Yankees Postseason Roster Updates

A few big things: From Tyler Kepner:

After C.C. Sabathia starts Game 1, A.J. Burnett will start Game 2 and Andy Pettitte will start Game 3. Sabathia would start a potential fourth game, Girardi added, and Burnett would start Game 5. Jose Molina will catch Burnett, Jorge Posada will catch the others, and Girardi said he expects Hideki Matsui to be the designated hitter.

“When a pitcher and a catcher get in a rhythm, you hate to break it up,” Girardi said of Burnett and Molina. “And that’s kind of the feeling that we have going now. Jorge is our No. 1 catcher. But in this situation, we just are going to choose to catch Molina.”

I am not surprised that he went with A.J. Burnett in Game 2, but I thought he'd wait and go with Pettitte in Game 2 if it was the Twins with all their lefties. However, I think this is the best move. A.J. is a run better at home and Andy is a run better on the road. Also, I like Verlander/Burnett a lot better; I think A.J. will feed off of that like he did against Josh Beckett not too long ago.

The Molina move isn't a surprise, but it's not exactly my favorite either. I do agree with Rob Neyer who says that if the Yankees truly believe that this will make Burnett even marginally better, this makes sense. The problem is going forward, as Steven Goldman points out, I'm not sure this is the best for the AJ/Jorge relationship and I don't think it's worth bringing Molina back just to catch AJ. IIATMS isn't too happy about it, and while you are taking ABs from a potential Hall of Famer, I think that on a small scale, it's not the worst thing ever. Though I have to admit that if the Tigers are in the ALDS, and the series goes 5, I won't be happy seeing Molina get 3 ABs vs. Justin Verlander.

The other piece of news?

As for the roster, Girardi seemed to indicate that the main question is whether to take a second left-hander or a second pinch-runner. Because the Twins have more of a left-leaning lineup, it seems to me as if Damaso Marte would make the roster if the Yankees play Minnesota. If they play Detroit, I would think the Yankees take the pinch-runner Freddy Guzman over Marte.

That would seem to mean that Fransico Cervelli seems to have made the roster. But Mark Feinsand seems to have heard differently:

Girardi said that 23 spots are settled, but he hasn't decided on taking a third catcher, second pinch-runner or second lefty in the bullpen. That means that either Francisco Cervelli, Freddy Guzman or Damaso Marte will be left off the roster.

So which is it? Sam Borden seems to have figured it out:

Reading between the lines, it seems like there are, at most, two roster spots still questionable. One would be Cervelli, though I’m pretty convinced that with Molina starting a game Girardi will want a third catcher. So count him in. The last spot, then, would seem to be between a lefty (likely Marte) and a second pinch-runner (Guzman). One would think that if the Twins win, the Yankees will take Marte since Minnesota has more lefties. If the Tigers win, Guzman makes it.

Brian Bruney, Ramiro Pena and Sergio Mitre were sent to Tampa to keep fresh. They changed the rules a few years back to allow substitutions for injuries within a series so all those guys are available. And the rosters can change between rounds so that would seem like a possibility with maybe taking 11 pitchers.

The two most unhappy people? Jorge Posada (who said “I just hope we win that game. That’s all I’ve got to say.”) and Brian Bruney (who said“I thought I did enough.”).

The Yankees don't have to finalize the roster until tomorrow.