Let's re-load and do it all again

Welcome to Red Sox – Yankees. I know you are just returning to normal from less than two weeks ago, but why not do it all again. This time there’s a different feel and it is created by a 7 game buffer. Saving from a sweep by either team, the AL East landscape will look the same on Monday morning as it does today. Sox are fighting with the Rangers and the Yankees have a big cushion. Kudos to Girardi who is going for the jugular this weekend, shuffling the rotation while out west to line up Pettitte, Burnett, Sabathia for the weekend series. I’ve blogged in the past about the benefits of this approach…Terry Francona, is obviously not a reader. Neither Penny nor Tazawa qualify to carry Jon Lester’s rosin bag out to the mound, yet they take the mound in Fenway while Lester is wasted on a reeling Jays squad who could not muster a win with Halladay on the mound last night. Brett Cecil, give me a break. Friday night and Saturday afternoon have a definite Yankee flavour when you are picking your front runners.

Sunday night’s match up though, should bring the same level of excitement as two weeks ago in the Bronx. If you are looking for a showcase of two of the 2009 Cy Young front runners, enter Josh Beckett vs. CC Sabathia. Before all the Halladay worshippers from Bloor West Village start jumping down my throat as they did in May when I suggested Sabathia would be in the mix. Let’s look at some numbers. Since the first week of May

Player A – 13-4, 139.1 IP, 116K’s and an ERA slightly under 3.25
Player B – 8-5, 136 IP, 112K’s and an ERA slightly under 2.50
Player C – 11-2, 127.1 IP, 113K’s and an ERA slightly under 2.50

Giving away that we’re dismissing Verlander, Felix and Weaver from the mix (for now) you are staring down the stat lines for Sabathia, Halladay and Beckett and of the three, Halladay’s win totals are holding him back. Sure the Jays do not compare offensively to the Sox or Yankees but with 7-8 starts remaining for all three, Sabathia or Beckett could ride a prime time win on Sunday night combined with a playoff birth into a Cy Young award…well if a certain closer who’s rattled off 30 saves in 30 chances (36 of 37 total to date), a 1-2 record, 1.90 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP does not swoop in and take this award. Of all three games, Sunday’s match up on paper should be far and away the most exciting.

Couple items to watch for: Penny’s hit A-rod in the past and is all for throwing inside. In the event of an HBP on Friday night, I do not expect to see any retaliation from Pettitte’s cutter. If Penny’s tosses to his potential; this game is a 6-1 laugher for the Yankees with an upset A-rod starring down the Sox walking down to first base in the fourth inning…If I were Youkilis, I’d be rushing the mound from my spot at third/first base because you know what’s coming Saturday afternoon with AJ on the mound. I’m growing kinder as the gap grows, so I’m predicting two of three for the bombers (I can see another sweep with the pitching match ups) with tempers flaring, a couple hits batters, a brawl and Youk/Burnett taking a ten game holiday. Should be a zoo. Sox only chance could be a hurricane touching down Saturday afternoon.