 Yankee sources have confirmed that an internal decision has been made and Phil Hughes will be named the 5th starter to open the 2010 season.
New York manager Joe Girardi official response is that a decision on his fifth starter would come later this week, reminding reporters he initially said the decision would be made approximately March 25.
"We're at the 24th when we come in here on Wednesday," Girardi said, "and we'll probably have some meetings."
This news is not a surprise to anyone who has watched the two throw this spring. It will be interesting to see Girardi and Cashman ignore the elephant in the room for another 48 hours by not making a formal announcement as reporters (knowing the answer) pound them with questions trying to get them to admit what they already know. Frankly, I don't know what the big secret is other than they probably want to speak to the two players in person first before making a formal announcement to the media.
It appears that the Yankees have not only decided on the direction they will go with Hughes and Chamberlain to start the season, but that they have also decided that this issue will not resurface again. If for some reason Phil Hughes does not work out in the rotation someone else will get the start, it won't be Joba as the Joba Chamberlain experiment is now over.
Joba will be slotted into the 8th where he has thrived in the past and will remain there with the thought being that he will now be groomed as the heir to the Mariano Rivera throne.
As part of the roster organizing process Chad Gaudin has been waived. If he clears waivers, the Yankees will be able to send Gaudin to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre without issue or release him and pay only 1/4 of the $2.95 million remaining on his contract. Gaudin went 6-10 with a 4.64 ERA and 1.51 WHIP in 31 appearances (25 starts) last season for New York. He has allowed 11 runs in 11 1/3 innings this spring for an ugly 8.68 ERA.
Hughes' ERA this spring hasn't been earth shattering, but he has in fact thrown the ball well. In 13 innings Hughes has a 4.15 ERA with 10 K's and only two walks.
Chamberlain has simply been abysmal so far only being able to amass 6 2/3 innings with a 16.20 ERA and 5 K's with 7 walks.
Alfredo Aceves was said to be in the rotation race, but I don't know anyone who took that seriously and after yielding five runs to the Astros over the weekend, that myth has been put to rest.
Well folks, the big Yankee story this Spring is now out. Now we can all move on to the much anticipated season as the 27-time World Champion New York Yankees try to defend their latest crown and add a 41st American League Pennant and 28th World Series to the history books. - Paul Leume
Paul is a MLB columnist from Montreal, Canada. Paul, a one-time beat writer covering the Montreal Expos for the Montreal Gazette is a proud grandfather of 3 girls and now spends his time offering his thoughts and prospective on Major League Baseball on a variety of blogs and websites throughout Al Gore's internet.
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He thrives in the 8th, that's where he should be.