Game 34: The glorious return of Wilson Betemit

Wilson Betemit has finally recovered from the world’s worst case of conjunctivitis. Twenty-two days after landing on the DL due to a bad bout of pink eye, Betemit has been activated, and he draws the start at third base tonight.

Prior to his stint on the DL, Betemit had been swinging like a blind man. On the season, he is 2 for 13 with 1 RBI and 7 strike outs. He will assume backup infield duties, splitting time with Morgan Ensberg at third while A-Rod is out and potentially Alberto Gonzalez if the Former Attorney General isn’t sent down. Gonzalez, the Yanks’ young defensive whiz, has been sent back to Scranton.

I have to believe that the Yanks may try to move Betemit at some point this season. They could get back some pretty decent returns and seem to have better fielding options in the system. If Betemit hits, he is a valuable asset to the team; if he doesn, his value comes via a trade.

On the pitching front, Andy Pettitte takes the mound in search of a win. His last two starts have been rather uninspiring. He’s thrown 11 innings, surrendering nine earned runs on 15 hits — four of which were of the home run variety — while striking out six and walking four. A strong start would do the Yankee rotation wonders, and with a rested bullpen, Pettitte really just needs to get through five or six today.

The Yankees will face Fausto Carmona for the first time since the ALDS when Carmona thoroughly shut down the Yanks. On the surface, Carmona has pretty good numbers; he’s 3-1 with a 2.60 ERA. But — and this is a big but — he’s allowed 34 hits and 26 walks while striking out just 13 in 34.2 innings. A pitcher cannot succeed for long with a 1.73 WHIP. Will the hot Yankee offense finally break Carmona?

Damon LF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Matsui DH
Giambi 1B
Cabrera CF
Cano 2B
Betemit 3B
Molina C

Pettitte P

Game Notes: Get ready for some more A-Rod fun. It seems that like most human males, A-Rod couldn’t stomach watching his wife give birth and has thus earned the nickname Faint-Rod. The AP — the nation’s most respected newswire service — determined that this story was somehow news. What a disgrace.