CC Sabathia or Chad Gaudin in World Series Game 4? Yankees manager Joe Girardi makes right call

CC Sabathia will take hill Sunday night for Yankees in Game 4 against Joe Blanton and Phillies with chance to give Bombers a commanding 3-1 lead in World Series.

PHILADELPHIA - So Joe Girardi went ahead Saturday and announced that CC Sabathia will start Game 4 Sunday night, deciding not to wait until he knew if the Yankees were ahead or behind in this World Series. Suffice to say it was not exactly a shocker.

Did anybody really think he was going to let Chad Gaudin start such a pivotal game?

No, this isn't fodder for second-guessing. The Yankees may have a little breathing room after defeating the Phillies, 8-5, last night to go ahead 2-1 in the Series, but the Sabathia decision gives them a chance to go for the kill, and psychologically it puts huge pressure on the Phillies - not to mention Joe Blanton.

Yes, Charlie Manuel has given the Yankees an opening here by holding Cliff Lee back to pitch Game 5 on regular rest, and even though the Phillie skipper's reasoning makes sense, Sabathia could make him pay for it anyway.

Of course, if the Phillies do win tonight, Manuel suddenly looks a lot smarter.

But in any case, Girardi is in safe waters here. Sabathia wasn't sharp in Game 1, but he has proven he can pitch effectively and even dominate on three days' rest, based on what he did last year for the Brewers and then in Game 4 of the ALCS against the Angels, so it's hard to find fault with the idea - especially when Gaudin is the alternative.

No offense to Gaudin, but not only is he a journeyman starter, he's pitched one inning in this entire postseason, and hasn't started a game since Sept. 28th.

In some ways, then, this was a no-brainer for Girardi. Especially since Sabathia said last night that he actually prefers it this way at this time of year.

"I kind of like it because I hate to throw bullpens (in between starts)," he said with a chuckle. "So I don't have to throw a bullpen when I pitch on three days' rest. I take the next day off after my start and I throw two flat-grounds. I started doing that in Milwaukee last year and did it before Game 4 in the ALCS, so I'm definitely excited to get the ball."

The intrigue in this now is that the Series could swing one way or the other based on the opposite approach the teams are taking. Manuel had to be tempted to go with Lee tonight, partly to have him ready for a possible Game 7 start, but he said he'd rather have him at his best on full rest for Game5, with the potential to use him out of the bullpen in a Game 7.

It makes sense mostly because Lee has never started a game on short rest, and he threw 122 pitches in going the distance in Game 1.

But it sure does put Blanton under the gun. He's a serviceable No. 4 or 5 starter who went 12-8 with a 4.05 ERA this season, but he has an alarming number among his statistics - he gave up 30 home runs, the third-highest total in the National League, fourth-highest in the majors.

Against the power-filled Yankee lineup, that could lead to a train wreck.

It makes for quite a contrast. More than ever the Yankees are counting on their high-priced imports, Sabathia and A.J. Burnett, to bring home a championship and justify the $243.5 million they guaranteed to the two of them last winter.

Girardi wasn't saying yesterday that he will definitely start Burnett in Game 5 and Andy Pettitte in Game 6 - if necessary - on three days' rest as well, but it's hard to see any other way now. The concern is that Pettitte has pitched with mostly extra rest over the last month, after experiencing a tired shoulder late in the season.

With that in mind, the Yankees should consider at least one Gaudin scenario. If they are up 3-1 in the Series they could afford to take a chance starting Gaudin in Game 5 and saving Burnett and Pettitte to pitch on regular rest in Games 6 and 7, with Sabathia ready to come out of the bullpen in the middle innings if needed.

Sabathia on three days' rest is the only way to go right now. But Girardi doesn't need to commit to his entire rotation going on short rest just yet.