Posted at 2:59 p.m., Thursday, September 27, 2007
Baseball: Wang or Pettitte to pitch playoff opener
Associated Press
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Chien-Ming Wang or Andy Pettitte will start the New York Yankees playoff opener next week.The order has not been finalized, but New York manager Joe Torre said the pair will pitch in either Game 1 or 2. Roger Clemens, who is rehabbing a strained left hamstring, is scheduled to start the third game if he has no setbacks.
"It's either going to be Wang or Pettitte," Torre said before Thursday night's game against Tampa Bay.
Wang is 19-7 with a 3.70 ERA.
Pettitte, scheduled to make his last regular season start Saturday at Baltimore, is 14-9 with a 3.81 ERA. It will be a short outing, consisting of probably just 50-to-60 pitches.
Clemens will remain in Florida to work out at the Yankees spring training complex when the team closes out the regular season this weekend in Baltimore. Torre said Clemens is scheduled to pitch in a simulated game Monday, and will rejoin the team for a team workout Tuesday.
"Roger will probably be the third (game starter) unless something doesn't get better," Torre said.
Should Clemens not be ready, Mike Mussina would likely take his spot.
Torre and his coaching staff plan to start serious discussions on the postseason roster tomorrow. The Yankees clinched a playoff spot after beating the Devil Rays 12-4 yesterday.
