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2009 MLB American League East Notebook
Boston’s domination over the Yankees this season has been so dominant and so long ago that the last time the Red Sox beat them up, the Yankees weren’t even known as the Yankees.
In 1912, Boston won 14 consecutive games against the then-New York Highlanders. In fact, one of them was the first-ever game at Fenway Park. This streak is at seven consecutive wins.
That was 97 years ago when the Red Sox were one of the dominating teams in baseball. Well, we are in an era where Boston has been the more successful team than the Yankees have been this decade.
Boston has won the 2004 and 2007 world championships, while the Yankees have made several playoff appearances but lost to Arizona in the 2001 World Series.
The Red Sox have won these first seven meetings from New York by outscoring the Bronx Bombers, 51-28.
NEW YORK
There was a song back in the 80s by the group “Wang Chung” called “Everybody Wang Chung Tonight.’’
Based on the season right-hander Chien-Ming Wang is still suffering through, that song might be re-titled, “Everybody Hit Wang Tonight.’’
It’s been nothing short of a nightmarish season for Wang (0-4). Following his June 10 start against Boston, he surrendered four earned runs, six hits and three walks. Wang’s ERA sits at 14.34. And that actually came down. Opponents are hitting .448 against him.
Wang’s biggest problem is that he cannot command any of his pitches and it appears his velocity is down.
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TORONTO
Who is the second-best pitcher on the staff behind Roy Halladay? Well, that’s really hard to tell. The Blue Jays have run eight different starters out to the mind in back of Halladay. But the tag probably goes to right-hander Scott Richmond. Richmond has made 10 starts with one complete game and a 3.99 ERA. Richmond was scheduled to start on June 11 in Texas against the Rangers.
Richmond has been pretty effective with only 20 walks in 58 2/3 innings. He has collected 46 strikeouts. However, he has been a little bit wobbly. After jumping out to a 4-0 start, Richmond has lost his last three decisions covering six starts.
BALTIMORE
The DH has changed over this decade to where managers do not pencil the same person in that spot day after day. Rather, they move people around in that spot to give some half of the game off.
Well, the Orioles have been pretty effective with that role. Oriole DHs lead the American League in batting average (.295) and home runs (15) and are second to the Chicago White Sox in RBIs with 39. Chicago has 44.
Actually, with those numbers that’s pretty amazing considering Baltimore’s offense is one of the most unproductive in the game.
TAMPA BAY
While so much attention has been paid to the new Yankee Stadium and its penchant for giving up home runs, Tropicana Field has also been its little home run haven.
“The Trop” has seen at least one home run in every scheduled game this year. That streak ran to 28 on June 10 when the Rays Carlos Pena homered in the bottom of the third. Willie Aybar later followed with a home run in the fifth in the Rays’ 9-5 victory over Los Angeles.
Yankee Stadium has surrendered at least one home run in its first 29 games.
By Kevin Lonnquist
MLBcenter.com Staff Writer
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