Tonight's Pitching Matchup: Yankees vs. Twins Game 2

With the Yankees ahead 1-0 in the series, here's a look towards the pitching match-ups for tonight's Yankees-Twins game:

Andy Pettitte vs. the Twins hitters (including playoffs)

	PA	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	SH	HBP	GDP
Delmon Young	21	21	11	3	0	0	4	0	1	.524	.524	.667	1.190	0	0	1
Michael Cuddyer	22	21	8	2	0	1	1	1	1	.381	.409	.619	1.028	0	0	1
Jim Thome	39	35	9	2	0	2	6	2	11	.257	.316	.486	.802	1	1	0
Denard Span	14	12	4	1	0	0	1	1	1	.333	.385	.417	.801	1	0	0
Joe Mauer	21	20	6	0	0	1	4	1	3	.300	.333	.450	.783	0	0	1
Orlando Hudson	21	19	5	1	0	0	0	2	3	.263	.333	.316	.649	0	0	1
Drew Butera	5	5	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	.200	.200	.400	.600	0	0	0
Alexi Casilla	4	4	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	.250	.250	.250	.500	0	0	0
Nick Punto	10	10	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.200	.200	.200	.400	0	0	0
J.J. Hardy	15	15	1	0	1	0	0	0	2	.067	.067	.200	.267	0	0	1
Jason Kubel	7	6	0	0	0	0	0	1	4	.000	.143	.000	.143	0	0	0
Carl Pavano	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000	0	0	0
Jon Rauch	2	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	.000	.000	.000	.000	0	0	0
Total	182	171	48	10	1	4	17	8	28	.281	.317	.421	.738	2	1	5

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 10/7/2010.

Two righties in the lineup for the Twins, Delmon Young and Michael Cuddyer, each have easily handled Andy Pettitte in their careers. So has lefty Jim Thome (2 career HR), Denard Span and Joe Mauer (both .300 hiters vs. Pettitte). But Orlando Hudson has not been as lucky vs the Yankees' lefty and J.J. Hardy (1-15) and Jason Kubel (0-6) have really struggled. So the key for Andy will be navigating through the middle of the order. In Andy Pettite's regular season career vs. Minnesota he is 11-5 with a 3.46 ERA in 145.2 innings (21 starts), giving up a little more than a hit an inning.

This will be Pettitte's third time facing the Twins in the playoffs having pitched Game 2 of the 2003 ALDS and Game 3 of the 2009 ALDS. In 2003, Pettitte got the win, pitching 7 innings of 1 run ball (on a solo homer to Torii Hunter), giving up only 4 hits, striking out 10 and walking 3 to tie that series at 1-1. None of the Twins starting 9 are still on their squad in 2010 (and only Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada are left from the Yankees starting lineup that day--though technically I guess Nick Johnson is as well). Last year's game was the series-clinching win at Minnesota. Pettitte pitched 6.1 innings of 3-hit, one-run ball, walking only one and striking out 7 (including Jason Kubel twice). Like tonight, Pettitte's opponent that night in Minnesota was none other than Carl Pavano...

Carl Pavano vs. the Yankees hitters (including playoffs)

	PA	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	SH	SF	HBP	GDP
Lance Berkman	12	9	3	2	0	1	1	2	1	.333	.500	.889	1.389	0	0	1	1
Austin Kearns	3	2	1	0	0	0	2	1	0	.500	.667	.500	1.167	0	0	0	0
Alex Rodriguez	6	6	2	0	0	1	1	0	1	.333	.333	.833	1.167	0	0	0	0
Jorge Posada	9	8	2	0	0	1	1	1	2	.250	.333	.625	.958	0	0	0	0
Mark Teixeira	12	9	2	0	0	1	5	2	1	.222	.333	.556	.889	0	1	0	0
Derek Jeter	18	18	5	3	0	0	0	0	2	.278	.278	.444	.722	0	0	0	3
Marcus Thames	3	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	.333	.333	.333	.667	0	0	0	0
Curtis Granderson	21	21	6	0	0	0	0	0	7	.286	.286	.286	.571	0	0	0	0
Brett Gardner	6	6	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	.167	.167	.167	.333	0	0	0	1
Kerry Wood	7	6	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	.167	.167	.167	.333	1	0	0	0
Nick Swisher	8	8	1	0	0	0	0	0	7	.125	.125	.125	.250	0	0	0	0
Robinson Cano	8	8	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000	0	0	0	1
Francisco Cervelli	2	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000	0	0	0	0
Andy Pettitte	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	.000	.000	.000	.000	1	0	0	0
Total	117	107	25	5	0	4	10	6	26	.234	.278	.393	.671	2	1	1	6

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 10/7/2010.

If Andy Pettitte or Kerry wood actually make it to the plate, something will have gone horribly wrong tonight. Lance Berkman will get the start at DH tonight and he has had career success against Pavano (of course, in a small sample size). The only other Yankees to go deep against Pavano are A-Rod, Jorge Posada and Mark Teixeira (Posada and A-Rod's came in last year's ALDS). Robinson Cano (0-8 with a GIDP), Nick Swisher (1-8 with 7 Ks), Brett Gardner (1-6), and Curtis Granderson (6-21 with 7 Ks) have all struggled vs. Pavano with no extra-base hits and no walks among that group. In his regular season career, Pavano is 0-1 with a 4.76 ERA against his former team in 22.2 innings (4 starts), giving up 22 hits, striking out 15 and walking only 3.

Pavano has previously faced the Yankees three times in the playoffs and twice, Pettitte was starting on the other end. In the 2003 World Series, Pavano pitched an inning of relief in Game 2, throwing one inning, giving up two runners but striking out two (including Derek Jeter) and not giving up a run. 3 days later, Pavano made the start in Game 4 (one of the most frustrating Yankees games of my lifetime as the game was ended with Jeff Weaver on the mound and Mariano Rivera still in the bullpen), a game Pavano pitched great, throwing 8 innings of one-run ball (an Aaron Boone sac fly), giving up 7 hits, but walking no one and striking out 4. Last season Pavano pitched the deciding Game 3 and once again pitched very well, throwing 7 innings, giving up only two solo shots among 5 scattered hits, striking out 9, and walking no one--but the two runs were one too many for the Twins to overcome and Pavano got charged with a tough-luck loss.

Those are the match-ups for Game 2. Here is my recap from Game 2 of the ALDS from last year having been there in person. I also found a recap I had done of "the worst of the postseason" from last year and had totally forgotten about Black Jack Taco. Oh the memories. Enjoy tonight.