Feb

Yanks tab Colon to start Grapefruit League opener

Per Bryan Hoch, the Yanks will start their back-end rotation competition with a bang as Bartolo Colon will start the Yanks’ Grapefruit League opener on Saturday. He’ll go up against Cole Hamels and the Phillies in Tampa. The Yanks are going with Colon, who threw a bunch of innings in winter ball because he is “best prepared for the assignment.”

Following him in the rotation will be Ivan Nova, CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Phil Hughes and Freddy Garcia. Sergio Mitre, the fourth candidate for one of two rotation spots, will work in relief for now. As we’ve covered to death, Colon, Garcia, Nova and Mitre will be competing for two rotation spots, and it’s likely that Colon and Garcia will have a leg up if they can throw well and get outs this spring. For purposes of early-season depth alone, the Yanks may opt for the veterans over Nova. How long they last is anyone’s guess.

Categories : Asides, Spring Training

21 Comments»

PaulF says:

February 22, 2011 at 2:09 pm

I can’t believe they are starting Colon in the most important game of the year so far!

Vinny Scafuto says:

February 22, 2011 at 2:12 pm

+1

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Thomas says:

February 22, 2011 at 2:12 pm

IETC.

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ClayBuchholzLovesLaptops says:

February 22, 2011 at 2:15 pm

I can’t believe they are lining up Colon to be the Opening Day starter!

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- YANKEE #1 says:
  
  February 23, 2011 at 7:44 am
  
  IT’S JUST THE FIRST GAME OF SPRING TRAINING, NOT THE REGULAR SEASON…..
  
  Reply
  - Benjamin Kabak says:
    
    February 23, 2011 at 7:50 am
    
    Your sarcasm detector and caps lock key both appear to be broken.
    
    Reply

Chops says:

February 22, 2011 at 2:14 pm

Will this game be televised?

Benjamin Kabak says:

February 22, 2011 at 2:17 pm

Yes. It’s on the YES Network and the MLB Network.

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felixbanuelos says:

February 22, 2011 at 4:35 pm

I don’t think so. His tits might make it rated TV-MA

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- fire levine says:
  
  February 22, 2011 at 5:06 pm
  
  Should be cool to see since “he’s in the best shape of his life”
  
  Reply

bexarama says:

February 22, 2011 at 2:18 pm

Colon/Hamels? Sweet preview of Game 2 of the 2011 World Series.

AndrewYF says:

February 22, 2011 at 2:34 pm

I will even accept watching Fatolo Balloon if it means real fake baseball is being played.

CS Yankee says:

February 22, 2011 at 3:06 pm

If he locates well and his heater is sitting at 94, i couldn’t care less if he weighed more that the Molina Bros combined.

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tampaRob says:

February 22, 2011 at 3:09 pm

Saturday!! Can’t wait. Will be at almost all the spring games.

Smallz says:

February 22, 2011 at 3:26 pm

Bartolo Colon, Eric Chavez, Freddy Garcia and Andruw Jones. If this was early 2000 we’d be NASTY

fire levine says:

February 22, 2011 at 5:19 pm

Really? Cuz NOBODY mentioned that ANYWHERE

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rek4gehrig says:

February 22, 2011 at 4:00 pm

People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring. ~Rogers Hornsby

NoChance says:

February 22, 2011 at 5:46 pm

Really?? Its just the 1st spring training game of the year… What does it matter if Colon starts – it doesn’t mean he will be the opening day starter.. Also I think we’ve seen worse start on opening day – anyone recall Carl Pavano?

bryan says:

February 22, 2011 at 7:30 pm

youve gotta a complete moron to think the opener of the grapefruit league means anything who cares start colon lets see what the guy got…if heres any game inportant its opening day 2011 thats an important game not the opener to spring training come on paulf dont be stupid man seriously….smh