There was no reason to start A.J. Burnett on three days' rest in Game Five of the World Series against the Phillies.
I'm not second guessing. As I wrote after New York won Game Four to go up 3-1, sending the right-hander to the mound was an unnecessary risk.
Sure, Burnett entered with a 4-0 record and aá2.33 ERA in his career on short rest, but he hadn't been tested like that all season.
It would've been a necessary gamble if the Series was tied at two, but with three chances to close out the Fall Classic and the red-hot Cliff Lee going for Philadelphia, manager Joe Girardi should've started Chad Gaudin.
Turning to Gaudin, who hasn't started since Sept. 28, would've given the Bombers a slim chance of beating Lee, who struck out 10 batters while giving up only one unearned run in a n ...
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Article written by Jordan Schwartz
Joe Girardi May Have Cost Yankees World Series by Starting A.J. Burnett
Posted: 3rd November 2009 by Jordan Schwartz in MLBComments Off on Joe Girardi May Have Cost Yankees World Series by Starting A.J. Burnett