TAMPA — If you listened to Yankees manager Joe Girardi’s words yesterday, it was difficult to believe Freddy Garcia won’t win the fifth starter’s job.
With the veteran right-hander working a minor league game today because the big league club is off, Girardi was asked if anything Garcia does today will influence the decision.
“I don’t necessarily think so, we have a pretty good feel on what Freddy can do,” Girardi said of the 34-year-old who won 12 games and worked 157 innings for the White Sox last season. “I said that we had a pretty good idea when he came into camp, just from watching him and seeing plenty of video on him and watching him compete.”
Those wins and innings placed Garcia ahead of Bartolo Colon in the early going, and it sounds as if that hasn’t changed.
“Bart didn’t pitch last year so if you start talking innings, will there be a point where innings catch up to him during the course of the season,” Girardi said of the 37-year-old right-hander before the Yankees’ 5-3 victory over the Blue Jays last night at Steinbrenner Field. “That’s somewhat of a concern when you have a guy coming off injury who hasn’t thrown a lot in the last two years. You have to project in your mind how many innings you feel they can give you. If he is on our team, where does he fit best?”
Though Ivan Nova hasn’t been anointed as the fourth starter, he will be shortly.
Girardi said the fifth starter will be named after a “long meeting” is held.
Girardi didn’t rule out the bullpen for Sergio Mitre, Colon or Garcia. Of Garcia’s 303 big league starts, one has been in relief. Colon has made three relief appearances in 328 starts. Mitre has worked 117 games — 64 as a starter.
Garcia has an out in his contract on March 29 if he isn’t added to the roster. He will make $1.5 million in base salary with a chance to add $3.6 million via performance bonuses.
Colon’s out date is March 31. He would bag $900,000 if he makes the club.
Garcia and Colon are working on minor league contracts. Mitre, who could be dangled as trade bait for a backup catcher or reserve outfielder, is on a big league deal worth $900,000.
Colon could be sent to the minors as an insurance policy and the Yankees have spoken to his agent about the possibility. Garcia said last week that he has nothing to prove at Triple-A.
Whoever cops the fifth spot likely won’t pitch until the ninth game against the Red Sox in Boston. And that could be pushed back if any of the first eight games are rained out.
When camp opened, Girardi explained that statistics wouldn’t be the only avenue of evaluation.
If they were, Colon would be the runaway winner. In four games, he is 1-0 with a 2.40 ERA and has allowed 10 hits in 15 innings and fanned 17 with one walk. Garcia is 1-1 with a 5.93 ERA, has allowed 13 hits in 13 2/3 innings and fanned 12 with two walks.
How little stock is Girardi putting into Garcia’s outing today at the minor league complex?
“It’s work and coming out healthy,” Girardi said. “You have to remember these guys are used to scouting reports. You are not getting one [today]. The only thing I can tell you is that they are going to be aggressive, and you better make a quality pitch on the first pitch because they are going to whack it.