On Deck (Game 25): Yanks at Rangers

Andy Pettitte (1–1, 3.00 ERA) vs. Robinson Tejada (3–1, 3.82 ERA)

I hope the Yankees’ hangover from last night’s gem/disaster isn’t nearly as bad as mine. I feel drained. I watched the game on TiVo when I got home last night and woke my wife up from a sound sleep at least twice going nuts in my living room as Phil Hughes completely overpowered the Rangers.

It’s time to turn the page, and march on. It’s going to be some time before Phil Hughes gets back, anywhere from a month to several months, according to various reports. Today, Andy Pettitte takes the hill looking to rebound from his worst start of the season (4.2 innings, 5 earned, 5 walks). Pettitte will face off against Robinson Tejada, the Rangers’ most consistent starter of the early season.

In a nutshell: The pen got a rest yesterday after the day off on Monday, so they should be well fortified should Pettitte exit early tonight. Hopefully, that won’t be an issue, however. Five games in the next five days for the Yanks, and only 4 “healthy” starters, if Mussina comes back as expected.

Keys to the game: It’s much easier to pitch when your offense puts double-digits on the board. The Yanks need to keep the momentum going with the bats. It’d also be nice to get Mo back out there in a meaningful situation, but these keys are at odds with each other. I’ll settle for a blowout.

Rangers blog-of-the-day: Young Guns