The ALCS Rotation: My Way

What It Is: 

Game 1- CC, Game 2- Hughes, Game 3- Andy , Game 4- A.J., Game 5- CC, Game 6- Hughes, Game 7- Andy

What It Should Be:

Game 1- CC, Game 2- Hughes, Game 3- Andy, Game 4- CC, Game 5- A.J., Game 6- Hughes, Game 7- Andy

Why:

I have no qualms with the order of the first 3 guys.  I like the idea of splitting up the 2 lefties and I like the idea of having Andy ready to go for a Game 7 if it's needed.  But I would swap CC and A.J. in Games 4 and 5.  Game 4 is the most important game of the series, regardless of what happens in the first 3, and in all 3 of the potential situations, it makes more sense to have CC, your best starting pitcher, out there instead of your worst.  If the Yankees are up 3-0, I want CC on the mound to close it out.  If the Yankees are up 2-1, I want CC on the mound to put up a shutdown performance and give the team the best chance to take a commanding 3-1 series lead.  And if they are down 2-1, I definitely want CC out there to shut down the Rangers and give the Yanks a chance to even it up.

Not to mention that CC pitching Game 4 has the potential to take all of the pressure off of A.J. in Game 5.  If the Yankees are up 3-1 going into Game 5 they are still in driver seat even if A.J. blows up.  Even if they're 2-2 and he implodes, the series isn't over.  But A.J. looming in Game 4 puts more pressure on Hughes and Andy to pitch well to ensure the Yanks are up 2-1 going into that and a stink bomb by him if they aren't up 2-1 could spell doom.

Then there's the fact that CC almost always pitches well on short rest.  He's a guy that likes to pitch often and he pitches better when he's able to do that.  His stuff stays sharper and he can get into a groove.  He had extra rest going into his Game 1 ALDS start and his stuff wasn't quite as sharp as we're used to seeing.  I expect him to be better in Game 1 tomorrow night, but I still think bringing him back in Game 4 after he's had a chance to pitch again and get his groove back gives the Yankees a much better chance to win than A.J. going out there for the first time in weeks when he can't even get through a simulated session without throwing balls to the backstop and plunking his teammates.

And looking even further down the road, if the series goes to a Game 7, having CC pitch Game 4 on short rest would leave him available to pitch in Game 7 if, Joe Pesci forbid, Andy is either completely ineffective or gets injured early.  Pitching in Game 5 will make CC available for Game 7 only in a situation where it's extra innings and the Yankees are out of arms, and even then he probably won't be able to give them much more than an inning or 2.

The decision has been made for now.  But something tells me that rotation isn't set in stone, especially if the Yankees go into Game 4 down 2-1 in the series.