Yankee rotation will spin later

Yankee rotation will spin later

Alan Diaz/AP

Joe Girardi  makes decision on crowded rotation but it likely won’t be settled for long.

MIAMI Joe Girardi anticipated a very difficult decision when picking his five starting pitchers this spring, but Michael Pinedas shoulder injury spared him from having to break somebodys heart.

For now, anyway.

Girardi made his rotation official Monday, tabbing CC Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda and Phil Hughes for the opening series against the Rays, followed by Ivan Nova, Freddy Garcia and Sabathia in Baltimore.

With Andy Pettitte due back in a month and Pineda hoping to return from the disabled list sooner rather than later, the first month of the season figures to be a brand-new round of competition between Hughes, Nova and Garcia.

It gives us some time to sort things out, Girardi said. Things most of the time have a way of working themselves out. To speculate what might happen is kind of silly because we didnt expect an injury because all of our starters had been so healthy. Its really a month or so, maybe a little bit more.

Barring an injury, its highly unlikely that either Sabathia or Kuroda will be yanked from the rotation when Pettitte and/or Pineda are ready. That will keep the pressure on the other three hurlers, each of whom has been fighting for his job since reporting to camp on Feb. 19.

As a player in New York, when arent you in a competit ion? Girardi said. If you dont do well for a little period of time, a lot of times there are changes made. It might be more evident that there is something looming out there, but this is the way it always is here because theyll go to the minor leagues or theyll make a change. From that standpoint, it doesnt really change a lot.

Girardi plans to watch Hughes, Nova and Garcia during the next few weeks to make sure they arent hearing Pettittes footsteps, but the manager doesnt anticipate much of a problem for the three, as each has been in a similar situation before.

I have to keep an eye on that to see how guys are reacting, Girardi said. To see if theyre carrying one start to the next, if theyre not putting things behind them the way they should, if you feel the balls not coming out of their hand the way it should; I think you have to pay attention to that.

With Pettitte trying to come back after a year away from the game and the uncertainty surroundin g Pinedas timetable, Girardi hopes that Hughes, Nova and Garcia worry about their start every fifth day and not what might be coming down the road.

If you dont want someone to take your job, dont let them, Girardi said, adding that with no timetable on Pettitte or Pineda, theres no sense for the others to worry about job security just yet. Just take care of whats in front of you that day. We cant necessarily count on what were going to get. I know what we have, and thats the message. Just go out and do your job.

Despite a lack of the mid-to-high 90s velocity he showed last season, Pineda had pitched well in his first five starts. His final start was a disaster, capped off by his revelation that he felt soreness in his shoulder. An MRI revealed tendinitis.

PETTITTE PROGRESS
Girardi plans to speak with Pettitte Tuesday to determine his next step, which will either be pitching Wednesday against the Mets or Thursday in a minor-leagu e game. . . . There are two spots still up for grabs. David Phelps, D.J. Mitchell and Adam Warren are competing for the long-relief job, while Clay Rapada will likely grab the other as the second lefty in the pen.