IT began to snow in the fifth inning yesterday and the Yankees needed to go to the bullpen. Neither was a surprise any longer in early April, not the unseasonable weather nor the kind of unsightly start that necessitated Joe Torre having to go quickly and often to his relievers.
The Yankees completed one turn around their rotation yesterday and it was enough to turn stomachs. The best thing you can say for the Yankee starters at this point is there are still 157 games to go. That might be the worst thing, as well.
“The bottom line is the first week was not good; guilty as charged,” GM Brian Cashman said. “I am not happy with it, but I believe it will get better.”
Here is how that might happen: Chien-Ming Wang gets healthy to join the rotation in late April, Phil Hughes gets promoted in late May, and Roger Clemens signs and is ready to pitch in late June.
“As a rotation, we have a little something going on,” Andy Pettitte conceded. “We are all looking forward to our second time around.”
That is because the first time could hardly have gone worse. In the opening five games, no Yankee starter exceeded five innings, marking this as the only occasion in the Torre era that his Yankees had failed to have a starter stretch beyond five innings in any five-game period. Britney Spears stays in rehab longer than a Yankees starter stays in a game.
The culprit yesterday was Darrell Rasner. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Rasner flattered Carl Pavano, Pettitte, Mike Mussina and Kei Igawa by performing just like them. He lasted 41/3 innings and permitted five runs. That left the Yankees with the worst rotation ERA in the majors (the horrible Nationals included) at 9.97, with their bullpen having thrown more innings (23 1-3) than the starters (21 2-3) and with the club having a sickening resemblance to the 2003 Rangers.
Texas’ rotation that year had the majors’ worst rotation ERA (6.24) by nearly half a run and worked 342/3 fewer innings than any other team. Yet, despite finishing in last place, the Rangers had the MVP in Alex Rodriguez. And Rodriguez is playing like that guy now. With his head and his swing in such a good state, A-Rod is carrying the Yankee offense. He hit a two-run homer yesterday in the first to help the Yanks to a 3-0 lead.
Of course, Rasner failed to hold that edge. Rasner described himself as “garbage.” Pettitte, looking to soften the blow, said Rasner had “two nasty blisters” on his right index finger. And that fit with the Yankee starting pitching now, as well. There is little quality, but a lot of alibis.
Cashman described what is going on as “the perfect storm.” Rasner was only starting because Wang and Jeff Karstens are hurt. Pettitte was set back in spring by a back injury. Pavano is regaining his feel after missing more than a season and a half with injuries. Igawa is transitioning from Japan. Mussina is trying to find his mechanics and regain full velocity. And a rainout and adverse weather hampered plans and performance.
As Torre admitted, “I am looking for things to make excuses for people.” What else can he do? Say that Mussina is 38 and might not find his arm? That Igawa might be what so many other teams said he was, not up to pitching against AL lineups? That Pettitte is not the same pitcher he was in his first Yankees tour? That Pavano is simply never going to be trustworthy? And that facing the same horrid weather, all three Baltimore starters in this series (including Steve Trachsel) badly outpitched their Yankee opposites?
“Considering where our starting pitching is at, 2-3 [record] is not that bad,” Torre said.
Torre can thank the excellence of an overworked bullpen and A-Rod for the two victories. As for the starters, there are 157 games left. Is that the good news or bad news?