Before Game 6 of the American League Championship Series was postponed just after 6 pm ET on Saturday, Yankees manager Joe Girardi had said that in the event of a rain out, scheduled starter Andy Pettitte would still start if the game was pushed back a day and CC Sabathia would start a possible Game 7 on Monday.
While Pettitte is a veteran pitcher capable of closing out the ALCS for the Yanks, starting Sabathia on Sunday would be a better choice for two reasons.
First, it would give New York a better chance of winning Game 6 and clinching their 40th trip to the World Series, and secondly, it would prevent the possibility of Sabathia being unavailable to pitch until Game 3 against the Phillies.
Pettitte is 1-0 with a 2.84 ERA this postseason, but Sabathia is 3-0 with a 1.19, so giving him the ball on Sunday would give the Yanks the best chance of advancing and isn't that what it's all about? You have to get to the World Series before you can win it.
Saving CC for a possible Game 7 start would give New York a chance to start him in Game 1 of the Fall Classic, but it's a risky move because if the Angels force a deciding game on Monday, then Sabathia wouldn't be able to pitch until Saturday's Game 3 of the World Series.
If you start the big lefty on Sunday, he could pitch on three-days rest in Thursday's Game 2, which would also allow him to start a possible Game 6 vs. Philadelphia. I believe this would be the safest play for the Yankees.
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Jordan Schwartz is Bleacher Report's New York Yankees Community Leader. His book "Memoirs of the Unaccomplished Man" is available at amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, and authorhouse.com.
Jordan can be reached at jordanschwartz2003@yahoo.com
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