Kuzul

Sunday night, the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox pitching match-up of AJ Burnett and Josh Beckett is by far the most exciting.

The Yankees will have their hands full here on Sunday night pending which AJ Burnett is on the mound against a healthy Josh Beckett.

Both pitchers have a lot of passion and will fight till the end if need be, bloody and all. If there is ever a chance for a good, old-school Yankees-Red Sox bench clearing brawl…Sunday night is the perfect set-up.

Let’s look at Sunday match-up:

NYY: AJ BURNETT vs. BOS: JOSH BECKETT

Will the ace AJ Burnett please show-up? That is what the Yankees are hoping for, as Burnett needs to be solid because Beckett is throwing to well for anything else. Burnett can be lights out, un-hittable, but whether he lasts four innings or seven is unknown to even Burnett himself.

If Burnett’s last outing against his old team and power-hitting Toronto Blue Jays was any indication the Yankees will be in trouble. He had tossed 11 scoreless innings, before the Blue Jay disaster when he gave up eight earned runs and two walks. Seven runs score in the fifth inning alone. So far, Burnett is 9-9 in 2010, with a 4.93 ERA.

The ace of the Red Sox, Josh Beckett was not himself the last time he faced the Yankees. Nagging back problems has limited Beckett, as this will be his 12th start in 2010, after spending the majority on the DL. Since active again he has made three starts, with a 2-0 record, posting a 2.18 ERA and the team has won all three games. Beckett was ejected in his last start, after pitching a solid eight innings, striking-out eight, walking zero, while allowing only three hits and one earned run. Beckett looks really good and healthy. He must remain on fire especially against hot hitting Robinson Cano who has career strong numbers vs. Beckett. Cano is crushing everyone, but this individual match-up definitely works in Cano’s favor.

PREDICTION

Both Beckett and Burnett are as competitive as they come. If fans are hoping for some bench clearing action, odds are this would be the game for it. The way Beckett is pitching consistently makes him the logical choice to win, but if Burnett is on—watch-out. The problem is Burnett is completely unpredictable and history dictates here.

Becket gets the win; Red Sox beat Yankees 8-4.

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With #600 now in the past, the New York Yankees are ready to take on their rivals, the Boston Red Sox.

Boston has been hit hard with the unfortunate injury bug. Making the six and a half games the Red Sox need to catch the first place Yankees, who are tied with Tampa Bay Rays, not completely out of reach.

This puts a lot of pressure on Boston, as the importance of winning in the Bronx is pretty much a make or break situation.

The Yankees can’t afford to lose the series either because the Rays are playing great baseball right now.

It is no secret that the Yankees have lost two series in a row and to say that Alex Rodriguez’s 600 mark turned the team around has yet to be proven.

The Red Sox most recent DL member is first baseman Kevin Youkilis who is one of the best hitters in baseball and a Yankees killer. Youkilis is a significant loss and his absence will be noticed by both ball-clubs.

The Red Sox have their pitchers all back now and all healthy, so the Yankees have to counter at the plate.

Since pitching always dictates, let’s look at the four match-ups, over two posts:

NYY: JAVIER VAZQUEZ vs. BOS: CLAY BUCHHOLZ

Vazquez has gone from abominable to reliable in the Yankees rotation. Vazquez hasn’t lost since June 30^th, and in his last 10 starts he has a 3.50 ERA, with 46 strikeouts. Vazquez’s career against Boston posts a 4.21 ERA, with 10.0 K/9 ratio, a total of 56 strikeouts and over 66 innings pitched. JD Drew and David Ortiz could cause Vazquez the most problems.

Buchholz has been strong since spending about a month on the DL, after injuring his right hamstring running the base-pads during inter-league play. Buchholz is 11-5, with a 2.59 ERA and in his last outing he pitched eight solid innings. Over his last 10 starts the youngster has gone 6-2, with a 2.05 ERA, struck-out 43 batters and just over 61 innings pitched. Yankees hitters have .298 batting average vs. Buchholz, who has a 6.53 ERA against New York. In 57 at-bats, Buchholz has only stuck-out eight Yankees.

PREDICTION:

Both pitchers need to have solid outings, but the Yankee hitters look to score more runs. It will be a no-decision; Yankees win 6-2.

NYY: CC SABATHIA vs. BOS: JOHN LACKEY

Yankee’s ace CC Sabathia has been shaky lately, but he is too competitive to lose another game. Sabathia will truly be tested facing the Red Sox line-up. The absence of Youkilis and his .409 batting average vs. Sabathia should provide some relief, but Sabathia needs to bring his A-game regardless. In 2010, he has made three starts against the Red Sox, pitching 17 innings total, posting a 4.76 ERA, with 13 strikeouts. Sabathia has lost his last two starts, the latest against the Rays and it was not his fault considering the odd line-up Skipper Joe Girardi had on the field.

Lackey is a very familiar face in Yankees Universe, but his last time in the Bronx was the 2009 ALCS when he was still an Los Angeles Angel. Lackey’s time as a Red Sox this season has fared mediocre, as he posts a 10-6 record, with 4.48 ERA, allowing 70 earned runs, and a messily 88 strikeouts. In his last putting he only pitched 5 innings, giving up nine hits and six runs scored. In 2010, 87.5% of opponents have made contact against Lackey and he has digressed since his days on the Angels.

PREDICTION:

Unless Lackey has some flashback that inspires his arm, this is Sabathia’s game to lose. Yankees win 9-2.

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There is no rivalry in sports more storied than the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox—or so ESPN tells me, constantly—and with that type of long-term, history-laden rivalry comes some serious battle lines, right?

Literally hundreds of books have been written on the subject.

More ink (or is it pixels) have been spilled over this rivalry in newspapers and online than any other in all of sports. In fact, it’s pretty safe to say that this rivalry alone has kept some sportswriters employed.

The rivalry has its own freakin’ Wikipedia entry and a YouTube search for “Yankees vs Red Sox” yields nearly 10,000 results.

Heck, there’s an entire television network dedicated to preaching the prominence of this rivalry.

We’re talking about the type of rivalry that divides families and tears friendships apart.

People have legitimately been beaten and killed as a result of their respective allegiances in this century-old rivalry.

With that in mind you’ve got to think that there is absolutely no reason for something like this to happen:

As much as I hate to give either the Yankees or Red Sox any more press, I can’t help but ask myself, what the heck is going on here??

Like seriously, how is something like this allowed to happen?

I’ve been in those bleachers at Fenway, I’ve been booed unmercifully by an entire section on more than one occasion for wearing Minnesota Twins gear and—on one fateful day—a vintage Tampa Bay Devil Rays t-shirt.

I’ve been to a Sox/Yankees game and seen fight after fight break out over nothing more than someone doffing the cap of the visiting team.

So explain to me, how is it that this gal’s transgressions are allowed to pass unscathed, by either party.

I would be content if a band of rogue New York fans rose up in arms to slay her with weapons they’d fashioned from those miniature souvenir baseball bats.

I’d be equally approving if the usual Fenway bleacher creatures were to use her as a ritual sacrifice to Jon Papelbon before the ninth (they do that, you know).

What I can’t stand is for this to pass, seemingly without any sort of repercussion. She’s just enjoying a beer and watching the game. What the heck is that?

I had a beer vendor refuse to serve me the day I wore the Devil Rays shirt and this is all peachy?

Let’s hear it folks, what’s your take on the situation?

Is she part of some sort of government test study to determine how long a cute gal can survive in hostile conditions?

Has she had too many of those $8 Budweisers and accidentally grabbed the wrong hat (or shirt) on her way out of the powder room?

Or does she simply work for ESPN?

Hat Tip – [Total Pro Sports ]

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