WHY A NEW RIVALRY IS EMERGING

The best part about tonight's game against the Texas Rangers is Josh Hamilton will not be in the lineup for Texas. The worst part? The Rangers pitching is great. The Rangers are 9-3 this year and one thing is for sure. The Yanks still sting from last years ALCS loss and they want this series to win to prove a point to everyone. You don't come into our house and beat us, and you won't tonight.(photo: Daily News)
Luckily for the Yanks, they proved to everyone last night that they are real deal. With top players still batting in the low .200's, and a starter in Hughes that's lost velocity, they still managed to scrape together runs on nice hitting and the bullpen was able to keep the Orioles frozen at 5.

Tonight's a rematch. You can call it just another game if you want, but it's not... not to the Yankees, not to Alex who was the last batter the Rangers faced. Currently, the Yanks have won 2 straight against a great Orioles team, and adrenaline and confidence is high going into tonight.

Tonight it's Matt Harrison vs. Super Nova:

Harrison will make his first appearance in New York tonight and according to ESPN, he said: "Pitching in a ballpark like that for the first time, with all the history, should be pretty special."

Ok, good Mr. Harrison. Keep thinking that when you're trying to pitch out of an inning with 40,ooo passionate Yankees fans screaming at you tonight. Keep thinking about the history, because, maybe you can get your first loss at Yankee Stadium this year and be part of that history.

Against the Yankees lifetime, Harrison is 1-1 with a 7.53 ERA in five games and two starts.
(photo: Getty)
I am predicting the biggest star of this Yanks-Rangers series to be Alex Rodriguez. He's hot as hell and this is his former team. Couple that with a game in Yankee Stadium and 100% health and we have something special in Alex. Like I said before, Alex was the last batter the Rangers faced, this weekend is payback.
(photo: Getty)
The biggest concern tonight will be Ivan Nova. While he pitches wonderfully the first time around in the order, that concern about the next few times is amplified and he just can't seem to shake the monkey off his back. The key to Nova tonight will be to switch up his pitches and make the batters think rather than getting into a routine where the batters know what he's throwing. If he can keep the Rangers guessing, he's got a shot of going 6 and handing it off to the Three Headed Monster. But Nova has to get help from his offense. If they can get to Harrison early and get some runs, any runs that Nova gives up later in his start won't matter. We will see.

One things for sure, a new rivalry is emerging. Yankeeland still can't accept the Rangers winning the ALCS last year. There's unfinished business as far as we're concerned and we're about to prove it. Go Yanks.

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