A.J. Burnett retired six men, allowed six runs to prolong the 105th World Series Monday in Game 5.
And now the Yanks turn to Andy Pettitte ... again on three-days rest, tonight in Game 6.
Should the Phillies win and force a Game 7, then it is CC Sabathia on three-days rest ... for a second time.
The Yankees grand plan coming in was to only use three starters, the first team to do so since the 1991 Minnesota Twins with Jack Morris, Kevin Tapani and Scott Erickson. It's a reasonable strategy as the Yanks had their 16th day off of the post-season yesterday. They have played 15 games.
As bad as Burnett was, manager Joe Girardi can't alter plans after deciding to use Burnett on Monday, rather than tonight on extra rest.
Joba Chamberlain made 31 starts for the Yankees this season, but morphed into a set-up man, although they don't trust him to pitch the eighth, asking Mariano Rivera to work six outs, as he did in Game 2. The three starters, plus Rivera, have pitched 80% of the innings for New York.
Sergio Mitre, who made nine starts, is back in the bullpen. Chien-Ming Wang made nine starts before being sidelined with shoulder surgery.
The only other option for the Yankees was right-hander Chad Gaudin, who made six starts, none since Sept. 28.
"Andy is our starter," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said yesterday. "We're very comfortable doing it."
Pettitte's record on three-days rest is a 4-6 with a 4.15 ERA.
"Chad has thrown one inning in 27 days. Joba, we turned into a bullpen guy," Girardi said. "We did it in the first two rounds and it worked. Had we been in Philly up 3-0, maybe we would have done something different."
It seems odd that a team with a payroll of $206,811 million US doesn't have five quality starters ... or even four.
Teams using starters on three-days rest against a fully rested starter in post-season play have a 9-28 record since 1999. There have been 43 starts altogether and starters are 9-21 with a 5.63 earned-run average.
Make no mistake, the Phillies aren't like the Atlanta Braves with Greg Maddux and John Smoltz waiting in the wings. The Phillies have Pedro Martinez pitching tonight on regular rest. Can he pitch three gems in succession at age 37?
And their Game 7 starter, if necessary, would be lefty Cole Hamels, who said "I can't wait for the season to end," after Game 4.
Brett Myers asked Hamels before Game 5: "What are you doing here are you going home?" according to Yahoo sports.
Former Phillies closer Mitch Williams told ESPN: "If I'm Charlie Manuel there is no way Hamels starts. He wouldn't have to ask me twice. I'd take my chances with J.A. Happ."
Hamels maintains he is ready to start a Game 7.
The Yanks have issues.
The Phillies have issues.
And we have the first six-game Series since 2003.
Should be fun.
BOB.ELLIOTT@SUNMEDIA.CA
