Game No. 12: Indians-Yankees: Wang Must Get It Together

(The Voice of Yankees Universe)

Chien-Ming Wang has been completely dreadful in his first two starts of the season. It isn’t time to panic, but it is a concern.

Starting the season 0-2 with a 28.93 ERA is just unacceptable. I fully expected him to join the team and pitch like he did when he was healthy.

Maybe the lack of game action has effected him. I don’t want to make any excuses for the guy, but I think we all want to know what’s going on.

This afternoon, Wang will be opposed by RHP Fausto Carmona, who hasn’t been himself either so far this season. Let’s hope today is a different story for Wang.

Damon will serve as the DH today with Matsui is out of the lineup. Melky Cabrera is in left field and Ramiro Pena will be starting at third base.

Yankees prospect Anthony Claggett was called up today from Triple-A Scranton. Juan Miranda was sent down to make room for him on the roster.

New York (6-5) vs.  Cleveland (3-8)

Pitching Match Up:

RHP Chien-Ming Wang (0-2, 28.93 ERA)   vs.    RHP Fausto Carmona (0-2, 9.00 ERA)

Yankees Lineup

Jeter SS
Damon DH
Teixeira 1B
Swisher RF
Posada C
Cano 2B
Cabrera LF
Gardner CF
Pena 3B

Game News & Notes:

• Wang is 3-2 with a 2.97 ERA in five regular-season starts against the Tribe in his career.
• The five home runs the Yankees hit on Friday were the most they’ve hit in a game since Aug. 1, 2007, against the White Sox.
• Derek Jeter’s home run in the eighth inning was the 209th of his career, pulling him even with him Jason Giambi for 10th place on the Yankees’ all-time home run list.
• Only one active Indians player, Grady Sizemore, has hit a home run off Wang. No active Yankees player has hit one off of Carmona.

The game will take place at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, N.Y. The game is scheduled to start at 3:40 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on FOX and can be heard on the radio on WCBS 880. 

(News &courtesy of  Notes MLB.com/Lineup courtesy of Peter Abraham)

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