NOVA ON THE DL? NO PROBLEM... WE GOT PHELPS & COMPANY

When news broke that Ivan Nova would be put on the DL due to shoulder soreness, I felt sick. Clearly this is a caused for concern. We are already in the last week of August and the Rays are nipping at our heels. So now what? How about David Phelps?

David Phelps came in as a relief pitcher this season. Due to early injuries, some inconsistent starts by some of our starters, plus, his own spectacular performance in the relief position, he was given the opportunity to start in May against the Royals. He went 4.0 innings only allowing 2 runs off of 6 hits. His next two starts he went like this: 4.2 IP,  3 H, 0 R and 4.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, both against the Rays.  Obivously, you can't call those starts lengthy, but he certainly stays in control of the game. Phelps has been a breath of fresh air this season. With Phil Hughes and Nova both being unpredictable on the mound recently, having Phelps to fill in is exactly what we needed.

Hiroki Kuroda has stepped up big time this season despite last night and add in CC Sabathia who pitched great Friday against the Indians in his return. 7.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R and 9 Ks. With his dominant return, I think it's safe to say the ace is back and we have set the tone for a good run, we hope. Sure, we are still missing Andy Pettitte and it's really crunch time, but we've managed to go from having a 10 game lead to only being 3.5 games up. Our next twenty games are against our division. September is when teams, especially in the AL East, come alive and will not be easy by any measure. With Nova now on the DL, having Phelps to fill the spot should help us hold onto our lead. I can feel it.

Phelps started out this season as an "under the radar" rookie. But he earned his spot. His performance, both in the pen and as a starter, has gained my confidence in him. He is more then capable of handling Nova’s starts and he is definitely making his bid in the majors and in pinstripes. That being said, I hope to see Nova soon...the Yanks need that big push to get them to the playoffs.

--Erica Morales, BYB Writer
Twitter: @e_morales1804



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