Ichiro Joins Up, Alex Rodriguez Goes Down — New York Yankees Midweek Report

Ichiro Suzuki, a future Hall of Famer, bowed to the fans and said good-bye to the only city he has ever known since coming over from the Far East. The catch? He didn’t even have to leave the stadium because the team he went to was Seattle’s opponent that night, the Yankees!

Ichiro should be in position to rejuvenate himself in New York and turn around an average season. Expect him to regularly hit 8th or 9th , play left and right fields and not hit much against lefty pitching (all according to the Yankee handbook for Ichiro before the trade).

What’s happened so far:

The Yanks lost in Oakland on Sunday 4-3 after having the lead which completed the sweep for the A’s and ruined another bulldog start from CC Sabathia. New York bounced back nicely with a 4-1 win Monday in Ichiro’s Yank debut followed by a 4-2 loss Tuesday as Seattle’s Felix Hernandez mowed down New York. As of the printing of this article, the Yanks play the rubber match in Seattle at 3:40 EST on Wednesday then have Thursday off to travel back to the Bronx for…

What’s to come: Red-Sox Yankees

Ever heard of the rivalry? Three-game set Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Boston needs a jolt, especially since their star players haven’t done much yet since returning from the DL. Yanks need to keep pressure on the other AL East teams. Look for Robinson Cano to take advantage of weak Boston pitching. It is also Ichiro’s first taste of one of the greatest rivalries in sports history. It should be fun as always.

Article by Mike Lindsley at PinstripePassion.com