How will the schedule affect the 5th starter?

and we are paying him to be horse, so my gut reaction was immediately, send him out every 5th day and let our best pitchers take up the most innings.

On the other hand, it might not be a bad idea to let Sabathia and AJ ease into the season. The Yankees have already shown concern for the high innings total by their top 4 starters. It might be better to get everyone going, give a little extra rest at the beginning of the season. All these off days in the first month means there are going to be long stretches without a break later on.

If Joba Chamberlain wins the fifth starter spot (as I believe he should), then no. Let the pitchers go out after the other four have pitched. Joba has no innings limit anymore. The leash is off. Let him go out and pitch. There is no reason to skip his turns. And it would be good if CC, A.J., Andy, and Vasquez all had some rest in between starts. It could help keep them fresh later in the season. It might not make a difference at all. Either way, if Joba wins, leave it the way it should be.

However, if Hughes wins the fifth starter spot, then I would go with skipping him. He has a limit of probably around 140-150 innings (I know what his career high was, but that was back in 2006- the innings he threw last year should be looked at). I do NOT want another episode of what Joba was last year- late in the season and him going out and getting bombed every time he pitched. I would rather have had the Yankees limit Joba’s innings in the beginning of 2009, and then let him go all out and just pitch in the second half. I would prefer the same thing with Hughes. I wouldn’t want him struggling in the second half when the Yankees will be in the thick of a pennant race (and Joba’s struggles would have been suicide for them last year if they hadn’t already locked up the AL East early with the 4 Game sweep). So skip him as much as you can in the beginning without using spot starters, take him out of games early, they should do whatever they need to limit his innings in the first half without the need to use Gaudin/Mitre as spot starters, so he can be fresh for the second half. I wouldn’t worry about the other starters going every fifth day. Thats their job, isn’t it? Especially CC. He’s a horse. There’s really no need to worry about him getting hurt or getting gassed by the end of the year.

So if Joba wins, then let them all go out. If Hughes wins, skip some of his starts in the beginning.

Also, I have a question. Any particular reason the schedule makers like to skip a day between the opener and the rest of the series every year? I mean, it really happens every single season. Play the opener in the season, skip a day, and then play on. Why?

TO TEH PEN!

…and we get more unwanted off days.

After an average of 240+ inninIgs last year (including the play-offs) for CC, AJ, and aging Pettite I do think it would be a good idea to ease into the season with the five-man intact. Plus, it allows either Hughes, who finished in the pen, or Joba, who was under the bizzare Joba rules to slowly get used to starting regularly again. I don’t like these strange rules they have for these two, I like the old school philosphy of building a pitchers arm strength in the minors and then using him as a long reliever after reaching the bigs. I think we should let Hughes pitch as long as possible this year if he starts, but thats not going to happen. I think Joba got bombed not because of overwork (come on) but because of the fluctuating rules, its kind of hard to develop rythme with all that going on. Quit babying these guys Yanks, its going to wreck ’em! There might not be physical evidence to suggest a pitcher can throw every three days, but there sure is statistical evidence. We got lucky in playoffs last year with our starters, plus CC is a horse and Pettite is not unaccustomed to it. AJ looked a little burned out that last start. Five in ’10 seems like a good idea.

Girardi should pick a starter and stick to his guns. Stay consistant with all 5 starters. Start the season knowing who your 5 starters are, and stick to it. If Joba is your guy, keep him as a starter, rather than baby him and go back and forth with the decision. Reguardless of Joe’s decision, I just want to see the same guy on the hill every 5th day as long as they arent injured or not being productive.

I don’t think it would hurt to start easy on all the guys, find a way to skip each starter once in the rotation to give them some extra rest and work the other of Hughes/Joba into the rotation.