Major League Baseball

Pitching Gaudin could be right move for Yankees

Published Oct. 31, 2009 4:51 p.m. ET

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Ken Rosenthal

Maybe this settles the issue.


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"I've got no chance against lefties," the Yankees' CC Sabathia said
Friday, talking about his hitting, not his pitching.

Well, the Phillies are starting right-hander Joe Blanton in Game 4 and
lefty Cliff Lee in Game 5, making the decision easy for Yankees
manager Joe Girardi, right?

Uh, not exactly.

Girardi needs to figure out how to deploy Sabathia in his World Series
rotation, not his lineup.

Sabathia will be a lock to start Game 4 on three days' rest if the
Yankees fall behind the Phillies, two games to one.

He might even be a lock to start if the Yankees win, considering
Chad Gaudin has pitched one inning in the past 28 days.

The latter choice, though, is not as clear-cut as it appears. If the
Yankees led the Series, I'm not sure pitching Gaudin would be the
wrong move.




Since 1999, teams using a starter on three days rest against a fully
rested counterpart in the postseason are 12-35, according to STATS LLC.

Sabathia proved an exception in Game 4 of the American League
Championship Series, dominating the Angels for eight innings.

But this decision would not solely involve Sabathia.

If the Yankees commit to Sabathia in games 4 and 7, if necessary, they
also will be committing to right-hander A.J. Burnett and lefty Andy
Pettitte on short rest in games 5 and 6.

That's right, the Yankees would close out a potential seven-game
Series with four consecutive starts on short rest — unless Girardi
picked Gaudin for Game 5 and skipped either Burnett or Pettitte, a
ridiculous idea.

If Gaudin started, it would be in Game 4, enabling Girardi to start
Sabathia, Burnett and Pettitte on normal rest in the final three
games. Sabathia then would be available in relief for Game 7, the way
Lee will be for the Phillies.

Not so awful, is it?

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