Ah well, another opposing started with a 5 plus ERA could spell doom for this group. Tank will pitch a goodie and keep his team in the game.
Gardner -LF Refsnyder -1B Beltran -RF Rodriguez -DH Castro -2B Headley -3B Gregorious -SS Hicks -CF Romine -C
...Hicks vs LHed pitching is batting .172 this year...for his career; .252 while Ellsbury's stats vs lefties are considerably better.
According to Girardi (S Waldman), he simply chose Ellsbury to sit nstead of Gardner in order to give Hicks a start vs the LHP. I think everyone is already aware and agree Ellisbury and Gardner are better more established players than Hicks and Hicks was acquired in the hope he can sustain or improve on last year's numbers where he showed very good overall improvement especially vs LHP in career high 352 AB as a young, inexpensive work in progress. So far this year he hasn't shown it- will he? Only one way to find out. I guess this wouldn't be fair or complete without mentioning Hicks DID hit a HR (vs a LHP)....but just in case, NOBODY is suggesting Hicks is going to be an "all star".
"posts without a point or substance...HARUMPH" You mean like this one: .."Hicks vs LHed pitching is batting .172 this year...for his career; .252 while Ellsbury's stats vs lefties are considerably better". When it was a simple case (as told to Suzyn Waldman) of Girardi wanting to give Hicks a start, choosing to sit Ellsbury and doing so with a LHP starting. I already knew this because I heard Waldman say it. It wasn't a referendum on any player's superior or inferior ability vs LHP and speaking of pointless and lacking substance are you going to cite Ellsbury's, Hicks' or Gardner's numbers whenever the Mgr chooses to give his 4th outfielder an occasional start or rests someone? HARUMPH There ya go- that's better!
...still looking for a legit justification for starting Hicks over Ellsbury...if Joe was using his "binder", Ellsbury's numbers are/were better vs LHers.