Game 2 Starter

The Yankees face a pretty tough predicament since their division series wen't five games with the Baltimore Orioles and Bud Selig and co. botched the scheduling while rushing the second wild card. They will not have a night off in between clinching the division series and starting the championship series so the ALCS will start tonight at Yankees Stadium in the Bronx. The problem with this is that the Yankees used us their ace CC Sabathia just to get here so now they are not quite sure of who their second starter is going to be.

The Yankees could bring Hiroki Kuroda back on three days rest, something he has never done in his career, after he pitched well in 105 pitches and 8.1 IP against the Orioles in game 3. He has thrown a career high in innings this season with 219.1 IP but he also has had the best season of his career to date (in the United States anyway). He either showed some signs of it catching up with him in September or he just ran into some bad luck as he was not nearly as sharp or effective as he was in the beginning of the season. Nonetheless though he pitched well in game 3 against Baltimore if you take away two solo home runs and gave his team every chance to win the game. Also you have to consider that if you wait till his normal rest day to pitch him, which would be game 4, you only get to use your second best pitcher (arguably) once in the series which is never ideal.

David Phelps could make a spot start in Game 2 after his 27 pitch appearance out of the bullpen on Thursday. This is not the most ideal situation being that he is a rookie and all but he is a better option then Ivan Nova, Freddy Garcia, or anyone else we could imagine throwing out there. Also, to note, he would be facing off against Anibal Sanchez so on paper at least you would not think you would have to throw your best starter out there to have a shot at a win. David Phelps could keep is close enough to win in my opinion but I do not know if my heart could take it.

If I am managing this team I am starting Kuroda on three days rest and seeing where it gets me. You live and die by pitching and defense in the playoffs and into the World Series so I am going to live and die by Kuroda twice at home, if necessary, then once against Max Scherzer in Comerica. We have rode Kuroda and relied on him all season so to stop now or alter that would not be a wise decision. With Kuroda in game 2 penciled in I do not see how you cannot bring CC back on three days rest for game 3 against Verlander in Comerica. That slides Phil Hughes into the 4th game against Scherzer in Comerica, which its bigger outfield should help Hughes' home run problem. Andy Pettitte comes back for game 5, Kuroda for 6, and CC in game 7 makes me type this whole thing out again when we are lining up our rotation for the World Series.