Game Preview: New York Yankees vs. Toronto Blue Jays 8/17

Before this series started I looked at the pitching probables and I thought the Yankees would either get swept or they would lose embarrassingly in at least two of the games. New York and their youth movement has come out firing on all cylinders once again against a tough team and will look to take another series from a team in front of them tonight in the Bronx. With the off day tomorrow and a west coast trip that begins in Los Angeles on Friday looming in the distance it is imperative that the Yankees take care of business today on their home field in front of their home fans. Donned with the task of putting Toronto back behind teams like Boston and Baltimore in the standings is New York’s starter for the game CC Sabathia. The arm donned with the task of keeping Toronto atop the AL East Division is JA Happ who starts this afternoon for the Blue Jays.

Sabathia had many believing he had finally learned how to pitch and not simply try to blow hitters away earlier in the season but the veteran left-hander has regressed a bit while coming back down to Earth since. The key to Sabathia’s success has been limiting his pitches and limiting his home runs, something he will try to do this afternoon in the Bronx.

Happ comes into this start fresh off his 16^th victory of the season last time out at the hands of the Tampa Bay Rays. Happ became the league’s first 16-game winner by throwing six shutout innings against Tampa Bay while stretching his consecutive victories in decisions streak to 10.

The game will be played at 1:05 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB TV. Like I alluded to earlier the Yankees are off tomorrow before making the trip out west to begin a weekend series with Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. At last check those Angels had lost double digit games in a row so you know what that means for this Yankees series right? They will probably sweep us. I’m hoping not but that’s usually how it goes for this team this season isn’t? Oh well, regardless I’ll still be sitting here screaming “Go Yankees!”