August 31 Yankees vs Mariners

[riverside sluggers]

wish I could watch this game, what a matchup!! old Mariners phenom vs the Mariners' hot new phenom!! :thumbsup:

 

Teenage phenom to face the Big Unit

New York (74-57) at Seattle (56-75), 10:05 p.m. ET

 

Seattle's Felix Hernandez is 2-0 with a 1.57 ERA in three home starts this season. (Ted S. Warren

 

There are certain pitching matchups during a season that capture national intrigue. One such matchup will occur Wednesday night at Safeco Field, where the Mariners' most dominant pitcher of the 1990s, 41-year-old Randy Johnson, returns to exchange high-octane fastballs with a 19-year-old phenom who has the talent to become the most dominant Mariners pitcher since the Big Unit roamed these parts. But don't expect Felix Hernandez to let the hype surrounding this game alter what has been working. According to his coaches, he knows what it takes to win at this level, no matter who his opponent is.

 

"I don't expect him to be in awe of them," said manager Mike Hargrove of the Yankees. "He certainly may be, but I'm not going to talk to him about it." Each start is another test for Hernandez, and thus far he has passed each with flying colors. "I thought the best test he has faced so far was the game he pitched against the White Sox," said Mariners pitching coach Bryan Price. "He had fellow Venezuelans Freddy Garcia and Ozzie Guillen over there that he wanted to impress. It didn't appear that he pitched any differently [in that game] than in any of the other games that he has pitched," said Price of Hernandez, who allowed three runs while striking out eight in seven innings against the White Sox. "I don't anticipate he'll make this situation any bigger."

 

When talking about the young right-hander's approach to the game, Price said it is consistency that has brought Hernandez success thus far. "I see consistency in his work ethic, consistency in his routine and consistency in his demeanor," said Price. "I think he has a lot better perspective on what it takes to be successful [at this level] now that he's been here." Other than trying to overinflate the situation, Price believes the coaching staff has done all that they can to get Hernandez ready for these big games. "I don't know what else we can do to prepare him for these games," he said, "other than talking him into thinking it's a bigger deal than it is.

 

"We can start talking him into thinking, 'Hey, you're pitching against Randy Johnson,' or 'You're making your first Major League start.' "I can't really fathom, at this point, that he can pitch much better than he has since he's been up here." Even Yankees manager Joe Torre commented on Hernandez's early success. "Unlike a lot of young pitchers," said Torre, "he's got the ability to do a lot of things. "He doesn't rely on any one pitch, and he has the courage to throw any pitch anytime he wants. That's unusual for someone that young to have that kind of command." As a comparison, through his first four Major League starts, Randy Johnson, at 25 years of age, held a 25-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio; Hernandez had a 30-to-4 mark.

 

Though he has had to deal with an incredible amount of media coverage, his coaches said Hernandez has handled it well. And as for Wednesday night's game, said Hargrove, "I might buy a ticket to watch this one."

 

Pitching matchup

NYY: LHP Randy Johnson

• 12-8, 4.20 ERA with NYY in 2005

• 1-0, 3.38 ERA vs. SEA in 2005

 

SEA: RHP Felix Hernandez

• 2-1, 1.75 ERA in 2005

• Has never faced NYY

[yankeessuck013]

another rookie the yanks have to face, and they only got 3 runs off of the rookie harris last night, and king felix is like 102,920,220,094,394,329,235,272x better than harris, I'm expecting a mariners win tonight.

[Optimist]

This should be a fun one to watch...

[yankeessuck013]

yep, I can not wait to watch this game. excellent pitching matchup

[Optimist]

Micheal Kay, a YES commentator, when asked if Mike Mussina would take any pitching tips from him:

 

I personally don't think Mike Mussina would throw a Dixie cup of water on me if I were on fire, so taking advice from me on pitching is quite unlikely, as in, no way.

 

Link

 

:what:

[riverside sluggers]

pitcher vs batter matchups

 

Randy Johnson vs: (career against Mariners in 2 games a 2-0 record with a 1.59 ERA)

Adrian Beltre, 12 for 56 (.214 avg) Double, 3 HRs, 5 RBIs, 3 Walks, 16 Ks, 2 SBs

Wiki Gonzalez, 4 for 13 (.308 avg) 4 Walks, 6 Ks

Raul Ibanez, 0 for 3, K

Miguel Ojeda, 2 for 7 (.286 avg) HR, RBI, 2 Ks

Richie Sexson, 4 for 18 (.222 avg) 2 RBIs, 5 Walks, 10 Ks, SB

Scott Spiezio, 4 for 8 (.500 avg) Double, RBI, K

Ichiro Suzuki, 2 for 4 (.500 avg) RBI, K

Yorvit Torrealba, 5 for 12 (.417 avg) Double, Triple, RBI, Walk, 2 Ks

 

Felix Hernandez vs: (First career appearance against Yankees)

[yankeessuck013]

Micheal Kay, a YES commentator, when asked if Mike Mussina would take any pitching tips from him:

 

 

 

Link

 

:what:

 

uhhhhhhh, i am speachless, i have no speech

[snb988]

It's no secret Moose and Kay absolutely hate each other.

[element1151]

King Felix is going to shut them down. I'll say 7 K's for the King.

[Optimist]

It's no secret Moose and Kay absolutely hate each other.

 

Kay seems to not be on friendly terms with any Yankees, besides A-Rod.

[snb988]

Kay seems to not be on friendly terms with any Yankees, besides A-Rod.

Yeah, maybe he is just a closet member of RSN with Waldman.

[yankeessuck013]

King Felix is going to shut them down. I'll say 7 K's for the King.

 

im going over 7, im going with 10 K's

[ARod2212]

I say 9 K's for Felix. Yankees win 4-2.

[riverside sluggers]

Im calling a possible extra innings game

[ORS]

He's amped. I've watched 2 of his 3 starts and he's not this wild.

[riverside sluggers]

1st inning for King Felix, he threw 16 pitches giviing up no runs, no hits, 2 Walks

[ORS]

Johnson looks sharp tonight. Perfect 1st with 2 K's.

[Optimist]

Big Unit looks like he has his good stuff tonight. His sliders were sharp and his fastball is hitting 96 in the first inning...

 

But, then again, Johnson also had 'good' stuff when the Sox hit 4 HRs off him...so I'm not going to call this game just yet.

[yankeessuck013]

king felix's first K.....

[yankeessuck013]

1-2-3 inning for the king

[ORS]

Big righty bats up for the M's this inning.

[riverside sluggers]

King Felix first 2 innings-- 26 pitches, no runs, no hits, 2 Walks, 1 K

[Optimist]

4 Ks for the Big Unit through 2...

 

...but he's throwing alot of pitches.

[ORS]

RJ had to work a little, pitchcount-wise, there but 4 K's, 1 walk, no hits through 2.

[ORS]

Felix has a f***ing FILTHY curve.

[yankeessuck013]

hr cano....meh, 1-0

[riverside sluggers]

Robinson Cano, solo shot

[Optimist]

Cano HR....good to see.

[ORS]

Poor pitch call to Cano. 84 mph-change on the first pitch? He hasn't seen a pitch since BP and you are going to throw him a BP type pitch. Show him the gas, then get him off balance with the change. Funny thing to note, all three homeruns off Felix thus far have been by rookies.

[Optimist]

Excellent play by A Rod to end the third and preserve the no-no...