WHO SHOULD BE THE YANKEES 5TH STARTER?

So far we pretty much know what our starting rotation should be going into the 2013 season. CC Sabathia is the Opening Day starter. Hiroki Kuroda at #2, Andy Pettite at #3 with Phil Hughes in the 4 spot. And, the 5th starter is, well... hmmm, I'm not sure exactly...

 OK, so we know who hold the first 4 spots. The 5th spot for the Yankees is wide open for a proven candidate.  Now, two guys come to mind as possible options. Ivan Nova and David Phelps. But what if there was someone else still lingering outside the club?   Chien-Ming Wang? Kyle Lohse? Anyone else?

(In Photo: Kyle Lohse)
If you haven't read it already, take a moment to read TIME TO BRING BACK CHIEN-MING WANG? by fellow BYB writer Carlos Gee for instance.  Or, check out this piece HERE from Ken Rosenthal about the Yankees possible connection to Kyle Lohse.  Or, how about the latest from BYB involving the possibility of Roy Oswalt, HERE.

My take is much like the way the Yankees intended to find our starting catcher... we should do it internally. Which brings us back to Nova and Phelps.

Both are fair choices. If it were my sole decision, I would give the job to Ivan Nova.  Don't forget, he was the Number 2 at one point in his career. So far in Tampa, he is showing consistency and a more confident poise.  In 4 starts, he's 1-0 with a 3.21 ERA, 2 BB's and 9 Ks.  To me, he is also demonstrating better command of his mechanics. Look, I said it before in my first BYB piece NOVA SAYS: "I'M GOING TO BE THERE!", I like Nova. He knows very well he is in a make or break scenario, where, if he does fail, he will lose a spot in the rotation for sure. At that point Phelps could very well fit into the rotation slot.  I just think it's too soon to turn away from Nova without seeing him work to getting back to what he used to be.

Let's also not forget, it's a whole new season, a clean slate, and Nova can not only prove that being the 5th starter was a good choice, but the right choice too. Look, we all remember his terrible 2012 season. It's one we all want to forget, including him. That's what I believe this will and determination can certainly push Nova into the 5th spot in the rotation.  No one's more ready than Nova to put a lousy 2013 behind him... the time is now to shine.

-- Rudy Laurens, BYB Writer
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