It's official: after last night's 10-1 win over the Twins, Carl Pavano is no longer the Yankees' ace starter. Although Pavano arguably pitched better than Pettitte (Pavano needed just 79 pitches to go 7 IP and allowing two runs; Pettitte lasted only 6 after 96 tosses despite giving up no runs and Pavano had more pressure on his start because the rotation had simply stank for five games), the fact remains that yesterday's performance is right in the range of predicted and expected outcomes for Pettitte.
Last reports are that Wang's rehab is going well. This presents two benefits: one, Wang pitches fewer major league innings after having a career-high workload last year (Tom Verducci has long studied the arm problems of young pitchers one year after working a major league 190+ inning season that was at least a 40-inning increase over a previous career-high load); two, Wang will be in the "September" of his season when (and it had better be "when") the Yanks reach the playoffs. If Pavano can give the Yanks 30 starts with 170+ innings and an ERA under 5, the Yanks should be just fine.
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