Matsuzaka Effect

After Boston's Daisuke Matsuzaka's outstanding comeback from the DL last night, 6IP 3 Hits 3BB 5K, I wanted to take a look at how the Yankee's top 5 now compared to Boston's top 5.

1.
NYY: CC Sabathia- 17-7 3.42 ERA 178K 58BB
BOS: Josh Beckett- 15-6 3.82 ERA 180K 51BB
*Post Allstar Break: CC- 9-1 2.75 ERA / Beckett- 4-3 4.60 ERA

2.
NYY: AJ Burnett- 11-9 4.33 ERA 167K 87BB
BOS: Jon Lester- 13-7 3.29 ERA 211K 60BB
*vs. BOS/NYY: AJ- 0-2 8.85 ERA / Lester- 1-0 2.70 ERA

3.
NYY: Andy Pettitte-13-6 4.14 ERA 140K 67BB
BOS: Daisuke Matsuzaka- 2-5 7.02 ERA 39K 21BB (9 starts- DL: all of July/Aug)

4.
NYY: Joba Chamberlain- 8-5 4.39 ERA 122K 68BB
BOS: Tim Wakefield- 11-4 4.22ERA 68K 41BB
*Post Allstar Break: Joba- 4-3 4.61 ERA / Wakefield- 0-1 3.46 ERA (2 starts)

5.
NYY: Sergio Mitre- 3-3 7.63 ERA 27K 12BB
BOS: Clay Buckholz- 5-3 3.66 ERA 49K 30BB
*Both called up in July

Obviously teams don't use 5-man rotations in the playoffs, but those 5th starters often become the playoff longmen when needed. The discrepency between talent in that 5 spot is scary. Now Joba is still a playoff question mark so that is yet to be determined, but come the playoffs if the Yankees are playing Boston in the ALCS the hitting can NOT have what Yankee fans have come to call typical performances. It is very questionable as to whether the Yankees can win a 7 game series if it is decided by the pitching so scoring early will be key!