YankeesRedSox.com: WWJD?

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I am curious to see exactly "What Will Joe Do" tonight. Barring the return of Brian Gordon from Japan, we know that none of the eight pitchers who made a start for the Yankees this year will make one tonight. We also know that apart from Logan, Ayala and Hughes, the regular bullpen guys are not going to pitch. My guess is we see Betances make his first big league start. He would be on a strict pitch count, but he is probably the only guy down in the bullpen who you could expect to get you to the 4th or 5th inning right now.

I also want to see what Girardi does with the lineup. I imagine we will see the regular lineup tonight, but at some point those guys are going to be sent to the bench. When that happens probably has something to do with the score of the game, but I wouldn't expect to see any of the regulars in the later innings. So, we may start out with a lineup that looks like this:

Jeter
Granderson
Teixeira
A-Rod
Cano
Swisher
Montero
Jones
Martin

And end with one that looks like this

Nunez
Golson
Posada
Chavez
Pena
Dickerson
Montero
Jones
Romine

So, if you are a Red Sox fan, you better hope the Yankees score early and often because the Yankee closer tonight is probably Luis Ayala and the lineup isn't going to look very good in the late innings.

It's going to make for a weird night of baseball, here are a few things I will be watching for league-wide in no particular order.

Will the Cardinals have to make another huge comeback against Houston? Lost in the stories of the Braves collapse is how bad the lowly Astros have made St. Louis look this week. Houston may have lost 105 games this year, but they are making the Cardinals work. Monday they jumped out to a 4-0 lead and then won in extras. Last night they had a 5-0 lead and lost it. Either way, kudos to the Astros.

On the flip side, do the Braves have anything left? They are at home, playing a Phillies team that has nothing on the line and not getting the job done. Last night they got demolished. If they fall behind again tonight, it could get ugly.

Will the Red Sox really trade for Bruce Chen? I don't ever recall a trade made for a player who could only start one game and that game isn't even a certainty.
Can the Tigers win and the Rangers lose? That's what the Yankees need to have happen tonight to avoid Detroit in the first round. But, it is probably worth noting that the two best teams in the AL since September 1st are Detroit and Texas. Pick your poison.

The MLB.TV app let's you watch four games at once. I will be taking full advantage of that tonight.

Comments

This years version of (take your pick) Aaron F'n Boone or Bucky F'n Dent :

F'n triple play? I don't have MLB package this year, was keeping tabs on all four games with espn's gamecast, see the Yankees take the lead 3-2 and with the bases loaded! F'n Russell Martin (beautiful catcher's speed) hits into the (potentially) season altering triple play. Altering for the Sox of course. That was set up to become a 5-2 or 6-2 game.

Now both the Braves and the Sox get to play 50/50.

My predictions for tonight/tomorrow:

Sox win, Rays win
Braves win, Cardinals lose

Tomorrow: Sox lose to Rays after Wakefield/Lackey combine for 14 hitter through 4 innings...

Posted by: blmeanie | September 28, 2011 06:06 PM |

watching the Sox/Orioles on espn, Braves on espn2 and the Yankees/Rays on espn3 on the computer

epic

Posted by: blmeanie | September 28, 2011 07:37 PM |

yeah! I've always loved that Texiera, lol

Posted by: blmeanie | September 28, 2011 07:54 PM |

I've got a four-screen split of Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals and Braves.

And BL, I was laughing at how Teixeira is probably the most loved guy in Boston right now. Maybe John Henry will tweet about him!

Posted by: Peter | September 28, 2011 08:18 PM |

3-2 Sox
3-2 Braves

This season I can remember many many times when the scores of the Sox and Braves mirrored each other at points throughout the night. Tonight is another one of those nights.

Huge DP for both teams within minutes of each other too...

Posted by: blmeanie | September 28, 2011 09:17 PM |

I've been distracted by a story about Brian Cashman that I hope isn't true. Ugh, Deadspin.

Posted by: Peter | September 28, 2011 09:33 PM |

non-baseball related...not worth worrying about as long as he doesn't have to pitch or hit in the next few days...

Posted by: blmeanie | September 28, 2011 09:35 PM |

At any other time of the year, I would totally agree. But this will be a major distraction tomorrow.

Posted by: Peter | September 28, 2011 10:18 PM |

what's up with Ayala?

Posted by: blmeanie | September 28, 2011 10:20 PM |

This is why Ayala isn't the closer....

Posted by: Peter | September 28, 2011 10:24 PM |

Bad news, but I would imagine Scott Proctor is coming in for the 9th.

Posted by: Peter | September 28, 2011 10:31 PM |

thanks for the heads up

watching some of the players in the Yankees lineup now and the phillies lineup it appears all the money both teams have spent was at the major league level. Bunch of guys look like deer in headlights in the games now

Posted by: blmeanie | September 28, 2011 10:34 PM |

Bl Twitter says I am wrong, Corey Wade warming up which means Girardi is breaking his vow not to use any of his "primary" guys.

And what a catch by Martinez in Philly. Game saver.

Posted by: Peter | September 28, 2011 10:37 PM |

Napoli homers and it looks like Texas will earn the #2 seed in the AL.

Posted by: Peter | September 28, 2011 10:40 PM |

yeah, Chipper opened up a bit too much and just missed it

Posted by: blmeanie | September 28, 2011 10:42 PM |

That was amazing.

Posted by: Peter | September 28, 2011 10:47 PM |

now he brings Proctor in?

Posted by: blmeanie | September 28, 2011 10:49 PM |

Wade is much, much better than the 2011 version of Proctor.

This is going to be interesting. Assuming Proctor doesn't lose it in the 9th, he is probably going to be asked to pitch until his arm falls off because he is their !1th!!! pitcher of the night.

Posted by: Peter | September 28, 2011 10:52 PM |

what a turn of events, Sox hang in limbo, Braves cough up the lead, Yankees AAA team gives up 7 to tie it up.

UNCLE! take it, can't watch anymore...

Posted by: blmeanie | September 28, 2011 10:55 PM |

Hey BL- Wade was a teammate of Johnson's in the minors for Tampa earlier this year....

Posted by: Peter | September 28, 2011 11:04 PM |

already have conspiracy theories going in your new thread

Posted by: blmeanie | September 28, 2011 11:07 PM |

Yes, we are everywhere, aren't we?

Posted by: Peter | September 28, 2011 11:12 PM |