推 softtouch:官網上 公佈對藍鳥的投手 2個二年級生 1個一年級生.... 09/16 14:28
推 cpur2001:抓準了洋基的菜鳥恐懼症哩 09/16 18:56
09/15/2006 9:48 PM ET
Back-to-back doubleheaders on tap
Wang to pitch first game of Saturday's day-night session
By Will Weiss / YESNetwork.com
NEW YORK — Rainouts in each of the first two Yankees-Red Sox series this
season forced the five-game, four-day scenario last month and the four-game,
three-day situation scheduled for this weekend.
Rain played a factor in Thursday's game as well, as Joe Torre held
Chien-Ming Wang out of the starting role for precautionary reasons,
fearing a series of rain delays. The Yankees and Devil Rays got that
game in, however, playing through a constant drizzle and avoiding a
doubleheader in St. Petersburg next week.
In Friday's case, with radar showing nothing but green in the New York
area, the umpires acted swiftly. Not wanting to wait until 10 or 11 p.m.
to start the series opener with the Red Sox, they decided to postpone the
game at approximately 6 p.m.
Now the two long-time rivals will conclude their season series with
day-night doubleheaders on consecutive days. The league set the times
at 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. for both days, which the players approved.
If there's a saving grace to the situation, it's that the rosters have
expanded, so manager Joe Torre will have no problem resting players
as he sees fit. Torre was creative in this area in Boston, starting
Nick Green at third base and short, and slotting Bobby Abreu,
Johnny Damon, Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter as the designated hitter
in successive games.
Thursday night, Torre's starting outfield was Kevin Thompson in left,
Bernie Williams in center and Aaron Guiel in right.
"Whatever we need to do, we'll do," Torre said. "I'm proud of how
smart I was last night, not pitching Chien-Ming Wang in the wet weather."
The decision kept Wang fresh for the Red Sox, a team he's beaten twice
this season. Tonight's pitching matchup - Wang and Josh Beckett - will
lead off tomorrow's doubleheader. Having Wang start at that time could
be the best situation for the Yankees. On two separate occasions this
season - in Boston on Aug. 18, and at Yankee Stadium vs. Detroit on
Aug. 30 - Wang won Game 1 of a day-night doubleheader.
"I don't know what's going to happen with him," Posada said. "This is
seven days with him now, so that's the only thing I'm worried about."
Wang seemed neither concerned nor affected by having to wait another day.
"It doesn't matter," Wang said.
He might be right. Last year, Wang pitched on nine days' rest and
eight days' rest in the first half of the season, and won both of
those starts.
Following Wang, the Yankees rotation sets up like this: Randy Johnson
will pitch Saturday night, Wright will go for the Yankees on Sunday
afternoon, and Mike Mussina will pitch Sunday night, as was
originally planned.
Fans holding tickets for Friday's game can exchange them for Sunday
afternoon's game only, or for any remaining home game this season,
or up to a year from this date.
SO LONG, KITTY
Jim Kaat was scheduled to throw out the ceremonial first pitch Friday
night, celebrating his final Yankee broadcast. But the rainout meant
that Thursday's telecast with John Flaherty on YES marked the end of
his career.
When asked of the likelihood of possibly calling another Yankee game
on the next homestand, Kaat shook his head. His wife, Mary Ann,
standing right behind him, looked at a group of writers and said, "Zero."
NEXT WEEK FOR MO?
Mariano Rivera is scheduled to throw off a mound Saturday. That
work will determine whether or not another bullpen session is
necessary before getting Rivera into a game.
One thing is for certain: he is not pitching against the Red Sox
this weekend.
MATSUI AFIELD
Joe Torre has quickly changed his tune regarding how he plans to use
Hideki Matsui. Matsui will see action in left field on the Yankees'
season-ending homestand. Torre entertained the idea of having Matsui
play defense on the road next week in Toronto and St. Petersburg,
but doctors felt that the grass of Yankee Stadium would be more
forgiving than the Field Turf of Rogers Centre or Tropicana Field.
Matsui, whose rehab began with glovework and throwing, is excited
about the opportunity to return to the outfield.
"If I don't get that kind of play again in the outfield (having to
make a sliding or diving catch), I'll be OK," he said.
FIRST SHEFF
Wang was not the only person affected by the rain. Plans to have
Gary Sheffield take grounders at first base have been shelved each
of the past two days. Sheffield, who is close to returning from an
injury to his left wrist, has continued to take batting practice.
The plan, weather permitting, is to continue to give Sheffield work
at first base, and then have him play a simulated game either this
weekend or next week, when the team is on the road.
DOTEL CAN'T GET LOOSE
Tuesday night marked the first time Octavio Dotel had pitched in a
week. In a ninth-inning mop-up role, he allowed four runs in the
Yankees 12-4 rout of the Devil Rays.
Dotel, who was one of the game's premier setup men as recently as
three years ago, is a virtual nonentity on this team. Torre will
only use him to start an inning, and not in situations where his
potential ineffectiveness could cost the Yankees a victory.
The only time he pitched in a close game - Aug. 25 in Los Angeles - he
surrendered a hit, an intentional walk, and allowed the winning run
to score.
Dotel said it usually takes him 25 pitches to get loose in the bullpen,
but when he gets in the game, he doesn't feel loose.
"When I get in the game, your mind is completely in the game," Dotel
said. "In the bullpen, it's harder to get loose the way you want to."
Brian Bruney, who has 18 strikeouts in 12 2/3 innings pitched and is
holding opponents to a .159 average, has quickly gained Torre's trust
and ascended to the role supposedly designated for Dotel. Dotel doesn't
have much time to achieve the same status.
"All I can tell you is that I want to pitch in more games," Dotel said.
"But I understand our situation. We're trying to qualify
(for the postseason). Maybe I'm not the right guy to bring into
certain situations because we're trying to qualify.
"I can't wait to see when we finally qualify, because when we do that,
I know I'm going to have more of an opportunity to pitch."
Dotel is signed through this year. His performance in those final
10 games could not only determine a spot on the playoff roster,
but whether the Yankees bring him back for 2007.
http://0rz.net/521S1
--
※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc)
◆ From: 140.109.231.95