September 9th @ New York

[Soxfan1]

http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/images/gameday/mugshots/124071.jpghttp://bellsouthpwp.net/c/h/chinigor/TALKSOX/VS.GIFhttp://boston.redsox.mlb.com/images/gameday/mugshots/122332.jpg

 

http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/mlb/images/team_logos/50x50/bos.gif Wells 12-6 4.24 era

 

http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/mlb/images/team_logos/50x50/nyy.gif Small 6-0 2.42 era

 

The two fierce rivals have officially engaged in a game of role reversal, and not only because the Red Sox are defending World Series champions for the first time in 86 years.

For the first time since 1995, the Red Sox go to Yankee Stadium in September as the leaders of the American League East. In most recent years, that distinction has gone to Joe Torre's Yankees.

 

With a four-game lead on the Yankees, the Sox will try to create further distance with their long-time nemesis, kicking off a three-game series at what should be an electric Yankee Stadium.

 

"The fun begins [Friday]," said Red Sox first baseman Kevin Millar. "It will be a hell of a series. We're excited. The Sox roll into town for a nice, blue-sky series. Hopefully we'll get good weather and we can put on a nice show for everybody."

 

And David Wells, who pitched many big September games for the Yankees, will try to get his Red Sox off on the right foot in the series opener. He'll be opposed by Aaron Small, the right-hander who has pitched above and beyond expectations.

 

"When we go into an atmosphere like New York, tensions are going to be high," said Wells, who is 45-19 lifetime at Yankee Stadium. "It's going to be crazy. It's going to be like it has been for many, many years. Every game from this point on means a lot. They're 3 1/2 (now 4) out, so they're not out of it. We still have to battle. There's a long way to go."

 

It isn't just the image of Wells in a Red Sox uniform that creates an oddball feeling to this chapter of the rivalry. John Olerud, who helped the Yankees down the stretch last year, will be at first base for Boston.

 

And Mark Bellhorn and Alan Embree, two key members of Boston's 2004 title team, are now in Yankee Pinstripes.

 

"It's going to be strange," said Millar. "That's just the nature of the business. You just wish them luck, not against us."

 

Though the Red Sox could conceivably level the Yankees with a sweep, they go in not thinking about such possibilities.

 

"Obviously, you look at the standings to see where you are, but to be quite honest, this game is so humbling that things will change in a heartbeat," said Red Sox right fielder Trot Nixon.

 

"Just go day by day and you don't look ahead. The minute you start looking ahead, it gets turned upside down. Obviously, it's always a big series when we play these guys, and rightfully so. It will be a huge series again -- the top two teams, first- and second-place teams going at it. But other than that, that's about it."

 

The Yankees are having, at least by their standards, a down year. But Red Sox center fielder Johnny Damon still has full respect for his rivals.

 

 

Red Sox Coverage

• Wells readies for battle in the Bronx

• Singer: It's real, and it's spectacular

 

Yankees Coverage

• Small kicks off big series with Sox

• Singer: It's real, and it's spectacular

 

Season Series

• 07/17: Yankees 5, Red Sox 3

• 07/16: Yankees 7, Red Sox 4

• 07/15: Red Sox 17, Yankees 1

• 07/14: Yankees 8, Red Sox 6

 

• 05/29: Red Sox 7, Yankees 2

• 05/28: Red Sox 17, Yankees 1

• 05/27: Yankees 6, Red Sox 3

 

• 04/14: Red Sox 8, Yankees 5

• 04/13: Yankees 5, Red Sox 2

• 04/11: Red Sox 8, Yankees 1

 

• 04/06: Red Sox 7, Yankees 3

• 04/05: Yankees 4, Red Sox 3

• 04/03: Yankees 9, Red Sox 2

 

"You can't go into New York and make mistakes, because that's a team that can hurt you," said Damon. "We expect to go in and win. Their mentality is the same thing. It's going to be a pretty good series. In the past, we always knew we had to make up ground. Now we need to extend our ground."

 

Curt Schilling, looking for his first quality start of the season, will oppose Shawn Chacon on Saturday. The Sox will send veteran knuckleballer Tim Wakefield to the mound against Randy Johnson in Sunday's series finale.

 

The Yankees have taken seven of the first 13 meetings between the teams this season.

 

Pitching matchup

BOS: LHP David Wells

• 12-6, 4.24 ERA in 2005

• 2-1, 3.20 ERA vs. NYY in 2005

 

NYY: RHP Aaron Small

• 6-0, 2.42 ERA in 2005

• First appearance vs. BOS in 2005

 

Player to watch

Manny Ramirez, who has been in a hefty slump of late, has 22 homers at Yankee Stadium, the most he's clubbed in any visiting park.

 

Quotable

"We just have to play good baseball. The one thing we've done a good job of is not worrying about anybody else and taking care of ourselves. I thought we had a good homestand here. We've played good baseball. We've got to do the same in New York. It's always a great series. We just have to keep winning baseball games." -- Millar

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scouting Report:

The big left-hander Wells opens this crucial series at his favorite pitching haunt of Yankee Stadium. In fact, it was in the Bronx that Wells began the resurrection of his season, firing a gem against the Yankees on May 29. Since that date, Wells is 10-2 with a 3.43 ERA. Wells is 2-1 with a 3.20 ERA against the Yankees in 2005. The 4.24 ERA Wells brings to the mound on Friday night is the lowest he's had since Opening Night.

It would have been hard to pitch any better than Small did in the Yankees' Sept. 3 victory at Oakland -- a complete-game shutout, scattering five hits -- so the surprise Small gets another crack Friday against the Red Sox. Small is 4-0 with a 2.06 ERA in five starts this year, and 6-0 with a 2.42 ERA overall.

[mosox]

Small is a pitcher just like Byrd and McCarthy, change ups and breaking stuff that can give Sox hitters trouble. They have to be patient.

[noonanberg]

Patient like Renteria just was?

[mosox]

Small is locating his pitches very well, especially that high and tight pitch to Ortiz.

[mosox]

Friggin' Graff...what a s***** throw!!!!!!!!!!

[MC Hammer]

"What an outstanding play by Arod"

That was said right after he made a throwing error. I hate having to watch baseball with no sound but after that statement I'm going to have to.

[mosox]

Egaaaaaaaarrrrr!!!!!!!!!

[riverside sluggers]

pitcher vs batter matchups

 

David Wells vs: (career against Yankees in 42 games an 18-9 record with a 2.96 ERA)

Derek Jeter, 17 for 53 (.321 avg) 2 Doubles, 3 HRs, 7 RBIs, Walk, 7 Ks, SB

Jason Giambi, 6 for 24 (.250 avg) 2 Doubles, RBI, 4 Walks, 2 Ks

Hideki Matsui, 3 for 12 (.250 avg) RBI, 2 Ks

Jorge Posada, 8 for 26 (.308 avg) 4 Doubles, 4 Ks

Matt Lawton, 6 for 31 (.194 avg) 2 Doubles, 7 RBIs, 2 Walks, K

Robinson Cano, 2 for 3 (.667 avg) K

Tino Mafrtinez, 6 for 35 (.171 avg) Double, 2 RBIs, 8 Ks

John Flaherty, 3 for 20 (.150 avg) Double, 2 RBIs, 3 Ks

Mark Bellhorn, 1 for 10 (.100 avg) 5 Ks

Alex Rodriguez, 22 for 65 (.338 avg) 4 Doubles, 7 HRs, 17 RBIs, 2 Walks, 13 Ks

Ruben Sierra, 23 for 69 (.333 avg) 5 Doubles, 2 HRs, 10 RBIs, 4 Walks, 9 ks, 3 SBs

Bernie Williams, 16 for 70 (.229 avg) 2 Doubles, 3 HRs, 8 RBIs, 5 walks, 11 Ks

Tony Womack, 1 for 7 (.143 avg) Walk, K

 

Aaron Small vs: (1st career appearance against Red Sox)

Johnny Damon, 0 for 4

Bill Mueller, 0 for 3, K

John Olerud, 2 Walks

David Ortiz, 0 for 1, K

Manny Ramirez, 1 for 5 (.200 avg) Walk

 

haha what happened to your Iron man Small 6 hits, 3 runs in first 2 innings

[mosox]

Small is a career minor leaguer who gets by on his off speed, breaking pitch junk and he'll pay tonight!!!!

[riverside sluggers]

f***ing web gem by mueller!! i hope his hand is ok, it look like it had got him jammed... back to aaron small and build on this slim 3-2 lead

[riverside sluggers]

Dale Sveum god damn it, i hope you are gone next season!!! he did the same exact thing last time at yankee stadium

[mosox]

Sveum and his green lights.

[BoSox21]

does Sveum somehow think it's less than 90 feet from 3rd to home only at Yankee Stadium? Goddamnit, EVERYONE could tell Tek wouldn't have made it

[See Red]

Hats off to the worst third base coach ever. Did he actually think Tek had a chance? I was half expecting a WWF like moment where he rips off his Sox jersey, revealing a Yankees uni.

[ORS]

Sveum. Could have had 2nd and 3rd with Bill Mueller up. Unbelievable. The play wasn't even close.

[MC Hammer]

After that call by Dale I wouldn't be surprised if the Pirates hired him now.

[mosox]

Wells has to keep his s*** together and not get pissed at the ump.

[ARod2212]

My boy. MVP could be decided this weekend in the minds of sportswriters, ARod will get some points in the early polls.

 

3-3 in the Stadium.

[riverside sluggers]

still dude he is getting squeezed by the umps right about now. besides, aaron Small has had to throw 61 pitches in the first 3 innings, which means sox could face soon the depleted yankees middle relief

[ARod2212]

Small is settled in, look for more of the same over the next 3 innings from him.

[riverside sluggers]

ooh wow his first inning of throwing under 20 pitches, im scared now

[MC Hammer]

Wells has to keep his s*** together and not get pissed at the ump.

Well when you throw 2 pitches that your mound opponent has consistantly gotten for strikes, and you don't, you tend to get a little pissed. I have no problem with Boomah getting pissed as long as he doesn't let it affect his performance.

[MANNYHOF24]

Wells is not as sharp tonight as he has been lately

[redsoxrules]

i dont know about you guys but i dont like this pattern going on here, one run on every f***ing inning

[mosox]

I agree, but he still has to go out there and make pitches, and he's getting deep into counts despite the umps.

[HOFer51]

wow, only 2 pages? More people need to post!

[MANNYHOF24]

Is anybody watching the Espn telecast... they were talking about MVP, and the guy said Ortiz shouldn't win because he is the D.H.. News flash nobody has influenced games more than Big Papi this year and he should obviously be Mvp

[redsoxrules]

well i just got home from work

[MANNYHOF24]

Well at least Manny's hit the ball hard once tonight

[MC Hammer]

Is anybody watching the Espn telecast... they were talking about MVP, and the guy said Ortiz shouldn't win because he is the D.H.. News flash nobody has influenced games more than Big Papi this year and he should obviously be Mvp

Well this must be your first time seeing a national televised Yankee game. Get used to BS like that. I don't know if you've notice but they've been kissing Yankee ass since their first WS in the 90's.

 

How can A-rod even be considered when he's got 200 million dollars around him and his team isn't even in the playoffs?