Joe Girardi- Let the Force Be With You or Else.

The New York Yankees have cruised through the 2009 baseball regular season, destroying teams with their 9 slugger deep line-up that includes not one player having a bad year. While every hitter is having varying degrees of success, not one man in that line-up is performing below their norms (save for mighty A-Rod, who's injury has slowed him down a bit to the tune of only 26 homers and 80+ RBI's). The bullpen has also been stellar, with Mariano Rivera looking as spry as he did in 1996, and with Phil Hughes redefining his 2009 season in the ilk of that very same roie Rivera held in '96- the gutsy set-up man that becomes a dominating extension of the closer. The defense has improved mightily too, especially around the infield, where Derek Jeter has revived his defensive career by extending his lateral range and improving his arm strength. Robinson Cano has looked interested for the first time in the field since his rookie season and Mark Texeira has done wonders for everyone, displaying why he is considered a defensive elite (you can tell Don Mattingly was his favorite player growing up, his range and glove work are superb). 

With all these superb attributes, it's easy to see the why the Yankees are the best team in baseball. What may be tough to acknowledge is that they do have one glaring hole, a troublesome weakness; starting pitching.

With names like CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett, Joba Chamberlain, and Andy Pettite, one could usually safely assume that pitching would be a strength, if not a foursome desired by most league wide. But in reality, CC Sabathia has been generally pedestrian this season and Andy Pettite, while not bad, would best be described as consistent. These two aren’t the concerns for the Yankees, who know Pettite is a playoff horse and Sabathia is an elite starter. It’s the group behind these two that makes the Bronx faithful shutter a bit.

Joe Girardi’s future may hinge on his the following decision: Who starts games 4 and 5? Girardi must first decide what to do with the struggling AJ Burnett, who has an ERA over 6.50 since August 1st and is still slated as the number 2 starter in the post-season rotation despite his troubles. Why you ask? Andy Pettite has struggled mightily in the new Yankees Stadium, the bandbox that it is, yet has been the Yanks best go-to-guy on the road. So Pettite is firmly locked in as the Game 3 starter. Which leaves Girardi with the tough decision of who starts Game 4. If he wants Sabathia in Game 4, he’d be putting the series on the shoulders of the struggling Burnett in a possible deciding game 5. The other Game 4 option would be Joba Chamberlain, who hasn't thrown more than 65 pitches in a game for over a month now, saving Sabathia for the series finale. Chamberlain has struggled since the All-Star break and has dealt with the awkward, infamous Joba Rules, that seemingly has stunted his growth and halted all momentum he had. Is Joba ready to handle a huge playoff start? What if the Yankees enter Game 4 down 2-1? Would Girardi, or anybody feel comfortable with Joba taking the mound after this awkward elevator season he has endeavored? 

This pitching quagmire could destroy all the positives the Yankees have built on in year two of the Joe 2 regime, and with all the fanfare that has accompanied the huge off-season acquisitions, regular season success and general domination- a first round exit could be more than just demoralizing for these New York Yankees... it could mean the end of the Girardi era. The Yankees ALDS series success, against most likely the Detroit Tigers, hinges on the handling of this pitching situation. Ball’s in your hands Joe, no pressure, it’s just the fate of your job, adoration of the fans, and hope of New York City on the line.