Saturday, May 23, 2009

May 23 -- MAYBERRY IN RF; IBANEZ WILL DH

BY SCOTT LAUBER

NEW YORK -- So, a few minutes after John Mayberry Jr. walked into the Phillies' clubhouse today, Matt Stairs gave him the typical rookie treatment.

"Hey, Junior," said Stairs, lounging on a nearby couch. "I need a coffee and three creams."

Mayberry laughed.

A few minutes later, he summed up the feeling of getting his very first big-league call-up by saying, "It's the moment I've waited my whole life for." Mayberry is in the lineup today, as expected. But instead of DHing against Yankees left-hander Andy Pettitte, Mayberry is playing right field. Jayson Werth will move to left, and Raul Ibanez will be the DH.

Here's the full lineup:
SS Jimmy Rollins (.240/3/16)
2B Chase Utley (.293/11/31)
LF Jayson Werth (.279/8/26)
1B Ryan Howard (.258/10/30)
DH Raul Ibanez (.353/16/41)
CF Shane Victorino (.262/4/23)
3B Pedro Feliz (.308/2/23)
RF John Mayberry Jr. (MLB debut)
C Chris Coste (.241/1/6)

There's another storyline today, of course, and it involves lefty J.A. Happ, who will make his return to the rotation. Asked Happ yesterday about pitching in new Yankee Stadium, and he said he'd have to guard against getting "too amped up." Naturally, Happ was speaking in his usual low monotone. Not sure I've ever seen Happ get "amped up," but he says it happens.

Anyway, here's the star-studded Yankees' lineup he'll be facing: SS Derek Jeter (.278/6/20), LF Johnny Damon (.310/10/28), 1B Mark Teixeira (.257/12/33), DH Alex Rodriguez (.200/6/11), 2B Robinson Cano (.310/8/25), CF Melky Cabrera (.317/5/18), RF Nick Swisher (.231/9/23), C Francisco Cervelli (.323/0/3), 3B Ramiro Pena (.263/0/4).

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