Game #41: The “$39.5 Million Man” tries to deliver a series win
By Scott Caruso | May 15th, 2008 | Posted in Game Thread
No pressure, Kaz, but after inking that big deal yesterday before the game, you’re now charged with delivering the Rays a series win in the 4-game finale with the Yankees. I don’t want to call it devastating, but a loss here would really erase a lot of the good feeling that’s built up over the past week. A split just doesn’t sound as good as a series win, plain and simple, especially after winning the first two.
On the plus side, at least Ian Kennedy is going for New York.
What to watch for: Kennedy has been bad in the big leagues. Really bad. And the Rays teed off on him when they faced him. This could be a huge offensive game.
Scouting Report on today’s starters from MLB.com:
Scott Kazmir – The reigning American League strikeout king will make his third start of the 2008 season after missing the first month of the season while recovering from inflammation in his left elbow. Kazmir won his first game Saturday night against the Angels when he pitched six scoreless innings, allowing three hits and three walks while striking out six. Kazmir is at his best when he is locating his fastball, which makes his slider even more devastating. He is 2-3 with a 3.00 ERA in nine career appearances against the Yankees.
Ian Kennedy - Kennedy was demoted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after going 0-2 with a 8.37 ERA in his first six appearances of the year. But after Kei Igawa was not much of an improvement, allowing six earned runs in three-plus innings and suffering a loss to the Tigers on Friday, the Yankees elected to make a switch. Kennedy has shown signs of turning his season around at Triple-A, allowing no runs on two hits over 8 1/3 innings while walking none and striking out eight. He threw a scoreless inning on Tuesday at Indianapolis and was pulled early to be prepared for the Rays.
Check out the Rays’ career numbers against Ian Kennedy.
View the game preview from Baseball Reference.
| TAMPA BAY RAYS |
NEW YORK YANKEES |
| 2B – Akinori Iwamura | LF – Johnny Damon |
| LF – Carl Crawford | CF- Melky Cabrera |
| CF – B.J. Upton | SS – Derek Jeter |
| 1B – Carlos Pena | DH – Jason Giambi |
| DH – Cliff Floyd | RF – Shelley Duncan |
| 3B – Evan Longoria | 3B – Morgan Ensberg |
| RF – Eric Hinske | 2B – Robinson Cano |
| C – Shawn Riggans | 3B – Alberto Gonzalez |
| SS – Ben Zobrist | C – Jose Molina |
Be sure to join us in the chat room for some good Rays talk during the game!!!
May 15th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
That lineup for the Yankees is garbage. I will be disappointed if we don’t pull this one out with Kaz on the mound.
Go Rays!
May 15th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
akkkkkkkkkiiiiiiii knock to open the game!!!!!!