Yankees June 17 Extended Preview

By Caleb Breakey/MLB.com


There's Chien-Ming Wang and his sinkerball, Andy Pettitte and his left-handed prowess, Mike Mussina and his ability to win, and Roger Clemens and his guaranteed invitation into the Hall of Fame.

Then there's Tyler Clippard.

After injuries, promotions and demotions, Clippard is slotted in as the Yankees' No. 5 starter, and he will take the mound at 1:05 p.m. ET on Saturday against the Mets in the second game of the Subway Series at Yankee Stadium.

Just 22, the rookie grew up watching several of his fellow starters pitch. But now he takes his turn in pinstripes every fifth day, a tugboat among battleships.

You'd think that Clippard might feel serious pressure, but even as he exited the Yankees' clubhouse after Friday's 2-0 loss to the Mets, the righty looked cool and calm. He doesn't mind pitching among the giants.

"It's not hard at all," he said. "I can benefit a lot from it, and when guys are going good, they feed off each other, and that helps everybody else perform well."

Yankees manager Joe Torre said that Clippard has shown the team tenacity. The youngster allowed a run on three hits against the Mets in his Major League debut, and since then, he's had a couple of rough starts, including his latest, in which he allowed the Pirates six runs in 3 2/3 innings.

But Clippard has kept his demeanor in both his good and bad starts. His head stays up, his effort keeps strong.

"And now," Torre said, "he's been going out there regularly, where if he doesn't make a pitch, he gets angry -- it's not like [he is thinking], 'I shouldn't be here.' That's what impressed us about him."

As far as Clippard's spot among the four established starters in the Yankees' rotation, Torre said it only helps.

"He's just out there trying to do his job instead of, 'We need a lift; go out there, kid, and give us one,'" Torre said. "We feel we get a bonus when we win the games that he starts. Not that he's not capable [of winning], but we certainly didn't plan on him being here when the season started."

NYY: RHP Tyler Clippard (3-1, 5.32 ERA)

Clippard was the beneficiary of a Yankees offensive eruption against the Pirates in his last start. The right-hander gave up six runs in 3 2/3 innings but came away with a no-decision, as the Yankees bailed him out by putting several crooked numbers onto the scoreboard.

NYM: LHP Tom Glavine (5-4, 4.15 ERA)

The Tigers roughed up Glavine last Sunday, touching him for nine runs and 11 hits in 4 1/3 innings. The left-hander has lost three straight decisions, and his quest for milestone win No. 300 has been on hold as he sits on 295 victories for his career.

Player to watch

The Mets are the first team that Clippard has faced twice in his first season in the Major Leagues. Clippard pitched against the Mets in his debut, surrendering only three hits, but Mets third baseman David Wright homered off the right-hander.