. Pettitte is having a fine season, posting a 3.76 ERA and 1.29 WHIP.

He’s also been very solid against the Angels. In 22 lifetime starts he’s 12-6 with a 4.02 ERA. That’s great news for the slumping Yankees.

Los Angeles will respond with Jon Garland (9-6). The team has won three of his last four starts, though he got bailed out by the offense in one of them. His 4.30 ERA isn’t exactly impressive and he’s seemingly been lucky more than anything.

He’ll need a little luck against the Yankees, whom he’s struggled against in the past. In nine career starts he’s 3-5 with a 4.26 ERA. That doesn’t seem so bad, but his ERA explodes to a whopping 6.75 in three career starts at Yankee Stadium.

Los Angeles and New York haven’t met up this season. L.A. has mostly prevailed lately, winning six of their past 10 meetings. Throw in the fact that the Angels are 11-2 since the All-Star break (and New York’s pitching is tanking) and it smells like another victory for Los Angeles.

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Written by T.J. Kendrick · Filed Under Baseball, Handicapping 

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