Pitching Match ups vs Seattle Mariners

Fri: RHP Felix Hernandez (8-10, 2.62) vs RHP A.J. Burnett (9-10, 4.66)

Burnett has been pitching well and the Yanks offense has been hot but will they be able to beat King Felix ?


Burnett should look out for : Chone Figgins, Figgins has hit .417 against Burnett. Outside of Figgins and Ichiro not many Mariners have faced Burnett.

Hernandez should look out for :  Nick Swisher. Swish has hit .263 against the king along with three long balls. Much to my surprise many of the Yankees have decent numbers against Hernandez.
Sat: LHP Jason Vargas (9-5, 3.15) vs RHP Javier Vazquez (9-9, 4.89)

Not to often do you get two pitchers with a last name starting with a V pitching against each other. I hadn't realize how well Vargas had been pitching this year especially since the Mariners have well for lack of a better term sucked this year. Vazquez has had a few rough outing, and seems to have the good ol' El Duque dead arm.
Vazquez should look out for : Franklin Gutierrez. Franklin has hit .333 with one home run against Javy.

Vargas should look out for : Robinson Cano : Cano is 3-3 against Vargas, most Yankees only have faced his two or three times. Kearns has seen Vargas the most,six at bats.


Sun: LHP Luke French (2-3, 4.02) vs LHP C.C. Sabathia (16-5, 3.12)

Looks to be the biggest mismatch of the series, CC will look for 17 wins.

Sabathia should look out for : Ichiro Suzuki. Ichiro has hit CC well, but then again who hasn't he hit well ? Against the big lefty, the smaller lefty batter has hit .348 and two home runs.

French should look out for : Robinson Cano and Mark Teixieria. Again not many Yankees have seen French a lot but Cano is 4-6 (.667) and Tex is hitting .500 with a home run.

As always its dangerous to look at the match ups and say a game is an easy win for the Yanks. At first glace the last two games of the series may look like easy wins, but with Javy having a dead arm and the Yankees lack of success against pitchers they haven't seen much of you never know.Remember as John Sterling says "You cant predict baseball".

Yankees Vs Mariners Series Notes

Following a complete game pitched by possible future Yankee Cliff Lee last night, the bombers look to rebound against the lowly Mariners in these next two games. The task does not get any easier for the Yanks as they face Felix Hernandez tonight at the stadium.

Javier Vazquez will be on the mound for the Yanks agianst Felix. Vazquez has had a great month of June so far (3-1 3.00 ERA) following a horrible start to the season. Earlier this season Yankee fans were quick to kick Javy to the curb and wanted him traded. Since his struggle he has become a vital part of the Yankees rotation. With A.J Burnett struggling, and limiting the innings pitched by Phil Hughes, Vazquez has picked up his game and looked like the pitcher that they traded for.

Felix Hernandez will oppose Vazquez tonight. King Felix has faced the Yankees five times in his career and has a 2-3 record with a 4.59 ERA. So the Yankees have had there share of success against him, including Robinson Cano (.385 1 HR) and Curtis Granderson (.360 1HR).

If the Yanks win tonight's match up it would give them a greater opportunity to win the series, because on Thursday CC Sabathia takes the ball for them. CC would be facing Ryan Rowland Smith who has struggled this season 1-7 6.18 ERA. Sabathia has been dominant in his last three starts going 3-0 1.57 ERA, his dominance was felt last Friday by the Dodgers who were held to four hits over eight innings. Sabathia will look for his sixth straight win against a Mariners club who struggles to score runs. CC will have to look out for Franklin Gutierrez who has hit .444,1 HR against Sabathia in his career.

Quick Hits

• The Yankees will be playing in four straight 1:05pm starts, starting Thursday.
• Last season the Yankees played the Blue Jays on the July 4th weekend, the series before them they played the Mariners at home. The same as this season.
• All Star voting ends Thursday night
• Francisco Cervelli must be glad June is over , he hit just .190 this month