The Yankees have lost three straight and five of their last six. It has caused much tension among the fanbase. We’re trying to retain a shred of optimism — being a doom and gloomer is no fun, after all — but the Yankees certainly aren’t making it easy.
They send Joba Chamberlain to the mound tonight. He’s been a mixed bag all season, though for the most part he’s at least kept the team in the game. The first piece of the puzzle is just that: the starting pitcher keeping the team in the game.
Of course, the most important part is getting hits. The Yanks haven’t done that lately, and it’s horribly frustrating. Apparently they had a team meeting last night at which Mark Teixeira spoke. He makes me think of Tino Martinez (just as a switch hitter). No one likes meetings, but something’s gotta give.
You can check out some pre-game chatter here. There is still no word on a roster move for Cody Ransom. Is it that hard to DFA Berroa?
Starting for the Braves tonight is Kenshin Kawakami, a recent Japanese import. He’s made 13 starts this year, covering 75.1 innings and allowing 37 earned runs for a 4.42 ERA. He held his own against the Red Sox in his last start, allowing just two runs over six innings while striking out five. Since the Reds bombed him for eight runs on April 26, he hasn’t allowed more than three runs in a start. He also gave up no home runs in the month of May, and has given up three in 24 innings this month. He’s also done a better job of keeping the ball on the ground this month.
Lineup:
1. Derek Jeter, SS
2. Johnny Damon, LF
3. Mark Teixeira, 1B
4. Alex Rodriguez, 3B
5. Robinson Cano, 2B
6. Nick Swisher, RF
7. Brett Gardner, CF
8. Francisco Cervelli, C
9. Joba Chamberlain, P