Five-card draw for Girardi’s rotation
TAMPA — A year ago, Yankees manager Joe Girardi had two experienced pitchers vying for the final spot in a five-man rotation. This spring training, there are five arms competing for the last two spots.
Yet, Girardi hasn’t altered the way he evaluates just because there are more people to look at than just CC Sabathia and Ivan Nova, who were his choices last March.
“I try to watch [hitters’] swings. I don’t look so much at line scores. In spring training the wind can blow out and infields can get really fast,’’ Girardi said before Adam Warren, one of the five looking to open the season as a starter, allowed one run in three innings against the Orioles’ JV at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Thursday evening in an 8-1 victory. “I try to watch how many pitches they have and how effective they are with those pitches. You can have four pitches, but if you are only effective with two, the other two don’t do a ton of good. I watch how they field their position and hold runners because if you are pitching six and seven innings those things will come up more.’’
Girardi didn’t decide until the final week of last year’s spring training that Sabathia would be in the rotation and Nova in the bullpen. Based on the number of arms and the ability of all of them to work in the pen, it’s likely Girardi’s decision again will come close to Opening Day.
Warren, who has extensive experience in the bullpen where he has worked 184 times in 205 career games, made his second start against the Orioles and is a lock to make the staff in some capacity. The 29-year-old right-hander worked two perfect innings against the Phillies in his initial outing.
“I felt really good, used all my pitches and had quality off-speed stuff,’’ said Warren, who gave up a homer to Caleb Joseph on a twoseam fastball he has been experimenting with. “I felt like the slider was much better and the changeup was really good. As a starter that’s an important pitch for me.’’
Warren made it clear he wants to open the season in the rotation, and Severino, who faces the Blue Jays on Friday in Dunedin, is also in line with Warren’s thinking.
When handicapping the Sabathia-Nova race it was always easier to pick Sabathia because of his status in the game, his 214 wins, the fact none of his career 452 regular-season appearances were out of the pen and the Yankees were paying him $25 million, which is a fortune for a starter — never mind a long reliever.
Trying to pick the two pitchers for the final spots this year is more difficult. Even if you eliminate Chad Green and Luis Cessa, who could be sent to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to provide starter insurance, that leaves three arms for two slots.
Severino’s 2015 can’t be ignored, as he went 5-3 with a 2.89 ERA in 11 starts. Yet, neither can him going 0-8 with an 8.50 ERA in 11 starts last season. He did shine in relief, but the Yankees believe he can help most as a starter. Mitchell missed most of last year with a toe injury that required surgery and not only has more experience in the pen but is very good at it, which might hurt his chances to be in the rotation.