As I’m sure most of our readers know, the Rays-Rangers ALDS Game 5 scheduled for Tuesday means that the Yanks will only face either Cliff Lee or David Price twice in the ALCS, and most likely not until Game 3. My money’s still on the Yanks facing the Rangers, based simply on the fact that Lee has been so unbeatable in October the past few seasons. But I wanted to take a quick glance at what some rotation scenarios would look like with the Yanks facing either the Rangers or Rays.
Thankfully, good buddy Mike Silva over at NYBD has already done some of the heavy lifting for me. In a recent post he lined up some various configurations of the Yankee rotation. With neither Yankee opponent able to feature their staff ace and Andy Pettitte healthy, I’ll presume the Yanks will have the luxury of not needing to make Pettitte/Hughes go on short rest. So I’ll use Mike’s ‘everyone on full rest but CC’ rotation and see what the match ups could look like. Here goes:
Everyone on full rest but Sabathia Rotation
Oct 15th, Game 1- Sabathia vs CJ Wilson/ James Sheilds
Oct 16th, Game 2- Pettitte vs Colby Lewis/ Matt Garza
Oct 18th, Game 3- Hughes vs Cliff Lee/David Price
Oct 19th, Game 4- Burnett vs Wade Davis / Tommy Hunter
Oct 20th,Game 5- Sabathia vs CJ Wilson/James Sheilds
Oct 22nd, Game 6- Pettitte vs Colby Lewis/Matt Garza
Oct 23rd Game 7- Hughes vs Cliff Lee/David Price
As you can see, the TEX/TAM ALDS series going the limit gives the Yanks a huge edge in the pitching match ups for the 2010 ALCS no matter which team they face. By the time they face Cliff Lee in Game 3, they could very well already have a commanding lead in the series and look to wrap it up in 5 or 6 games. But that Game 7 of Hughes vs Lee really jumps out at me as a bad idea.
Of course, this isn’t the only configuration the Yanks may choose to go with. Here’s the schedule with CC Sabathia going 3 times in the series, twice on short rest. I’ll assume that everyone goes on full rest from the Tampa/Texas perspective.
Sabathia 3x Rotation
Oct 15th, Game 1- Sabathia vs CJ Wilson/ James Sheilds
Oct 16th, Game 2- Pettitte vs Colby Lewis/ Matt Garza
Oct 18th, Game 3- Hughes vs Cliff Lee/David Price
Oct 19th, Game 4- Sabathia vs Wade Davis / Tommy Hunter
Oct 20th,Game 5- Burnett vs CJ Wilson/ James Sheilds
Oct 22nd, Game 6- Pettitte vs Colby Lewis/ Matt Garza
Oct 23rd Game 7- Sabathia vs Cliff Lee/David Price
This is the rotation I suspect Girardi will go with. CC pitches well on 3 days rest, and will be heading into the series on an 9 day layoff. It gives you the match up you want for Game 7 should the series go that far. Hughes only pitches once, but trading one of Phil’s starts for an extra CC start is an easy choice. We all know anything can happen in the playoffs, but the Yanks have the inside track to make it back to the World Series this year.
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10 Responses to Rays-Rangers Game 5 and the Yanks ALCS Rotation
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TIQ IQ
Your first rotation has CC on full rest, not sure about the title of it.
You’re right, I copied that directly from Mike’s post but I still should have noticed that.
My question is: where does pitching CC 3 times in the ALCS leave our rotation for the WS? Texas/TB, even with Lee/Price are an easier matchup the Philly. I’d rather take it easy on CC now, and have him go 3 in the WS.
I go: CC, Phil, Andy, AJ, CC, Phil, Andy.
This gives us: Andy in Game #7 (instead of Phil)
Andy as YS for game 3 (and Phil on the road both games)
And 2 Lefties for our 3 games at YS.
I dont think you can plan for the WS. You need to give everything to the series in front of you. I like Phil in Game 2 as well, more for the road thing than the Game 7 thing.
Right, and if you win it in 5 or 6 then CC is lined up perfectly. But you have to get there first.
If anyone is taking the Ranger or Rays lightly enough to be thinking about the World Series you are serious delusional or have watched none of their games those teams are dangerous.
Firstly, that first list has everyone on regular rest, including Sabathia. While I don’t think it’s a bad idea to start Sabathia on short rest, I think it’s a mistake to do it twice in one series, especially since there is hopefully more baseball to come.
I like the way the first option sets up (though I would personally start Mitre or perhaps a can of beans over Burnett). If you needed him in game 7, Sabathia would be available out of the bullpen.
I also would prefer that CC not go on short rest twice; however, that will only happen if there is a game 7. In that case CC is the guy I want out there – short rest or not. Also, CC’s ability to be effective on short rest gives the Yankees an advantage that most other teams don’t have and I think they should use this advantage by starting him 3 times in the ALCS if necessary (only having to use him once in the ALDS also helps). Also if Phil starts only game 3, the Yankees have the added flexibility of using him out of the bullpen in game 6 or 7 either in long relief or to get key outs late in the game.
You said exactly what I was thinking I want CC in a game 7 not Hughes… Frankly not anyone but Sabathia if my season is on the line I want my horse on the mound giving it everything he’s got and if anyone can do it it’s CC.
I think you are wrong on one thing though I think if they wanted too Halladay would pitch on 3 days rest every game and be OK.
Mitre over Burnett? Mitre hasn’t started in months and isn’t stretched out it’s basically giving away a game it would be Mosley over Mitre and I would much rather have the upside of 95 MPH and Burnett than the upside of Mosley and a sinker at 89.
I’m not a huge fan of pitching CC that much in the CS either but this year we are facing a much tougher team than we did last year and we are going to need all hands on deck if we even want to get to the World Series.
I admit it will be tough to go into the World Series if we go 7 in this series but it will be a lot tougher if we don’t actually make it since they sort of have a rule about teams who have been eliminated moving on to the next round.