| 04 May 2009
Okay, he didn't say that specifically...
But he did say this:
"I can't wait to get there [Yankee Stadium]," Ortiz told the Red Sox's official Web site. "... It seems like it's going to be another hitting park, from what I see. I'm not mad about that."
and this:
"If I don't hit a homer today I'm going to try and hit one tomorrow."
And since he didn't hit a ding dong in yesterday's 5-3 loss to the Rays - I'm expecting one tonight.
Ortiz was 0 for 11 with 5 walks in the four-game series against Tampa and told the media on Sunday that he's done trying to get five hits in one at-bat and will take the walks if that's all the pitchers give him.
But everybody brings a little extra juice to the plate during a Red Sox/Yankees series and I expect the Large Father to be licking his chops when he steps in against rookie Phil Highes tonight. Hughes looked sharp in an 11-0 shellacking of the Tigers last week. He fanned six and allowed just two hits and two walks through six shutout innings.
Not bad, but Big Papi owned a .316 BA in the old Yankees Stadium and hit 16 dingers in 56 games there. Lefties are hitting .281 against Hughes in his short career and he keeps the ball over the plate, so I expect Ortiz to get some hittable pitches tonight.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox will counter with Jon Lester, who has never lost to the Yankees. He's 2-0 with a 3.34 ERA in five regular season starts against the Yankees. However... it should be noted that Lester continues to struggle on the road. In 2008, he was 11-1 witha 2.49 ERA and a .240 BAA at home and 5-5 witha 4.09 ERA and .275 BAA away fron Fenway.
This year he's 1-1 with a 3.50 ERA at home and 0-1 with a 8.25 ERA in two road starts.
Bottom Line: The Yankees will be throwing two youngsters in Hughes and Joba Chamberlain at us this series, while we counter with our "aces" Lester and Josh Beckett.
Both of our guys have been mediocre so far this season, so I say it's time to seperate the men from the boys.
Photo: Yahoo! Sports
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