Kei Igawa sucks

As tonight’s game came to a close, one of our popular search terms this evening was “Kei Igawa sucks.” And you know what, Google users? You’re absolutely right. Kei Igawa sucks.

Against the Royals tonight, Kei Igawa, obviously, ended up on the wrong end of a 7-0 game. Igawa threw 102 pitches in 5.2 innings en route to an ugly line of 5.2-7-5-5-2-5. After this game, he stands at 2-3, his last win coming in relief on April 28. He’s inexplicably thrown 68 Major League innings with terrible results. His ERA stands at 6.79, and he’s given up 80 hits and 34 walks. There’s no question that Tyler Clippard, now at AA, and Matt DeSalvo could have turned in 68 innings of better quality than Igawa.

After tonight’s start, it’s clear that Kei Igawa has no place in the Major League rotation. Phil Hughes is ready to go; Joba Chamberlain, who started the year at A ball, doesn’t seem too far behind; and on Saturday, we’ll see how far away Ian Kennedy is when he makes his first AAA start.

Yet, despite the obvious situation, some of you are rightly concerned that, with Phil Hughes making one last rehab start on Sunday, the Yankees will allow Kei Igawa to make another big league start. Worry not. The off day on Monday saves us from that debacle. Take a look:

Friday: Andy Pettitte
Saturday: Roger Clemens
Sunday: Chien-Ming Wang
Monday: Day Off
Tuesday: Another day in which I have to suffer through a Mike Mussina start at the Stadium
Wednesday: Andy Pettitte, on normal rest
Thursday: Roger Clemens, on normal rest
Friday: The Return of Phil Hughes Halleujah.

So there ya go. Phil Hughes will start on normal rest on Friday and no one, except for Kei Igawa, is worse off. Don’t let door hit you on the way out, Kei. Or on second thought, let it hit. Good bye.