Instead of Sergio Mitre, who took a grounder off the forearm in his start last week, Chad Gaudin will take the hill for the Yanks tonight as they open a four-game set in Toronto. He’s been up and down in his stint with the Yanks to this point, alternating scoreless appearances with multi-run ones. The bad news: he allowed no runs in relief of Mitre last time out. The good news: he also allowed no runs in his only start for the Yanks this season.
The further good news is that the Yanks will trot out their A lineup in back of Gaudin. So even if Gaudin gives up four or five runs, the Yanks will still have a fighting chance. With that lineup, they’re never really out of a game. Obviously, the hope is that Gaudin can go five or six solid against a Blue Jays team that has been all downhill since May.
The Jays will send out Ricky Romero, who is having himself a fine rookie campaign, though he’s slowed a bit since the All-Star Break. In that span he’s thrown 49.2 innings, averaging about five and a half innings per start (though what the hell is a half inning?). His 5.62 ERA doesn’t look pretty, and a lot of it has to do with the Red Sox. He’s faced them three times in the past month and a half, and hasn’t fared particularly well in any of them. His best effort was a 5.1-inning, three-run affair. Romero threw 116 pitches that game.
This will be Romero’s third appearance against the Yankees. He’s allowed three runs in each prior start, going 6.1 and 6 innings. The Yanks will look for a little more than that tonight with Gaudin on the mound.
The Yanks recalled Jon Alabaladejo today, further lengthening the bullpen. Apparently he looks pretty banged up after missing a throw from Edwar Ramirez, taking it right off the noggin.
Lineup:
1. Derek Jeter, SS
2. Johnny Damon, LF
3. Mark Teixeira, 1B
4. Alex Rodriguez, 3B
5. Hideki Matsui, DH
6. Jorge Posada, C
7. Robinson Cano, 2B
8. Nick Swisher, RF
9. Melky Cabrera, CF
And on the mound, number forty-one, Chad Gaudin.