From
Andrew Marchand:
The New York Yankees plan on bouncing Javier Vazquez from their rotation.
With Andy Pettitte on target to return from the disabled list next Sunday in Baltimore, a team official told ESPNNewYork.com that the Yankees plan to use Thursday's off day to skip Vazquez's next turn.
CC Sabathia will start in Tampa on Monday. He will be followed by rookie Ivan Nova and Phil Hughes. A.J. Burnett will start Friday in Baltimore. On Saturday, Sabathia will go again, followed by Pettitte, who will return Sunday against the Orioles. Pettitte still needs to get through his final minor league rehab start in Altooona on Tuesday.
When the specifics of the Yankees' plan were laid out to Yankees manager Joe Girardi, he declined to confirm it.
"It could line up that way," Girardi said. "Like I said, I'll announce it when I have it."
Girardi prefers to wait to announce such moves in case Pettitte has trouble on Tuesday or another injury changes the team's plans.
Girardi did confirm that Vazquez will be available out of the bullpen on Monday. He did not throw a full side session on Sunday, which is his normal routine after starting on Friday. Vazquez said the Yankees have not yet told him he is out of the rotation.
With Pettitte you have seven guys who can start: CC, Pettitte, Nova, Burnett, Vazquez, Hughes and Moseley. CC, Pettitte, Nova and Burnett will stick with their spots. That leaves one for the other three. Clearly, Hughes has pitched the best of the three and under normal circumstances would hold down that spot in the rotation, but he's rapidly approaching his innings limit and like I said the other day, he looks tired. I know many are against this, but maybe moving him back to the pen, sooner rather than later, is best for the 2010 Yankees (and Hughes' arm). What do you think?
