Get Wang Out Of The Rotation

I'm wondering if Brian Cashman and Joe Girardi have been paying attention through the first two weeks of the season. What other reason could there be for the Yankees continuing to send Chien-Ming Wang to the mound? What other reason could there be for the Yankees continuing to go without a long-man?

It's not as if Wang has simply been bad, giving up say five or six runs in four or five innings. He's been dreadful. If the Yankees would like to give me Wang's $5 million salary this year, I'm sure I could give them six innings over three starts, while allowing 23 runs. People, that's a 34.50 ERA!


Saturday Wang was at his worst again. He set down the side in order in the first, but that would be the only miracle of the day. He recorded only one more out, allowing eight runs on eight hits in the Indians' 14-run second inning and the Yankees had no where to hide in an embarrassing 22-4 loss at the new Yankee Stadium. This one was so bad, a forfeit actually would have been less humiliating.

Something is severely wrong with Wang and the Yankees just can't continue to try fix those massive problems while keeping him in the rotation -- it's an automatic loss that taxes an already suspect bullpen, which then places a burden on A.J. Burnett to be nearly perfect every time out.

The Yankees insist there is nothing physically wrong with Wang, but they know something is wrong. They sent down infielder Juan Miranda after Friday's game and called up short reliever Anthony Claggett, giving them 13 pitchers on the 25-man roster. You don't need that many pitchers unless you believe you're going to need to use them. Yet none of the relievers is a long-man. You have to wonder what Cashman and Girardi have against having a long reliever on staff.

Even now, Girardi doesn't get it. Here's what he before the game:

“You don’t manage thinking about who your long reliever is going to be.”

You don't? Joe, you mean you're going to get five-, six-, seven-inning starts every time out? If that's what you really think, you're flat out delusional! The Sox with all their pitching don't even take that approach.

When the team was breaking camp, it could have taken Brett Tomko, Alfredo Aceves or Dan Giese as a long man. Instead, the Yanks chose short reliever Jonathan Albaladejo and have paid the price. But it's not too late. Tomko is at Triple A Scranton and could be added immediately if Cashman finds religion and makes a move on the 40-man roster. Aceves has been starting in Triple A, though not pitching effectively, and last pitched Thursday. Giese is now with the A's.

Of course, the Yankees have to figure out what to do with Wang. They can't keep trotting him out there to get killed every time out. That's no good for the team and no good for Wang's confidence. Phil Hughes has continued at Scranton what he started in spring training. He's 2-0 with a 2.31 ERA in two starts. Even last year he was better than what Wang's given the Yanks this year. But Hughes remains one of the Yankees' top prospect and he might finally be ready to handle the majors.

That only leaves the Yankees to figure out Wang's role. They could make Wang the long-man and let him work out his problems in the bullpen. But Wang should be sent down. He does not have any options left, so the Yankees will have to get creative. This would be a good time for him to develop some ... um ... shoulder tendinitis. The Yanks have to get Wang to Tampa so that pitching guru Nardi Contraras can break down and then completely rebuild Wang's mechanics. Al Leiter went through something similar when he was a young pitcher and it might be what Wang needs right now to save his career.

The Good
Mark Teixeira's wrist appears to be better, homering for a second consecutive game to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead in the first. Melky Cabrera also homered for a second straight game. That's it.

The Bad
Wang stunk. Claggett was bombed. Ramirez gave up four runs in two inning. Somehow Jose Veras pitched three innings allowing only one run and Damaso Marte couldn't even go one inning without giving up a run. All told, they gave up 22 earned runs and 25 hits, including six homers. That's as bad as it gets.

What We Learned
Make that what Girardi and Cashman (hopefully) learned. Wang is not right and can't stay in the rotation. Put it like this: The ERA of the Yankees' starters is 6.34. Without Wang it's 3.38. He's killing the team right now. There are no two ways about it.

Runners On Third With Less Than Two Outs
Saturday
1 Opportunity
0-for-1
Season
18 Opportunities
2-for-14, 3B, BB, 3 SF, 10 R, 7 RBI, 1 K, 2 GIDP

Up Next
Sunday vs. Indians, 1:05 p.m., YES
Carl Pavano (0-2, 16.71) vs. Burnett (2-0, 2.70)
Burnett needs to come up with yet another big start, but it would nice if the offense steps up to put a hurting on "American Idle." However, part of me is starting to feel for Pavano. Even his old flame Alyssa Milano is dissing him. Upon learning Pavano is starting against the Yankees Sunday, Milano said:

“Yeah, that's not going to be pretty.”