As you know by now, the Red Sox/White Sox game in Chicago was rained out tonight. The game will be made up tomorrow as part of a day/night double header in the Windy City. Beckett and Schilling are scheduled to pitch, and if they make the starts, they'll still be in line to start games 2 and 3 of the Yankee series next week. Erin, from
Blue Thoughts, and I, were batting some possibilities back and forth in her comments section about what would happen if tomorrow's double header was rained out as well. Her conclusion: "If there is a rainout tomorrow, this is going to get complicated."
Obviously, my first thought was who do I know in Illinois, and are they qualified to perform a rain dance. If the Sox get rained out tomorrow, they'll probably have to play 2 double headers in 2 days (the Red Sox have Monday off, but the White Sox play the D-Rays, so they couldn't extend the series another day). This is Boston's last trip into Chicago, so the game has to be played (Or I suppose they could pull one of those "Play it at the end of the season if it has a bearing on the playoffs" but I don't think they'd do that in this situation.) Either way, the Sox would then have to push Beckett and Schilling back another day, which means only one of them could pitch in the Yankee series (unless one pitched on three-days' rest, but that's doubtful at this point of the season). Sounds like great news for the Yanks, and it looks like the weather is probably going to make this happen. Thunderstorms are predicted all day and all night in Chicago for tomorrow.
Needless to day, I was happy. Then I thought to myself, wait a minute, Detroit isn't that far from Chicago. Low and behold, this is what Weather.com is showing for game time tomorrow night in Detroit:
Here's what will probably happen if the Yanks get rained out: A day/night double header on Saturday, probably pitched by Wang and Clemens. Then Phil Hughes on Sunday and Mike Mussina on Monday. Not a problem so far. Then game 1 against Boston would be Pettitte, and then we'd run into the problem. Either Clemens or Wang would have to come back on short rest for game 2, or someone else is going to have to make that start. Then for game 3 either Clemens or Wang could start. Probably Clemens. The big question is who would make that start in game 2, because unless one has an extremely short outing, I doubt Wang or Clemens would come back on short rest.
My vote,
Ian Kennedy. I know it's a rough spot to bring the kid into, but sometimes rookies catch lightning in a bottle. I'd much rather have him come up and fill in than Karstens. I know what I'm going to get out of Karstens, absolutely nothing. Another possibility, and I shudder to even mention this name, but he did throw 6 scoreless innings in his last AAA start, is Kei Igawa. I'd hope the Yanks would have more sense than that, but you never know.
This series is huge, beyond huge. The season really is hanging in the balance, regardless of what the Yanks do in Detroit and the Sox do in Chicago. I don't want the pivotal game of that series decided by Karstens or Igawa. If we're going to go down, I at least want a fighting chance. I think Kennedy is the only option that gives us that. Before you think it, and trust me, I already have, the Bombers are not going to have Joba start a game. He's been working out of the pen too long, and if they were considering it, they'd have to shut him down now and get him ready. It's not going to happen.
Of course, the skies could clear, and we could have a baseball game tomorrow night, then all of this worrying would be for naught, but I wouldn't be me if I didn't spend at least a little time thinking about it. I love this game.
Regarding Clemens/Wang pitching on 3 days rest, I think Wang is defintely a viable option to pitch on 3 days rest.
They say that sinkerballers generally pitch better when they're tired, because its easier to resist the urge to overthrow and keep the ball up in the zone. Wang's sinker has been up in the zone 3 starts in a row, so maybe a start on 3 days rest could get his sinker back in order.
Tom,
I agree that Wang could probably do it, I just don't know if the Yanks would have him do it. I can only remember maybe once or twice in the past 10-15 years that they've had someone go on 3 days' rest, and I think in those cases it was only if they got knocked out early in the previous start.
Again, anything would be better than Igawa or Karstens, so I'd be all for it.
I think its getting to the point where the yanks KNOW they can't just throw out karstens or igawa into the season,
and you would think they bring kennedy up because by that time moose will have started again. and we know whats gonna happen on his next one--hell prbably end up in the pen shortly after (since that's where he'll be in the playoffs anyway). So i figure kennedy comes up for the reasons brian said, or because moose has provided another f*ck up for us. (or both)
With regards to Wang - he's actually a little atypical of sinkerballers; he's something like 5-0 in his career when pitching on 5 days rest (as was the case in his last outing). I believe, anyway - maybe someone can verify?
As for spot starter: No Karstens, no Igawa. Best bet is call up Kennedy (who gets demoted?), or pray it doesn't rain in Detroit...
Check that: Kennedy won't be the pitcher. He's not on the 40-man roster, and putting him on the roster means the Yankees would have to put someone else on waivers. Best bets: Sean Henn, Matt DeSalvo, Tyler Clippard, or Chase Wright.
Jim Brower would be my bet. I doubt too many people would be falling all over a 34 year-old minor league journeyman on waivers.
It's doable. Kevin Thompson is another who would probably clear waivers, and if he doesn't, who cares?
im a bit confused as to the process of the thing--so kennedy aint on the 40 man roster, that means for him to get put on it and called up...what would have to happen?
someone would have to be dropped from the 40-man roster. to do that, you have to subject them to waivers, and if they clear, re-sign them, I believe. You're basically cutting them if you drop them from the 40-man.
did you check the pollen forecast for gametime?
I feel lost on off days, by 2:00 a.m. I'm checking just about everything I can find online.
Hmm. I just tuned into YES, and I'm watching an episode of King of Queens. Not a Yankees game. You might have wished something on your own team by wishing rain on mine.
Ugh.