http://bronxbaseballdaily.com/2016/06/masahiro-tanaka-continues-to-struggle-on-four-days-rest/ Right off the bat, one has to question: who wouldn't be a more effective SP with 5 days rest in lieu of 4.....? When the Yankees signed Mashiro Tanaka to a seven-year contract worth $155 Million, the team envisioned Tanaka could be their ace. However, at this point it seems Tanaka at best would be the team’s No. 3 starter. Tanaka’s struggles on four days rest continue, as he’s pitching to a 4.70 ERA in six starts this season. But on five days rest, Tanaka is a completely different pitcher, pitching to a 1.26 ERA in five starts. The Yankees have tinkered with the idea of a six-man rotation in order to keep Tanaka sharp, but with the team playing 40 games in 41 days, manager Joe Girardi was afraid it would cause the rotation to become out of sync. “I’m sure there is something to it, but as a manager, when you are playing 40 out of 41 days, you can’t have a six-man rotation, your roster would be all screwed up,’’ Girardi said. “It’s not like he hasn’t thrown the ball well. He made a couple of mistakes.’’ Tanaka has trouble adjusting when it comes to four days rest, but overall the Yankees aren’t concerned with their starting rotation. Especially now that the offense has learned to adjust to different pitching. “Our pitchers have been doing a phenomenal job,” Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner (the Yankee's Un-Official Captain of the Shower's) said prior to the teams 6-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Saturday night. “When you feel you don’t have to hit a three-run home run to tie the game, you are a lot more relaxed out there.’’ While the Yankees don’t have to worry about pitchers such as CC Sabathia, Nathan Eovaldi, and Ivan Nova. Tanaka is a concern. Not because he’s ineffective every time he takes the mound, but because it appears pitching four days is a hassle for him. And the Yankees can’t afford losing games when Tanaka has less than five days rest. ____________________________________________________ I disagree on the take Tanaka should be the #3 Starter. No doubt, IMO should Tank be #2 at the least, #1 at the best....
