Series Preview: New York Yankees @ Seattle Mariners

Seattle: 60-54
New York: 71-43

SUMMARY

The Yankees are about ten runs worse than the Rays were when they came in to play us and we showed them! Yeah! That's right! Get ready, New York, because you are going down! 

GAMES

Game 1: Ian Snell vs. CC Sabathia*
Game 2: Ryan Rowland-Smith* vs. Andy Pettitte*
Game 3: Lucas French* vs. Sergio Mitre
Game 4: Doug Fister vs. Chad Gaudin

Oh... Oh god. Nevermind. We are so screwed.

Right? Well... yeah, probably, but if so, it is because of our pitching versus their hitting and not because of our pitching versus their pitching. It looks bad because well, hey, the foursome we plan to roll out include a guy who got demoted for sucking and then professed his preference to stay in the minor leagues, a guy who made one start then spent three months rehabbing from it, a guy who started the year a nobody prospect fresh off an 87 tRA+ year in Double-A and a guy who started the year a meh prospect fresh off a 92 tRA+ year in Double-A.

But! The Yankee counterparts are not all that much better. Okay, Sabathia is, but he is the only starting pitcher of theirs currently posting an above average tRA this season. Even Sabathia is down this season from past years, which is not a huge surprise given how good he was and how many innings he has logged. His swinging strike rate is at a four year low and the percentage of strikes thrown is noticeably down as well, all paired with a big loss in ground balls. Still, Sabathia remains an above average pitcher, though he is clocking in around a number 2 type this year, rather than any sort of ace. That contract could get ugly in a hurry.

Maybe Andy Pettitte should have listened to himself when he mused about retirement. A consistent 107/108 tRA+ guy for the past three seasons, Pettitte is down to 95 this year. Same deal as Sabathia, strikeouts are down, walks are up, ground balls are way down. Mix in eggs and bake for an hour at 425 and you get some fail cake.

What to say about Mitre? He has oscillated between the rotation and pen and the Majors and Minors for the past couple years. He pumps in a low 90s fastball about 70% of the time with a high 70s curve and a low 80s change each about 15% of the time. Hitters make a lot of contact off him and he does not hit the zone all that often, but he is a big time ground ball guy.

Chad Gaudin? Again? Ugh. We just saw him twice with the Padres.