Game 36: Staying out of the cellar

If the Yanks lose today, they could end up in last place. Yikes.

Today’s game features a battle of the slow-ball pitchers. Paul Byrd, another infuriatingly average pitcher the Yanks can’t seem to knock around, takes the mound for the Indians. Mike Mussina, who now knows he can’t blow hitters away and is in the middle of a hot stretch, grabs the ball for the Yanks. This could be a four-hour slugfest; it could be a three-hour 3-2 game. No matter what, today, we see what happens when slow and slower face off.

Meanwhile, on the lineup front, Jason Giambi is back in to butcher balls at first base and make outs. Considering that Moose pitches to contact these days, I have to wonder if sticking Giambi in the field is a bright idea. It also may take more than four plate appearances every three games to get Shelley Duncan’s bat going. At Scranton, he got regular work, and he hit well. In New York, he plays every few days and doesn’t hit. The jury’s still out on that one.

Game time’s at 1:05 p.m. today, weather permitting. There’s no better way to kill an afternoon at the office than with a Yankee game.

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

Mussina P