Joe Girardi wanted to talk more with Brian Cashman before going public with the Yankees’ plans for struggling Ian Kennedy’s immediate future.
“We will have some more discussions,” Girardi said before yesterday’s 6-1 victory over the Mariners at Yankee Stadium. “We don’t need a fifth starter until May 10, so we have some time.”
Girardi said Andy Pettitte will start Tuesday against the Indians at the Stadium. Because tomorrow is dark, Pettitte will be working on five-days’ rest instead of the customary four. What the Yankees do after that is still undecided, according to Girardi.
The Yankees have three options with Kennedy, who is 0-2 with an 8.37 ERA in six games (five starts). They can start him Wednesday against the Indians, which would mean Chien-Ming Wang would go Thursday with an extra day of rest, something Girardi says is a good idea occasionally. They could hold Kennedy back until May 10 vs. the Tigers in Detroit, or send him to the minors to absorb more experience.
Asked if he believed Kennedy could improve his chances of succeeding by working in the bullpen until a fifth starter is needed, Girardi said that program could be beneficial.
“It’s always good to work and the thing about Ian is that his side works have been great,” Girardi said. “But sometimes it’s like giving a hitter who is struggling a day off. You can talk about some different things you can do to help him make some adjustments.”
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Derek Jeter went 3-for-5 and collected his 390th double in the third. He moved past Joe DiMaggio into fifth place on the all-time Yankees doubles list. Babe Ruth is next with 424.
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Jason Giambi hiked up his pants and showed plenty of sock yesterday. But the wardrobe adjustment didn’t add pop to his bat since Giambi went 0-for-3 and is batting an anemic .154.
Still, Girardi is looking at the glass being half full with his first baseman and Robinson Cano, who is at .150 (4-for-35; .114 in the clutch) after yesterday’s 0-for-3.
“He is frustrated,” Girardi said of Giambi, who went 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position and is 2-for-25 (.080) for the year. “But his approach is good and his work is good. It will turn for him.”
And Cano?
“He hit two balls really good,” Girardi said of the second baseman who went 0-for-3. “Having [Friday] off helped him.”
Like Giambi, Cano is cold when the Yankees need him.
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For once the news on a Yankees’ medical issue was positive. Considering it concerned Wang’s valuable right hand, it was more than welcome.
“I talked to [trainer] Geno [Monahan] and [Wang] and they said he was fine,” Girardi said of his ace, who experienced a cramp at the base of the thumb in the fifth inning Friday night. Wang finished that inning and the sixth, then left because the Yankees didn’t want to take a chance and were leading, 3-1.