Cliff Lee set to take on Andy Pettitte in Game 3 of the ALCS
The Roy Halladay-Tim Lincecum matchup in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series (NLCS) didn’t prove to be the pitching duel everyone expected it to be as the two ace pitchers allowed seven runs between them. Perhaps Game 3 of the American League
Championship Series (ALCS) will provide what was missing from that game as Andy Pettitte takes on Cliff Lee.
Lee is the ace for Texas, but he wasn’t able to play in Game 1 of the ALSC after pitching Game 5 of the American League Divisional Series (ALDS). Some might think that Lee gets to face a lesser opponent in New York’s third man in the rotation, but when that
pitcher is Pettitte, no one expects an easy win for Lee.
“In my opinion he's probably the best postseason pitcher of all time just by the number of wins and the number of rings he's got,” said Lee about Pettitte.
Pettitte has 19 postseason victories, that’s more than anyone else all-time. Some of that record comes from the Yankees frequent playoff appearances, but he did go 4-0 in last year’s playoffs. Simply put, he wins when he pitches. That’s not to say Lee doesn’t
have a chance to win, he’s 2-0 thus far in the 2010 playoffs, and is no stranger to winning himself.
“You see everything that you want to see in a starting pitcher to be successful,” said Pettitte about Lee. “He throws strikes. He throws quality strikes. He gets ahead. He changes speeds. And, you know, I think what is separating him from any other pitcher
right now is really his cutter, how late it is.”
Texas is coming off a big win at home, the first ever playoff victory at home, and with Lee on the mound confidence is going to be high, very high. With the series tied at one win apiece, Monday’s game, and the following two are in New York. Texas is counting
on a win from their ace.
"It's a five-game series now," said Rangers’ second baseman Ian Kinsler. "We have Cliff Lee to pitch two of them. That doesn't sound so bad now, does it?"
It does if you’re a Yankee fan.
One thing about the Lincecum-Halladay matchup was that the line-ups those pitchers faced were not extremely strong, adding to speculation that the game would be low scoring. Both the Yankees and the Rangers have tough line-ups to face, and there are no easy
outs batting ninth like in the National League.
Jeff Francoeur is batting .625 with a home run in his last eight at bats against Pettitte, and Vladimir Guerrero is batting .353 in his past 17 at bats. For the Yankees, Derek Jeter has an .391 average against Lee in his last 23 at bats and Alex Rodriguez
is .364 in his last 11 at bats. Two other Yankees, Nick Swisher and Mark Teixeira, are batting above .300 in over 15 at bats against Lee.
With the way the Yankees’ pitching has been going, it’s going to take a strong game from Pettitte to give them a series lead. Twice now the Rangers have jumped to early 5-0 leads, in Game 1 the Yankees were able to mount a comeback, but if Texas gives Lee
a 5-0 lead, there isn’t going to be a Yankee rally.
Tags: