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Yanks' Sabathia will start on short rest

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 1, 2009

Updated: 11/01/2009 01:11 am

PHILADELPHIA - CC Sabathia will start Game 4 of the World Series for the Yankees on three days' rest.

Manager Joe Girardi said Saturday it's possible A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte also could come back on short rest later in the Series, leaving New York with a three-man rotation. Sabathia would pitch a possible seventh game.

Sabathia lost to Cliff Lee in the opener and is 3-1 with a 1.52 ERA in four postseason starts. He will face Joe Blanton in Game 4.

"CC has pitched extremely well for us this year," Girardi said Saturday. "We wanted to see how he came out today, how physically he came out today, and he physically feels good."

Sabathia allowed two runs over seven innings in Wednesday's opener, struggling with his control far more than he did in his previous postseason appearances. He pitched once on three days' rest in the league championship series, beating the Los Angeles Angels 10-1 in Game 4 while allowing five hits in eight innings with five strikeouts and two walks.

Burnett is 4-0 with a 2.33 ERA in four career starts on short rest, including three with Toronto in 2008. Pettitte is 8-7 with a 3.68 ERA in 21 starts on short rest, last doing it in April 2007 following a one-inning relief appearance. He hasn't made a start on short rest coming off a start since September 2006 while with Houston.

"There is no baseball after the World Series for four or five months, so there will be plenty of time to rest," Girardi said. "A.J. was pretty good on short rest last year, if you look up his numbers. He actually shut us down on short rest last year. And they physically feel good."

Girardi did not completely commit to Burnett for Game 5. He said Chad Gaudin was still an option, but he appeared to lean toward Burnett, who beat the Phillies in Game 2 on Thursday.

Strike delayed

The Philadelphia transit system's largest union agreed not to go on strike as contract talks continued, Pennsylvania's governor and the city's mayor said.

Gov. Ed Rendell and Mayor Michael Nutter told reporters late Saturday afternoon that a 6 p.m. strike deadline would pass with no walkout by the union representing more than 5,000 bus drivers, subway and trolley operators and mechanics of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority.

Rendell said there had been "substantial progress" and that although no agreement had yet been reached, he hoped one could be concluded quickly. He said he had told both sides to stay at the bargaining table or risk "significant consequences" of losing state support for mass transit.

Flu out

Phillies utility man Greg Dobbs returned from a bout with the flu and was available to pinch hit in Game 3.

Dobbs returned to Philadelphia before Game 2 because of the illness.

Phils manager Charlie Manuel said several Phillies are fighting flu symptoms.

Trick or repeat

The Phillies already had won the World Series at this point last season and spent Oct. 31 celebrating with a championship parade through downtown Philadelphia.

Fans spent this Halloween at the ballpark dressed for the occasion. One group of fans wore goblin masks with their Yankees hats. One Phillies fan held a sign that read, "Who needs ghosts? We've got bats." Another said, "Trick or treat, let's repeat."

The Associated Press

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