On Deck (Game 30): Mariners @ Yankees

Matt DeWho? Exactly. The Yanks will trot out the sixth rookie of the year to start a game tonight against the Mariners as they look to take 3 out of 4 in the series, and reach .500.

DeSalvo was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Yankees in 2003. He rose through A ball like a meteor, then hit a bump in the road at AA in 2004. In 2005 he posted solid numbers in Trenton (9–5, 148 IP, 151Ks, 3.02 ERA, 1.16 WHIP). He didn’t impress in 2006, splitting time between AA and AAA. This year, he’s dominated for AAA Scranton (3–0, 25.2 IP, 23 Ks, 1.05 ERA, 1.091 WHIP).

Fun Facts
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 180 lbs.
Holds the records for most wins (53) and strikeouts (603) at the college level. He also set the single-season Division III mark with 205. (source: PinstripePlus.com)

Not-so-fun Fact
Birthday: September 11, 1980.

In a nutshell: Help is on the way, Roger Clemens should join the team by early June, Phil Hughes probably sometime in the middle of the month. In the mean time, the Yanks are going to have to patch together the tail end of their rotation. Darrell Rasner did his part on Sunday, tonight DeSalvo is going to get his shot.

Keys to the game: The kid is going to be nervous. That’s a given. Don’t be shocked if he gives up a run or two in the first. If he does, the Yanks need to answer quickly and definitively. He needs to have a lead, if not a nice cushion to take some of the pressure off. The Yankee pen is as well-rested as can be expected. Proctor pitched on Sunday, but he should be available. Farnsworth is probably not. Bruney has pitched two days in a row, but Mo hasn’t pitched since Thursday, so he could probably go two, if needed.

Mariner blog-of-the-day: Lookout Landing