Schedule
TV: Fox
- Game 1: at New York, at Friday, Oct. 16, 7:57 p.m.
- Game 2: at New York, Saturday, Oct. 17, 7:57 p.m.
- Game 3: at Los Angeles, Monday, Oct. 19, 4:13 p.m.
- Game 4: at Los Angeles, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 7:57 p.m.
- Game 5: (if neccesary) at Los Angeles, Thursday, Oct. 22, 7:57 p.m.
- Game 6: (if neccesary) at New York, Saturday, Oct. 24, TBA
- Game 7: (if neccesary) at New York, Sunday, Oct. 25, 8:20 p.m.
Yankees projected lineup
- SS Derek Jeter (.334, 18 HR, 66 RBI, 30 SB)
- LF Johnny Damon (.282, 24, 82 RBI)
- 1B Mark Teixeira (.292, 39 HR, 122 RBI)
- 3B Alex Rodriguez (.286, 30 HR, 100 RBI)
- DH Hideki Matsui (.274, 28 HR, 90 RBI)
- C Jorge Posada (.285, 22 HR, 81 RBI)
- 2B Robinson Cano (.320, 25 HR, 85 RBI)
- RF Nick Swisher (.249, 29 HR, 82 RBI)
- CF Melky Cabrera (.274, 13 HR, 68 RBI)
Angels projected lineup
- 3B Chone Figgins (.298, 5 HR, 54 RBI, 42 SB, .395 OBP)
- RF Bobby Abreu (.293, 16 HR, 103 RBI, 30 SB)
- CF Torii Hunter (.299, 22 HR, 90 RBI, 18 SB)
- DH Vladimir Guerrero (.295, 15 HR, 50 RBI)
- 1B Kendry Morales (.306, 34 HR, 108 RBI)
- LF Juan Rivera (.287, 25 HR, 88 RBI)
- 2B Howie Kendrick (.291, 10 HR, 61 RBI)
- C Mike Napoli (.272, 20 HR, 56 RBI)
- SS Erick Aybar (.312, 5 HR, 58 RBI)
Yankees projected rotation
- LHP CC Sabathia (19-8, 3.37 ERA)
- RHP A.J. Burnett (13-9, 4.04 ERA)
- LHP Andy Pettitte (14-8, 4.16 ERA)
Angels projected rotation
- RHP John Lackey (11-8, 3.83 ERA)
- LHP Joe Saunders (16-7, 4.60 ERA)
- RHP Jared Weaver (16-8, 3.75 ERA)
- LHP Scott Kazmir (10-9, 4.89 ERA combined Rays and Angels)
Inside the matchups
Hitting: The Yankees bashed their way through the first round, with Alex Rodriguez breaking a postseason slump in the big way with two big home runs against the Twins. New York led all teams with 915 runs in the regular season. Meanwhile, the Angels led the majors with a .285 cumulative batting average, and at one point in August had all nine starters with an average of better than .300. If either team falters with their starting pitching, they could be staring at a deep hole, with both teams capable of long rallies. Interestingly, both teams have a player who was a key 2008 component in the other team's lineup. Mark Teixeira, who played for the Angels last season, hit a walk-off homer in Game 2 against Minnesota. Bobby Abreu (5 for 9 in the opening round sweep over Boston) has been an ideal fit in the outfield for the Angels. Edge: Yankees.
Bench: Maicer Izturis (.300, 8 HR, 65 RBI) plugs in everywhere for the Angels, a great playoff bench player. Jeff Mathis (.211, 5 HR) plays catcher occasionally for Napoli. Gary Matthews Jr. can provide some pop off the bench. The Yankees don't have much off the bench other than Brett Gardner (.270, 3 HR, 23 RBI) as a defensive replacement and Jose Molina as Burnett's catcher. Edge: Angels.
Starting pitching: All three Yankees starters threw well in the first round, and Yankees manager Joe Girardi has indicated he'll go with a three-man rotation in the second round as well, throwing Sabathia on three days' rest in Game 4. Pettitte, with a win in either Game 3 or Game 6, would become the leader all-time in postseason wins with 16. Lackey and Weaver were great at home in Round 1 for the Angels, and Weaver will throw in Anaheim again in Game 3, with Joe Saunders getting the Game 2 start at Yankee Stadium, the only change in either teams' rotations from the first round. Edge: Yankees.
Bullpen: With Joba Chamberlain back in the bullpen for the playoffs, if the Angels don't have a lead by the seventh inning, it will be a struggle. Chamberlain (9-6, 4.75 as a starter), Phil Hughes (8-3, 3.03) and Mariano Rivera (3-3, 1.76 ERA, 44-46 saves) are a lockdown group. The Angels counter with Brian Fuentes (1-5, 3.93, 48-55 saves), lefty Darren Oliver (5-1, 2.71) and their own converted starter, Ervin Santana (8-8, 5.03). Edge: Yankees.
Why the Yankees will win
They're absolutely rolling, have 106 wins already and their fans believe the Yanks are destined to head back to the World Series for the first time since 2001. They have the home-field advantage and were 57-24 in the new, $1.5 billion Yankee Stadium in the regular season, 2-0 in the first round.
Why the Angels will win
Everybody seems to be picking New York, and, as usual, the Angels are under the radar. They have won 10 of their last 11 games, including the playoff sweep of Boston. But the Angels are Yankee killers, with their aggressive base-running wreaking havoc. The Angels are 73-63 against the Yankees since 1996, the only team with a winning record. The Yankees have lost four consecutive ALCS games, too (the collapse to the Red Sox in 2004). And the Nick Adenhart factor is another compelling storyline.
Prediction
Yankees in seven.
