ALDS Game 2 Matchup: Wei-Yin Chen vs. Andy Pettitte
• 2012 American League Division Series: Orioles vs. Yankees
How much does experience matter in the playoffs? Game 2 of the American League Division Series between New York and Baltimore is a perfect test case -- with the Yankees sending Andy Pettitte to the mound and the Orioles countering with Wei-Yin Chen.
Pettitte will be making his 43rd postseason start Monday. Pettitte is 19-10, with a 3.83 ERA during the playoffs. He has pitched 263 innings, striking out 173 and giving up 31 home runs. He has never pitched a complete game during the playoffs.
Pettitte is 27-6 against Baltimore for his career, with a 3.52 ERA during 42 games (40 starts).
During the 2012 regular season, Pettitte was 5-4 with a 2.87 ERA. He did not face the Orioles.
Pettitte last pitched at Camden Yards in 2010, getting a no-decision after pitching six innings and allowing one run.
Adam Jones is batting .353 against Pettitte for his career, with six hits in 17 at-bats.
Mark Reynolds is batting .333 against Pettite, with two hits in six at-bats, and both of those hits were doubles.
But the Orioles' secret weapon against Pettitte may be Endy Chavez, who is 3-for-5 against Pettitte, with one home run and two RBIs.
Wei-Yin Chen will be making his first postseason start tonight.
During the 2012 regular season, Chen was 12-11 with a 4.02 ERA. He had 154 strikeouts and just 57 walks.
Chen started four games against the Yankees this season, going 1-2 with a 5.25 ERA during 24 innings while holding the Yankees to a .228 batting average.
Ichiro Suzuki has yet to get a hit off of Chen in five at-bats. Curtis Granderson went just 1-for-8 against Chen during the regular season (.125), while Mark Teixeira was 1-for-6 (.167) and Nick Swisher was 2-for-11 (.182).
One other note: the Yankees drafted Pettitte in 1990. Chen was born in 1985.
Posted Oct. 8, 2012