Despite getting back-to-back strong outings from CC Sabathia
and Hiroki Kuroda, the New York Yankees have to be thrilled with the prospect
of Andy Pettitte’s imminent return to the big leagues.
Joe Girardi and Brian Cashman must be especially pleased.
The short stints by his starters has forced Girardi to go to his bullpen early
and often, potentially undermining what to date has been the Yankees greatest
strength: strong relief work led by Mariano Rivera and David Robertson. And
Cashman will feel vindicated by a Pettitte return, considering his Michael
Pineda trade has not worked out the way he hoped (still the right move as far
as I’m concerned).
Phil Hughes is up tonight and there’s no question that he
absolutely needs a strong start. Freddy Garcia has already been banished to the
bullpen and Hughes may join him if he doesn’t recover from his perplexing start
against the Texas Rangers. Of course, one good start might not save his job,
but at this point, it could definitely help.
Pettitte has pronounced himself ready although the Yankees
will likely tread more cautiously. No one is expecting Pettitte to pitch lights
out every turn in the rotation. But the wise old man (at a mere 39 years old)
will immediately calm the nerves of everyone in the Yankees universe. We don’t
know if Pettitte is going to have the same stuff considering his year-long pitching
sabbatical. But we know he is going to show the same heart and bulldog
mentality on the mound that we’re used to seeing, something the Yankees are
desperately in need of right now.
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