After enduring the A-Rod dramas over the last 6 or so seasons, it’s insane how Teixeira’s struggles have slid under the radar in the mainstream. He has been beyond awful at the plate and really needs to wake up fast. Cano looked a bit better in game 5, but double aside, Teix still did not look good.

@ Corey:
Yep. So tomorrow is effectively his bullpen session, albeit with much more on the line.

Am I nervous that Andy throws a stinker? Absolutely. Do I think the Yanks might end up losing this World Series after all? Yep. But it’s really on Cano and Teixeira to make sure that doesn’t happen. Those two have gotten a free ride over the past 14 playoff games…

@ MJ:
Should also be noted that on normal rest, Andy throws a bullpen and a side session, whereas on short rest he doesn’t throw on the side at all.

@ ken:
He had nothing left after his start but that doesn’t mean he won’t have anything for tomorrow night. John Heyman is treating tomorrow’s start as if it were taking place 45 minutes after Pettitte came off the mound on Sunday night.

I’m not saying Pettitte should be expected to be lights out or even brilliant but there’s a chance that he’s at least good enough to keep the Yanks in the game. And if he’s not…well…then he’s not.

The Yanks made the decision not to start Gaudin on the basis that he stinks versus lefties and they didn’t have anyone better than him that they could turn to. I can’t blame Girardi for thinking that 70 or 80% of AJ and Pettite’s best is still better than 100% of Gaudin’s best.

@ ken:
You can never concede a game in the World Series, ever. Also, keep in mind that the Yanks tried to mount a comeback in yesterday’s game. Although it’s hard to imagine a pitcher doing a worse job than AJ did yesterday, it’s possible that Gaudin would’ve done worse, thus making the comeback even more unlikely.

I hear what you’re saying and I agree that it’s a bit scary to know that the Yanks have to rely on starters going on short rest. I also agree that if the Yanks had a decent 4th starter then maybe the tenor of this conversation would be different.

But Gaudin is simply not good enough to pitch in the World Series in general and his bad splits vs. lefty hitters make him particularly ill-suited to face the Phillies in particular.

From John Heyman on SI.com:

“Longtime Yankees postseason star Andy Pettitte told several teammates he had absolutely “nothing” after hanging in six innings to win Game 3, and now he is being entrusted to summon something better with only three days’ rest in Game 6 Wednesday. Pettitte is the all-time winner in postseason play with 17 victories, but if a younger A.J. Burnett lost so much in the three days from Game 2 to 5, there is wonder even within the Yankees clubhouse about how this will all work out.

Pettitte won more respect from teammates for hanging tough in a game where he not only didn’t have his best stuff but by his own private accounts to longtime friends actually had zero. Zip. Nada.”

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/jon_heyman/11/03/phillies.alive/index.html?eref=writers#ixzz0VpiyyOVl
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YankCrank wrote:

Why would we ever want Chad Gaudin starting a game in the World Series, especially when it eliminates a second start of Andy Pettitte?

Because it results in Pettitte pitching on short rest.

I think you had to concede game 5 to Philly. Then you ask yourself: do I want Pettitte on short rest or AJ, at home where he’s better, on full rest in game 6.

So, it’s not really about Gaudin as much as who you want in game 6.

Along the lines of YankCrank… The Yankees aren’t a great team right now. They are very good. Maybe the best in baseball, but they are a stud starter and a stud outfielder with wheels away from great. I still prefer the higher caliber starters on 3 days rest than a weaker starter on ~ 20+ days. If the Yankees lose out at this point the problem will be that there was no good option for a 4th starter (something that could possibly have been addressed at the deadline). While AJ clearly spit the bit, if the bullpen gang hadn’t given up some gratuitous runs, the Cardiac Kids would have been right there late.

One other observation from a catcher obsessed fan… Molina, out of a girth issue, is setting up locations way too early. When he sets up early and deep inside on a lefty batter like Howard, with a man on first, the runner knows that Jose is blocked out by the hitter and the throw to second will be much, much harder. Also, the scouts see this as well. The batters can feel Jose set up (and he never, ever, shifts) and that takes away one element of uncertainty.

I think Stinky Pete’s House of Horrors continues tomorrow. His act was fresh for one night after being out of the AL for so long, but the Yankees have too much stick for him to pull that off two times so close together. There will be a lot of guys sitting on change-ups and breaking balls. Also, please pitch around Utley, for crying out loud. The guy has been killing thigh high fastballs in the middle of the plate and Howard is on the verge of setting a major league record for strike outs in a WS,

Picking up on yesterday’s thread…. Someone should have put one in Utley’s ass last night. He’s too comfortable at the plate and he needs to be aware that he might have to move his feet (in a hurry) every so often.

@ YankCrank:
Agree completely. Gaudin is just not good enough to warrant a WS start against a lefty-hitting team like Philly and certainly not at the expense of Andy Pettitte, who is his superior in every way.

I do think this highlights a need for the Yanks to find another starter but since there’s nothing they can do about this now, we just gotta hope that Andy Pettitte can keep it together tomorrow night and nail it down for us.

I don’t feel good about a Game 7 scenario, even with CC. I love him but he’s had nothing in his two WS starts and I can’t imagine he can skate by on fumes in a third start…