HAPP TO THE BULLPEN MAY JUST HAPPEN

One week ago the Yankees postseason plans looked different then they do right now. I had an idea of what the starting rotation would look like. We all figured CC Sabathia would come in the game as a reliever now and not a starter. I had a lot of theories, but now that there are only five games left in the regular season we are going to see what Aaron Boone has decided on soon.

Last week I was sure Domingo German was going to be an important part of the Yankees postseason success, and now of course we know differently. It definitely sucks, but the Yankees have rallied and succeeded without key players all season. This is a test that the best teams all face. The best will rise to the occasion, and we have all season so there is no reason to think we won't continue to do so.

So now the starting rotation becomes more clear. Luis Severino is back and he looks as good as ever. I liked what I saw on Sunday and it makes me even more excited for the postseason. We've been waiting for James Paxton to come to life all season and he finally has. Once August kicked in we finally got to see the pitcher we were expecting when we traded for him over the winter. Better late than never, now he just has to continue with that momentum. We all know what Masahiro Tanaka is capable of in the playoffs, we've seen in before. Now we just need it to kick in again and get us to the World Series.

The Yankees have three obvious starters. That will be enough to get through the ALDS, but it makes you wonder what happens if the Yankees get to the ALCS. And what about J.A. Happ? According to the New York Post HERE, Boone says Happ will pitch "in some way, shape or form" on Wednesday

against the Rays at Tampa Bay. The Yankees are lining up their next starts and also giving starters some extra rest. According to NJ.com HERE, the Yankees are considering using openers for Tuesday and Wednesday's games at Tampa and then next weekend's series in Texas could pitch Paxton on
Friday, Severino on Saturday and Tanaka on Sunday.

So is J.A. Happ destined to join CC Sabathia in the bullpen this postseason? It sounds like it and truthfully it may not be a bad thing. Happ has pitched better of late, but he still hasn't lived up to the expectations we all had after he was so effective last season. Should the Yankees trust him to start in the postseason? It's a tough judgment call to make.

If Happ does get moved to the bullpen it's because it's best for the team. He has some experience coming out of the bullpen, and just like he said in the New York Post article, I doubt the Yankees are the only team that would go with this strategy. It's all about winning at this point and he's got the right attitude. We'll know exactly what decisions Boone makes with pitching here soon.

Would you move Happ to the bullpen?

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj