The Yankees stumble into town not only tied for the worst record in the American League, but three and a half games back of the hometown Jays.
* General: The Yankees are in danger of snapping their MLB record of thirteen consecutive Aprils with winning records ... The Bombers have been really scuffling at the plate, and to whatever extent the numbers below are respectable, they've been inflated by the 19-8 thrashing of Tampa Bay on Monday night ... The Jays have played some excellent Yankees clubs very close in Toronto in recent years. The Yankees have won 23 of 44 in Toronto since 2000 ... Old friend Tanyon Sturtze suffered a strained oblique muscle and was placed on the 15-day DL, and veteran LOOGY Buddy Groom was called up in his place. Groom's philosophy: "I'd rather give up hits and give the defence a chance to make the play than walk guys" ... The 39-year-old Groom has never been to the playoffs ...
* Carl Pavano: His propensity for leaving fastballs up has been a big problem in the American League ... The Orioles feasted on his belt-high stuff ... Nasty splitter that starts at the knees and ends in the dirt ... Spots his sinker well and will throw it in all counts ... Not afraid to challenge hitters while in jams ...
* Hideki Matsui: Distinctive timing tics with both his front elbow and his front foot ... Long swing but will get the fat part of the bat even on outside pitches ... Will go the other way ... A first-ball, fastball hitter ... Because of that long swing, lefties with good heat can pound him up and in ... Will chase high heat if he's thinking curve ...
* Rey Sanchez: He looks like a small Ruben Sierra with his leg kick and swing ... Punch-and-Judy hitter who won't strike out ... Will roll over outside pitches ... Should start against the Jays' lefties over Tony Womack ...
* Bernie Williams: His power numbers are down. Despite the consensus that he's a hitter in decline, he did go yard 22 times last season ... From the left side, will drive breaking pitches if left up ... Torre expressed concern early in the season that Bernie was not aggressive enough within the strike zone ... Prefers not to offer at pitches on the inside corner ... Also prefers the pitch on the outer half of the plate as a righthanded hitter ...
* Alex Rodriguez: After five consecutive seasons with at least 75 walks and a .375 OBP, A-Rod's plate discipline has deserted him this season. He's walked just twice while fanning 13 times ... Loves pitches down and in and can belt them a long way ... Running pitches in on him (i.e., lefthanded cutters and righthanded two-seamers) is dangerous, since he'll turn on those ... Will chase pitches away, even fastballs away ... The faster the fastball outside is, the less likely A-Rod is to catch up to it ...
* Jason Giambi: Noticeably more comfortable at the plate this year than last ... Standing more upright than in years past ... Stays down on breaking pitches effectively ... Not afraid to uppercut at pitches he thinks he can drive ... Lefties can get fastballs in on his fists by him ... Will also chase up and away ...
* Tino Martinez: Like Giambi, prefers pitches down and in ... Sits on inside fastballs and can still pull 'em ... Can be fooled by sinkers and sliders that run away from him ... Very vulnerable to lefthanded breaking stuff ...
* Derek Jeter: Still among the very best in the game at taking fastballs into the right-centre gap ... Capable of even taking pitches down and in the other way ... Will chase breaking pitches down and out of the zone ... Can be frozen by good righthanded curves, on which he will sometimes bail out ... Was uncharacteristically caught stealing last night ... His hands aren't great defensively, and we all know about the debates involving his range ...
* Tom Gordon: He's been awful thus far and he's really heard it from the Bronx faithful ... Inconsistent splitter so far this season, and opposing hitters have been hammering it when it's lacked bite ... Still relies on his splitter as his out pitch ... Still throwing in the mid-90s, but his fastball seems a bit flatter than normal ... Flash insists that his location has been good. So is declining stuff the problem? ... Torre vowed last night to stand by his man: "He's not in danger of losing the ball for the eighth inning, I know that...He's too important for us to waver on the support we give him" ...
* Gary Sheffield: Will drive offspeed pitches down in the zone to all fields ... Loves low stuff and can even drive pitches off his shoetops ... Can be fooled by changeups away ... A selective hitter, he's not likely to chase balls up ... Does not expect to be suspended after meeting with Bob Watson to discuss his altercation with a fan in the rightfield Fenway seats ...
* Mike Mussina: Throws straight over the top with a very consistent delivery ... Has been leaving his fastball up too regularly this season ... His knuckle-curve remains a reliable weapon, but he'll hang it on occasion ... When it starts belt-high, it breaks sharply and should be laid off ... Likes to throw a change in on the fists of righthanded hitters ...
* Paul Quantrill: Old friend continues to sling those moving fastballs at opposing hitters ... You'll hit him, but he's hard to take yard ... Sinking, tailing motion on most of his pitches, so he obviously has to keep the ball down and away ... Usually around the mid-80s ... Don't expect him to walk you ...
* Mike Stanton: Sweeping curve that righties have been hitting hard this year ... He's struggling against righties in general. His stuff is no longer crisp enough to backdoor them ... His curve is, however, still tough on lefties (whom he freezes) ... Can paint the corners with his fastball ...
* Mariano Rivera: His legendary cutter hasn't been cutting thus far this season. Gone appear to be the days when switch-hitters would bat from the right side to avoid his lumber-cracking pitch ... Rivera took a Toby Hall line drive off his pitching hand last night, but Torre said that the longtime closer was fine ... His control has been surprisingly spotty ...
Pitching's been the problem for the Yankees, who sport an ungainly 5.50 ERA and the highest team WHIP in the American League. The bullpen has been a real problem area after being such a significant strength for so many years, and the rotation has been middling (Pavano, Mussina, Unit) to brutal (Brown, Wright).
After the magnificent game that Craig captured so eloquently in today's Game Report, are the Jays due for a letdown? Will they face a post-road-trip malaise game? Not with the Bronx Bombers in town.
On to the Advance Scout!* General: The Yankees are in danger of snapping their MLB record of thirteen consecutive Aprils with winning records ... The Bombers have been really scuffling at the plate, and to whatever extent the numbers below are respectable, they've been inflated by the 19-8 thrashing of Tampa Bay on Monday night ... The Jays have played some excellent Yankees clubs very close in Toronto in recent years. The Yankees have won 23 of 44 in Toronto since 2000 ... Old friend Tanyon Sturtze suffered a strained oblique muscle and was placed on the 15-day DL, and veteran LOOGY Buddy Groom was called up in his place. Groom's philosophy: "I'd rather give up hits and give the defence a chance to make the play than walk guys" ... The 39-year-old Groom has never been to the playoffs ...
* Carl Pavano: His propensity for leaving fastballs up has been a big problem in the American League ... The Orioles feasted on his belt-high stuff ... Nasty splitter that starts at the knees and ends in the dirt ... Spots his sinker well and will throw it in all counts ... Not afraid to challenge hitters while in jams ...
* Hideki Matsui: Distinctive timing tics with both his front elbow and his front foot ... Long swing but will get the fat part of the bat even on outside pitches ... Will go the other way ... A first-ball, fastball hitter ... Because of that long swing, lefties with good heat can pound him up and in ... Will chase high heat if he's thinking curve ...
* Rey Sanchez: He looks like a small Ruben Sierra with his leg kick and swing ... Punch-and-Judy hitter who won't strike out ... Will roll over outside pitches ... Should start against the Jays' lefties over Tony Womack ...
* Bernie Williams: His power numbers are down. Despite the consensus that he's a hitter in decline, he did go yard 22 times last season ... From the left side, will drive breaking pitches if left up ... Torre expressed concern early in the season that Bernie was not aggressive enough within the strike zone ... Prefers not to offer at pitches on the inside corner ... Also prefers the pitch on the outer half of the plate as a righthanded hitter ...
* Alex Rodriguez: After five consecutive seasons with at least 75 walks and a .375 OBP, A-Rod's plate discipline has deserted him this season. He's walked just twice while fanning 13 times ... Loves pitches down and in and can belt them a long way ... Running pitches in on him (i.e., lefthanded cutters and righthanded two-seamers) is dangerous, since he'll turn on those ... Will chase pitches away, even fastballs away ... The faster the fastball outside is, the less likely A-Rod is to catch up to it ...
* Jason Giambi: Noticeably more comfortable at the plate this year than last ... Standing more upright than in years past ... Stays down on breaking pitches effectively ... Not afraid to uppercut at pitches he thinks he can drive ... Lefties can get fastballs in on his fists by him ... Will also chase up and away ...
* Tino Martinez: Like Giambi, prefers pitches down and in ... Sits on inside fastballs and can still pull 'em ... Can be fooled by sinkers and sliders that run away from him ... Very vulnerable to lefthanded breaking stuff ...
* Derek Jeter: Still among the very best in the game at taking fastballs into the right-centre gap ... Capable of even taking pitches down and in the other way ... Will chase breaking pitches down and out of the zone ... Can be frozen by good righthanded curves, on which he will sometimes bail out ... Was uncharacteristically caught stealing last night ... His hands aren't great defensively, and we all know about the debates involving his range ...
* Tom Gordon: He's been awful thus far and he's really heard it from the Bronx faithful ... Inconsistent splitter so far this season, and opposing hitters have been hammering it when it's lacked bite ... Still relies on his splitter as his out pitch ... Still throwing in the mid-90s, but his fastball seems a bit flatter than normal ... Flash insists that his location has been good. So is declining stuff the problem? ... Torre vowed last night to stand by his man: "He's not in danger of losing the ball for the eighth inning, I know that...He's too important for us to waver on the support we give him" ...
* Gary Sheffield: Will drive offspeed pitches down in the zone to all fields ... Loves low stuff and can even drive pitches off his shoetops ... Can be fooled by changeups away ... A selective hitter, he's not likely to chase balls up ... Does not expect to be suspended after meeting with Bob Watson to discuss his altercation with a fan in the rightfield Fenway seats ...
* Mike Mussina: Throws straight over the top with a very consistent delivery ... Has been leaving his fastball up too regularly this season ... His knuckle-curve remains a reliable weapon, but he'll hang it on occasion ... When it starts belt-high, it breaks sharply and should be laid off ... Likes to throw a change in on the fists of righthanded hitters ...
* Paul Quantrill: Old friend continues to sling those moving fastballs at opposing hitters ... You'll hit him, but he's hard to take yard ... Sinking, tailing motion on most of his pitches, so he obviously has to keep the ball down and away ... Usually around the mid-80s ... Don't expect him to walk you ...
* Mike Stanton: Sweeping curve that righties have been hitting hard this year ... He's struggling against righties in general. His stuff is no longer crisp enough to backdoor them ... His curve is, however, still tough on lefties (whom he freezes) ... Can paint the corners with his fastball ...
* Mariano Rivera: His legendary cutter hasn't been cutting thus far this season. Gone appear to be the days when switch-hitters would bat from the right side to avoid his lumber-cracking pitch ... Rivera took a Toby Hall line drive off his pitching hand last night, but Torre said that the longtime closer was fine ... His control has been surprisingly spotty ...
