Series Preview: NY Invasion Part Two – Giants At Yankees

Sep 14, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher

(55) pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

The Giants and Yankees are two of the oldest franchises in baseball and both were New York teams for over fifty years. They’ll meet beginning tonight at the new (built in 2009) Yankee Stadium.

The two teams have played each other in seven world series. They have met only twice in regular season interleague play in 2002 at old Yankee stadium and 2007 at AT&T Park.

This is the last Giants road series this season. It will be a huge series for the Yankees who are currently 3.5 games back of the Wild Card. Here are the AL wildcard standings as of today:

Here are the matchups this weekend:

Friday: 4:05PM PT

• Tim Lincecum RHP (10-13, 4.40 ERA) for the Giants (will reach 1500 career strikeouts)
• C.C. Sabathia LHP (13-13, 4.90 ERA) for the Yankees

Saturday 10:05AM PT

• Ryan Vogelsong RHP (3-5, 5.73 ERA) for the Giants
• Ivan Nova RHP (8-5, 3.36 ERA) for the Yankees

Sunday: 10:05AM PT

• Yusmeiro Petit RHP (4-0, 3.08 ERA) for the Giants
• Andy Pettitte LHP (10-10, 3.93 ERA) for the Yankees

This weekend on Sunday we will see the last start for Andy Pettitte (he just announced his retirement at 41 years old) and the Yankees will honor Mariano Rivera who is also retiring at the end of the season. There have been rumors that Metallica will play a surprise appearance at Yankee stadium on Sunday. Rivera’s walk-up song has been “Enter Sandman.”

Some offensive stats of interest for the Giants:

• Offense Batting Leaders in the National League since the All -Star Break: #3- Hunter Pence batting .341, #5- Brandon Belt batting .333
• Juan Perez likes to play in New York. He was 3-3 with one walk yesterday against the Mets.
• Buster Posey is only 1-21 and did not have a hit at Citifield in the Mets series.

Some of the Giants are out for the remainder of the year:

• Chad Gaudin: carpal tunnel, threw two simulated games. Doesn’t have strength back so he’ll be done for the year.
• Sandy Rosario: hip and back still an issue
• Jeremy Affeldt: groin

The Giants had their rookie hazing yesterday after the Mets game. Javier Lopez had the rookies (Juan Perez, Nick Noonan, Roger Kieschnick, Johnny Monell, Ehire Adrianza, Mike Kickham, Jake Dunning and Heath Hembree) dress as the Naked Cowboy in Times Square. They had to spend a few hours walking around to collect a couple hundred dollars in tips before they were allowed to go back to the hotel. Javier Lopez is brilliant.