Pondering Gaudin and the Joba effect

When Brad Lidge coughed up the 9th inning last night giving the Yankees a 3-1 lead in the series, I shot an e mail to a Yankee friend of mine.

I said "The Yankees should start Gaudin in Game 5."

The thought process was simple. The Yankees are in command, not the Phillies.

There's no reason to pitch starters on short rest when you have a 3-1 lead. If Chad Gaudin wins, then that's the series.

If Gaudin loses, the Yankees would have a rested and ready Burnett for Game 6 and if necessary, start Sabathia on short rest for Game 7 but have a rested and ready Pettitte to go if needed.

But now Girardi pitched and wasted Burnett on short rest. He managed tonight like it was the seventh and not the fifth game.

Anyone watching this game would have thought the Phillies were up 3-1.

Now the Phillies have Pedro on full rest and a rested relief corps with the off day tomorrow and only 2 innings out of the pen tonight.

Of course there is an elephant in the room.

This is the ripple effect of Joba Chamberlain not developing as a starter.
If he was the ace that he was supposed to be according to all the people who said he was being wasted in the bullpen, then the Yankees would have a 4 man rotation.

Chamberlain would have been able to go in Game 5 and they'd have rested and ready pitchers in the Bronx.

I still think the Yankees are winning this thing... but I am beginning to understand those who want Girardi out.