John Lackey: How Will He Fare Against New York Yankees' Line-Up?

The Yankees' bats were on fire last season. They led the league with 915 runs as one of only three teams to break 800 runs scored in 2009 (the Red Sox came in second with 872).

Enter John Lackey, who's now a member of a revered Red Sox rotation. With Boston and New York the clear one-two front-runners for the AL East crown, the Red Sox could certainly use some ice-cold pitching to cool down their nemesis in 2010.

But will they get it from Lackey?

Here are his career numbers against some of New York's finest hitters:

Mark Teixeira: 49 AB, .388 BA, .464 OBP, 5 SO

Derek Jeter: 44 AB, .341 BA, .442 OBP, 11 SO

Jorge Posada: 29 AB, .414 BA, .469 OBP, 7 SO

So, he looks like a dead-beat against the Yankees' line-up, right?

Not so fast. Here's where it gets interesting:

Alex Rodriguez: 51 AB, .176 BA, .295 OBP, 23 SO

Robinson Cano: 26 AB, .231 BA, .259 OBP, 3 SO

Nick Swisher: 43 AB, .116 BA, .255 OBP, 17 SO

Curtis Granderson: 12 AB, .167 BA, .286 OBP, 4 SO

The Red Sox are looking for Lackey to cool off the Yankees' bats. It's pretty plain to see, though, that Lackey has been both hot and cold against the Bronx Bombers.

Jeter owns Lackey, Lackey owns Swisher. Teixeira owns Lackey, Lackey owns A-Rod.

He hasn't seen all the Yankees' batters very much, as indicated by Cano, Granderson, and Posada's low AB.

He'll be seeing each of these guys in three, probably four of the 16 regular season match-ups. Each of the Yankees' vaunted bats will get between 12 and 16 more PA against the former Angels star pitcher this season alone, and for years to come under Lackey's five-year deal.

Will the Yankees warm up to Lackey's stuff by facing him more? Or will Lackey get comfortable with each of their respective strengths and weaknesses through additional experience?

With some small sample sizes on a few players, only time will tell how strong he'll perform against one of the top hitting line-ups in the league.

Regardless, the Red Sox will rely on Lackey's (aka Triangle-Mouth and Kermit the Frog) cool demeanor and quick thinking to keep the Yankees' bats at bay in clutch situations in 2010.

Despite Lackey's many nicknames, endearing or otherwise, it'll be no laughing matter when the greatest rivalry in baseball is renewed.

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