Tonight's Pitching Matchup: ALCS Game 5

We already took a look at John Lackey before the series started, but let's take a look at how he performed in their first games, as well as how A.J. Burnett has performed against the Angels:

John Lackey

Playoffs:




A.J. Burnett

Playoffs:



2009:



Angels hitters vs. Burnett (including postseason):

                   PA  AB  H  2B 3B HR RBI  BB  SO   BA   OBP   SLG   **OPS**   SH  SF IBB HBP GDP
+-----------------+---+---+---+--+--+--+---+---+---+-----+-----+-----+---------+---+---+---+---+--
Chone Figgins      16  13   5  1  1  0   1   1   3  .385  .467  .615   1.082     1   0   0   1   0
Mike Napoli        15  14   4  0  0  2   2   1   3  .286  .333  .714   1.047     0   0   0   0   0
Jeff Mathis         6   5   2  0  0  0   1   0   1  .400  .500  .400    .900     0   0   0   1   0
Howie Kendrick     12  11   4  1  0  0   3   1   5  .364  .417  .455    .872     0   0   0   0   1
Bobby Abreu        80  67  20  6  0  1  11  12  18  .299  .400  .433    .833     0   1   0   0   1
Maicer Izturis     21  19   5  2  0  0   3   2   4  .263  .333  .368    .701     0   0   0   0   0
Vladimir Guerrero  49  45   9  4  0  2   3   4  12  .200  .265  .422    .687     0   0   1   0   2
Erick Aybar         9   8   2  1  0  0   2   0   2  .250  .222  .375    .597     0   1   0   0   0
Torii Hunter       27  25   3  1  0  2   2   2   7  .120  .185  .400    .585     0   0   0   0   0
Gary Matthews      15  13   2  2  0  0   2   2   2  .154  .267  .308    .575     0   0   0   0   0
Juan Rivera        13  11   2  0  0  0   0   2   2  .182  .308  .182    .490     0   0   0   0   1
Kendry Morales      9   8   1  0  0  0   0   0   6  .125  .222  .125    .347     0   0   0   1   0
Reggie Willits      1   1   0  0  0  0   0   0   1  .000  .000  .000    .000     0   0   0   0   0
+-----------------+---+---+---+--+--+--+---+---+---+-----+-----+-----+---------+---+---+---+---+--
Total             273 240  59 18  1  7  30  27  66  .246  .327  .417    .744     1   2   1   3   5

Career vs. Angels (regular season):



2009 Regular Season vs. Angels:



ESPN's Howard Bryant has five reasons why the Angels can still win the ALCS. Inside Edge has a great scouting report on Lackey's need to stay low, the pitch selection of the Yankees' set-up men, and Burnett's breaking stuff. The Daily News says it's Burnett's job to pitch the Yankees into the World Series. Tyler Kepner says that despite 2004, history is on the Yankees' side, and mostly because of their pitching.