Jorge Posada and Phil Hughes Are Looking In, While A.J. Burnett Is Looking out
August 13, 2011 · Ryan Simon · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
Jorge Posada came back in a big way for the Yankees tonight. He went 3-5, had six RBI, and hit a grand slam.
Phil Hughes posted six solid innings, giving up only two earned runs and four hits.
This outing all but secured his spot in the rotation.
A.J. Burnett was supposed to be C.C. Sabathia’s No. 2 pitcher this season, but now it appears he’s heading for the bench.
Sabathia wants a five-man rotation, and the Yankees have to keep their main guy happy. He has already expressed his dislike for the six-man rotation, and Joe Girardi is supposed to have it down to five by Monday for the series against the Kansas City Royals.
At this point, it’s fairly obvious that Burnett is on his way out, while Hughes is on his way in. It’s sad to see a pitcher making $16.5 million heading for the bench, but that’s what happens when you don’t produce in the MLB.
Posada was benched during the Red Sox series for his lack of production, but he responded to his benching in the only way a baseball player can, by producing.
Will Burnett have that chance to come back like Posada did? Possibly. Ivan Nova is having a great year, but he can go through a bad stretch. The same can be said about Colon, Garcia and Hughes.
While that isn’t the best-case scenario for the Yankees as a team, Burnett is going to need some help to get back into this rotation.
It doesn’t look like he’s making the postseason rotation, and the Yankees might attempt to place him on waivers and try and get lucky.
Quite a fall from the man who was supposed to be Sabathia’s No. 2.
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