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Series Preview: Yankees vs Angels

After losing two extra inning games to the Baltimore Orioles, a Yankee fan would think the 2.5 game lead the Yankees had over the Red Sox would be gone, however, the lead is still intact after the Sox lost two to the Blue Jays. Heading on a trip to the West Coast, the Pinstripes will look to get back to their winning ways as they are set to take on the Angels for a three game series.

Jered Weaver is a serious Cy Young candidate in 2011

It will be an uphill battle as the Angels will have their top three arms going in each game starting with Cy Young candidate Jered Weaver (16-6, 2.49 ERA) in tonight’s game (Friday) then Dan Haren (14-8, 3.20 ERA) and Ervin Santana (11-10, 3.18 ERA) in the weekend games. Weaver has the second best earned run average in the American League (only behind Detroit’s Justin Verlander). The last two games, Weaver has let up 13 earned runs in 11 innings (against the Twins and Rangers), which saw a jump in his ERA from 2.03 to a season-high 2.49. This is just a blip in Weaver’s strong season and the Yankees should expect his best. Haren follows suit with a very strong season in his own right. The last time he faced the Yankees (August 9) he went 6.2 innings letting up four runs. Santana has a no-hitter this season, which goes proves he has the ability to shut down a line up.

The offense for the Yankees will need to scratch out runs against the three top pitchers for the Angels in order to win these games. The emphasis for the Yankees bats will be to stay patient at the plate and work the count. The more pitches each Yankee batter sees will shorten the Angels pitchers’ outing. The goal will be to get into the Angels bullpen and score runs later in games. Nick Swisher, Mark Teixeira and Brett Gardner are usually the hitters that see the most pitches during an at-bat. Players like Robinson Cano, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez need to implement this into their approaches more this series in order to be productive. The Yankees order is deep and won’t allow the Angels pitchers to take a break during a game.

The Angels will count on the pitching staff to shut down the New York order because scoring runs has been a difficult thing for the Angel bats. The team ranks in the middle of the league in runs scored, home runs and team batting average. Rookie Mark Trumbo has been impressive this season (leads the team in home runs and RBI) taking over first base for the oft-injured Kendrys Morales. Veterans Tori Hunter and Vernon Wells have struggled this year but can strike when you least expect it. The team ranks seventh in baseball in stolen bases with speedsters Erick Aybar and Peter Bourjos leading the way. Los Angels is tricky when they get on base and play small ball in order to score runs.

Freddy Garcia will look to win the series finale against the Angels

Yankee pitchers will have to contain the Angles on the base paths starting with Bartolo Colon on Friday with CC Sabathia and Freddy Garcia on Saturday and Sunday. All three need to be solid in their starts as the Yankees are in need of wins this weekend to stay ahead of the Red Sox. Sabathia against Haren will be a must watch pitchers’ duel where runs will come at a premium. Sunday’s game could end up being a higher scoring affair for either team. Colon and Garcia are still jockeying for playoff rotation spots and will be crucial to the team’s success in winning the AL East or fading to the American League Wild Card.

I give the pitching edge in this series to the Angels, in two out of three games with the only Yankees’ edge being for Sabathia (although very close). Even though the Yankees don’t have the pitching advantage, I see them taking two out of three from the Angels, who in their own right are in a fight with the Rangers for the AL West crown.

 

Justin McElrath

NYYUniverse.com Staff Writer

Follow me on Twitter @Justin_McElrath