Sunday, May 11, 2008

If Igawa Gets Another Start The Yanks Are Crazy

As George A. King III explains, today's rain out was a blessing in disguise, at least if the Yankees make the right decision it was.
Until the washout the Yankees said they were sticking with a plan that had Kei Igawa Kei Igawa starting Wednesday against the Rays in St. Petersburg.

Now, they won't need a fifth starter until Friday night in the first game of the Subway Series against the Mets New York Mets at Yankee Stadium. And with options they didn't have for Wednesday, the Yankees can smartly delete Igawa from the rotation and give themselves a better chance of getting a well-pitched game than the $46 million bust can deliver.

While Girardi said the lefty remains in the picture for Thursday or Friday, the Yankees could instruct SWB manager Dave Miley to limit Ian Kennedy's innings today in the first game of a double-header against Indianapolis. Kennedy was rained out yesterday. If Kennedy works extended innings today it's not likely the Yankees would bring him back on short rest Friday.

"That's something we will talk about,'' Girardi said of bringing Kennedy back to the big leagues. Girardi was talking before he knew Kennedy was rained out.

Today's development means Andy Pettitte opens a four-game series tomorrow night in Tampa and will be followed by Chien-Ming Wang and Mike Mussina. Darrell Rasner has been told he is starting Thursday or Friday. There is a possibility Igawa could start Thursday or Friday but after the Tigers spanked him Friday night (six runs and 11 hits in three-plus innings) it will be hard for the Yankees to give him the ball again and expect his teammates to have confidence in him.

I would bring Kennedy back for Friday's game. If they don't want to do that they can call up Dan Giese (2-2 with a 1.13 ERA for SWB) or Steven White (3-1 with a 2.68 ERA for SWB), just don't give Igawa another start.

7 Comments:

Anonymous said...

Works for me! I'm going to Tampa tomorrow to catch the Yanks at the Dome. :)

Greg Cohen said...

Nice, enjoy the game.

Who would you like to see start on Friday?

Unknown said...

Such a tough call.. Giese seems to be the only one we can give away if it doesnt work out, and it buys Kennedy more time, which I think he needs.

Another note, is Santana slated to start in this series? Im not quite up to the Mets' rotation.

Greg Cohen said...

Right now ESPN says the Matchups for that series are:

Fri - Perez vs. Rasner
Sat - Figueroa vs. Pettitte
Sun - Maine vs. Wang

The only problem with this is on the Yankees side because they have Igawa pitching on Thursday in Tampa, but that's how the Mets' rotation should line up.

Anonymous said...

This is nuts. Bring Ian back. Let him pitch this year and get some experience, and let the chips fall where they may.

And stick Igawa on the next plane back to Oarai.

Anonymous said...

Kennedy up! Igawa down! Ian will pitch Friday vs. Mets

Greg Cohen said...

Yup, that's what the Post and Rotoworld are reporting. Very good to hear.