PHILADELPHIA -- Not only will CC Sabathia come back on short rest for Game 4 of the World Series, but the Yankees seem to be leaning toward using A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte on short rest as well.That would give the Yankees a three-man rotation for the World Series, which no team has done (in a Series of more than four games) since 1992.
The Yankees confirmed, in no surprise, that Sabathia will start Sunday's Game 4. He also started on short rest in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series.
And while manager Joe Girardi would say only he would "possibly" start Burnett in Game 5 and Pettitte in Game 6, he said Chad Gaudin -- the only other option -- would be "available to us in the bullpen" for Game 4.
"This is the World Series," Girardi said. "There is no baseball after the World Series for four or five months, so there will be plenty of time to rest. A.J. was pretty good on short rest last year, if you look up his numbers. ... And they physically feel good.
"Chad could start Game 5. I'm not saying we're going with A.J. in Game 5. But CC feels good, and we've decided to go with him in Game 4."
Sabathia threw 113 pitches in Game 1 of the World Series, the same total he had in Game 1 of the ALCS before coming back on three days' rest.
In Game 4 of the ALCS, he allowed one run on five hits in eight innings (101 pitches).
Until then, it had been five years since a pitcher had made a postseason start on short rest after throwing 110 or more pitches the previous outing (Roger Clemens in the 2004 Division Series).
Sabathia maintains that he's prepared to start on short rest again.
"I've said it all postseason. I've had enough rest the past two months to be able to fee comfortable enough to go out there and pitch on three days rest. I told Joe that at the beginning of the playoffs, I'm here and available whenever you need me," he said.
"He went through all his work [Friday]," Girardi said, "and we talked to him today, and he threw a pretty good game on short rest last time, and he had some extra days off [after that]."
Girardi said that Sabathia should also be able to start Game 7 on short rest.
The Phillies have decided not to use ace Cliff Lee on short rest, since he has never done it and he threw 122 pitches in Game 1. But after starting Game 5, Lee would be available in relief for Game 7.
Burnett started on short rest three times in 2008 and one each in 2002 and '04. In those three starts last year, he went 3-0 with a 1.86 ERA, averaging 6 1/3 innings and 104 pitches per game.
Pettitte, 37 with a history of elbow problems, last started on short rest in April 2007. He has done in 15 times in the regular season and five times in the postseason, most recently in Game 2 of the 2003 World Series.
In his five playoff starts on short rest, Pettitte is 3-1 with a 2.80 ERA.
