TAMPA — The Yankees would rather tweet George Steinbrenner’s home phone number to every Twitter subscriber than reveal who is leading the fifth-starter derby.
Yet, it’s clear that one of the two favorites entering the race — Joba Chamberlain — is far off the pace being set by surprise front-runner Alfredo Aceves.
This is the only issue in a camp with little juice.
We won’t know about Curtis Granderson until June. We won’t know if Nick Johnson can avoid injury until he does. We won’t know if Nick Swisher can duplicate last year’s solid season until September. Javier Vazquez? It will take time to evaluate his second Yankees stint.
What we do know is that Phil Hughes, the other pre-camp favorite, and Chamberlain are behind Aceves.
Chamberlain (0-2, 27.00 ERA in two games) was slowed in his first outing by a stomach virus that cost him eight pounds and strength in the legs. But he said he was fine the last time out and got spanked for five hits and six runs in 2 1/3 innings against the Tigers. His next scheduled game is tomorrow against the Phillies.
“Right now he is very short, not much at all,” said a scout who saw Chamberlain’s last outing. “I would put him in the bullpen to get his velocity back.”
When camp opened, Hughes and Chamberlain figured to fight each other. But Aceves, who has made it clear he prefers starting over relieving even though he was very effective in the bullpen last year, has emerged as the front-runner with 19 days remaining. Sergio Mitre and Chad Gaudin, the other long shots, remain in that category with one of them likely to be traded before Opening Day.
Aceves’ numbers (1-0, 0.90 ERA in three games) are better than Hughes’ (0-1, 3.86 in two games), but that’s not the only reason he could win the race.
Over the winter, Aceves was treated for a balky back that requires maintenance. It might be easier to manage Aceves’ back issues by using him every fifth day instead of in the irregular role of reliever.
A rotation with Aceves at the back end would mean Hughes and Chamberlain, who have had big league success as relievers, both would land in the bullpen.
That might not be what the hurlers want or what the Yankees envisioned two months ago, but it might be best for the team.
In Chamberlain and Hughes, manager Joe Girardi would have the best seventh- and eighth-inning bridge to Mariano Rivera since Jeff Nelson and Mike Stanton. And on the days Rivera isn’t available, Girardi would have a choice as to who would close games.
Essentially, a bullpen of Hughes, Chamberlain and Rivera would make it a six-inning game for the opposition. And the Yankees expect Chan Ho Park to add depth to the pen.
When they signed Park, the Yankees used the term “played up” when describing the veteran right-hander’s velocity as a reliever. The same goes for Chamberlain and Hughes. As relievers their velocity increased a year ago and Chamberlain’s slider had more teeth to it.
With four more outings, Chamberlain has a chance to get back in it. But he is going to need a couple of knockouts along the way.
Chamberlain made 31 starts last year, with the Yankees monitoring and limiting his innings late in the season. Hughes started seven games last season, Aceves one, Mitre nine and Gaudin six. Girardi said last year’s performances will “factor in” when making the fifth-starter decision.
“You can’t judge everything in spring training,” Girardi said. “You have an idea but you keep an open mind.”
But you also can’t ignore what you see. And right now it looks as if it’s Aceves. Which would add muscle to a staff that is already very strong.