This year's rookies

The Yankees chances this season depend upon a LOT of potential. If everyone meets their potential the Yankees could have a monster season. A rotation with all those youngsters is the big question though. There are rumors about the Yankees putting Joba Chamberlain in the bullpen to keep his innings down but still get a great deal of value out of his arm. Phil Hughes showed a great deal of poise in the playoffs after suffering an injury mid-season. Ian Kennedy pitched an impressive 19 innings for the Yanks, posting a 1.89 ERA. But, even if the kids pitch to their potential, with the innings limits put on them, can they pitch enough to help the Yankees? I think they can, but I have a feeling that new manager Joe Girardi, will not implement my little idea to keep the kids’ innings down and their performance up. I say, within the rotation you establish a mini-rotation. For instance, if your rotation has Pettitte, Wang, and Mussina in the top three spots, followed by the kids what you could do is slot the three kids into a rotation between starting and bullpen work. For instance, for five games you have Pettitte, Wang, Mussina, Hughes, and then Kennedy with Chamberlain in the bullpen. The next five games you keep the same rotation but put move Chamberlain into Hughes’ spot, move Hughes down a spot (giving him an extra day’s rest) and put Kennedy into the bullpen until he takes Chamberlain’s spot in the rotation. If you keep doing this you keep all the kids’ innings nice and low, but still pitch them enough to keep them fresh, while not affecting the schedule of the veterans. It’s a bit complicated, but I think it would get the most use out of the rookie phenoms and still give them enough rest to allow them to go the whole season.