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MLB
Saturday, October 24
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Payoff pitch: Today’s best mound matchup
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Joe Saunders (Los Angeles Angels) vs. Andy Pettitte (New York Yankees)
Joe Saunders (16-7, 4.52 ERA)
Much was made of Angels manager Mike Scioscia's decision to use Saunders over Scott Kazmir as his lefthander of choice in Game Two. Given how both have pitched in the ALCS, that looks like a good decision right now.
Saunders is back on the mound at Yankee Stadium, where he allowed two runs, six hits and a walk in seven innings, striking out five in his first outing in 13 days. This start will be on six days rest.
That continued a stretch of soild pitching by Saunders that is approaching two months. He has not lost in nine starts since Aug. 7, an outing that was followed by a stint on the disabled list with shoulder woes.
In his last nine starts, Saunders is 7-0 with a 2.56 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. That stretch includes two starts vs. the Yankees, going 1-0 with a 2.35 ERA and a 0.91 ERA.
This is undoubtedly the biggest start of Saunders' career. During the season, he was not particularly tough in pressure situations but was a different pitcher in Game Two.
Current Yankees have hit .284 (31-of-109) with five homers and 18 RBI vs. Saunders. Most of the damage has been done by Alex Rodriguez (7-for-14, 2 HR) and Derek Jeter (7-for-15, 1 HR). Mark Teixeira is 2-for-16 and Robinson Cano is 1-for-11.
Andy Pettitte (15-8, 4.08 ERA)
This will be Andy Pettitte's 38th postseason start. He has made a season's worth of starts made in pressure situations, going 15-9 with a 3.90 ERA.
Pettitte already has made two starts in this postseason, going 1-0 with a 2.84 ERA. He was extremely sharp in winning the clincher vs. Minnesota and was taken off the hook in Game Three vs. the Angels, pitching 6 1-3 innings in both games.
The lefthander also has been pitching well for an extended period, going 7-2 with a 3.39 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP in 13 starts since Aug. 4. However, he has been a better pitcher on the road this season, and this is his first home start of the postseason.
Pettitte faces lineups loaded with righthanders and was considerably better against them this season. Lefthanded hitters batted .282 and righthanded hitters batted just .249.
And the veteran knows how to bear down, holding hitters to a .236 average (38-for-161) with runners in scoring position.
Current Angels have just two homers but a .307 average in 215 career at-bats vs. Pettitte. He has trouble with Vladimir Guerrero (.391, 9-for-23), Gary Matthews Jr. (.346, 9-for-26) and Erick Aybar (.438, 7-for-16).
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Saturday, October 24
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Payoff pitch: Today’s best mound matchup
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joe Saunders (Los Angeles Angels) vs. Andy Pettitte (New York Yankees)
Joe Saunders (16-7, 4.52 ERA)
Much was made of Angels manager Mike Scioscia's decision to use Saunders over Scott Kazmir as his lefthander of choice in Game Two. Given how both have pitched in the ALCS, that looks like a good decision right now.
Saunders is back on the mound at Yankee Stadium, where he allowed two runs, six hits and a walk in seven innings, striking out five in his first outing in 13 days. This start will be on six days rest.
That continued a stretch of soild pitching by Saunders that is approaching two months. He has not lost in nine starts since Aug. 7, an outing that was followed by a stint on the disabled list with shoulder woes.
In his last nine starts, Saunders is 7-0 with a 2.56 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. That stretch includes two starts vs. the Yankees, going 1-0 with a 2.35 ERA and a 0.91 ERA.
This is undoubtedly the biggest start of Saunders' career. During the season, he was not particularly tough in pressure situations but was a different pitcher in Game Two.
Current Yankees have hit .284 (31-of-109) with five homers and 18 RBI vs. Saunders. Most of the damage has been done by Alex Rodriguez (7-for-14, 2 HR) and Derek Jeter (7-for-15, 1 HR). Mark Teixeira is 2-for-16 and Robinson Cano is 1-for-11.
Andy Pettitte (15-8, 4.08 ERA)
This will be Andy Pettitte's 38th postseason start. He has made a season's worth of starts made in pressure situations, going 15-9 with a 3.90 ERA.
Pettitte already has made two starts in this postseason, going 1-0 with a 2.84 ERA. He was extremely sharp in winning the clincher vs. Minnesota and was taken off the hook in Game Three vs. the Angels, pitching 6 1-3 innings in both games.
The lefthander also has been pitching well for an extended period, going 7-2 with a 3.39 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP in 13 starts since Aug. 4. However, he has been a better pitcher on the road this season, and this is his first home start of the postseason.
Pettitte faces lineups loaded with righthanders and was considerably better against them this season. Lefthanded hitters batted .282 and righthanded hitters batted just .249.
And the veteran knows how to bear down, holding hitters to a .236 average (38-for-161) with runners in scoring position.
Current Angels have just two homers but a .307 average in 215 career at-bats vs. Pettitte. He has trouble with Vladimir Guerrero (.391, 9-for-23), Gary Matthews Jr. (.346, 9-for-26) and Erick Aybar (.438, 7-for-16).
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