2010 MLB Playoffs: Twins Vs. Yankees ALDS Game 2 Viewing Guide
Time: 6:07pm ET
Starting Pitchers: RHP Carl Pavano vs. LHP Andy Pettitte
Series: 1-0 New York
TV: TBS
TV Announcers: Ernie Johnson, Ron Darling, and John Smoltz
Radio: ESPN Radio
Radio Announcers: Jon Miller and Orel Hershiser
Umpires: Jerry Crawford, Hunter Wendelstedt, Greg Gibson, Brian O’Nora, Gary Darling, Chris Guccione
MLB.com Gameday: Link
Team Blogs: Twinkie Town, Pinstripe Alley
Situation
Game 1 wasn't a heartbreaking loss for Minnesota, but it was a difficult one, as they saw their ace starter hand away a three-run lead in the top of the sixth. At that point, the Twins' mathematical odds of winning were at least around 80%. They blew it, and now they're in need of a very solid start from a very different type of pitcher than the one they threw out first. For the Yankees, they're looking for Pettitte to look more like he has before in the playoffs, and less like he did over his final two starts of the regular season.
Three Keys
(1) Andy Pettitte missed a chunk of time with a groin injury, and in his final two tune-up starts for the playoffs, he allowed 19 hits in 7.1 innings. Being that his last start came on October 2nd, he's getting the nod in Game 2 on normal rest. Once again, the Twins are going to want to look to their right-handed bats to supply the production. Their lefties went a combined 2-15 in Game 1, and though Pettitte isn't Sabathia, he's a fine southpaw in his own right. Michael Cuddyer's power display was encouraging. That would really come in handy.
(2) All Carl Pavano does is throw strikes. The Yankees, meanwhile, will on any given day feature perhaps the most disciplined batting order in the league. If the Yankees take a wait-and-see approach to Pavano, then they’ll be fighting from behind in the count all game long. They’ll need to be uncharacteristically aggressive to take advantage of him early, and Pavano, in turn, will need to get a feel for the ball and pitch to the corners in young counts. It’s a cat-and-mouse game. Pavano is aggressive, so the Yankees will want to be aggressive, but Pavano will then want to be less aggressive, so - we’ll see who’s a step ahead.
(3) Carl Pavano finished the regular season having allowed 31 stolen bases, the fifth-highest total in baseball. That's with Joe Mauer behind the plate. He has a deliberate delivery, and there'll be the option there for the Yankees to be aggressive on the basepaths if they're able to get some speed on first. They won't necessarily have to play the longball game to win. If they can get runners and move those runners into scoring position, line drives are good enough.
