You're Joe Maddon: What should the Rays do with their Rotation?

['Hamas' Jenkins]

You are in the bottom of the 6th of game five, tied 2-2 with Philly ahead in the series 3-1.

With the rainout today, it seems pretty obvious that Manuel will go back to Hamels on short rest if there is a game 7.

But if you are Tampa, and you have all those young arms, how do you play it?

Here's what I would do:


You run Price out in game 5. He's a starter, but with the way that starters are conditioned, he can throw in game five and treat game 7 as his "side session". It's the only way you can get your best bullpen arm into two games.

Obviously, the rest of this is contingent on Tampa winning, but it sets you up for the following:

Garza or Shields in game 6? Obviously, either one is a better option than Brett Myers, Moyer or Blanton. Personally, I go with Garza, because he's shown the ability to go the longest in games, and thus will take some strain off your bullpen for when you may really need them in game 7. Although he's your best pitcher, you can't pitch in a game 7 unless you win game 6.

That would set up a game 7 of Shields vs. Hamels. Shields earned the nickname "big game James" this season. Now, if he starts the game and gets in any kind of trouble, you can bring in Kazmir, who would be running on three days rest and could relatively easily give you 3-4 innings out of the pen. Furthermore, if Shields only goes 4, and Kazmir goes 3, you still have David Price who is ready to throw, and can probably give you 30-35 pitches if need be.

This way you can forget about having to use Wheeler in any game, and you can use Balfour and Howell in games 5 and 6, with either one ready to pitch in game 7 if they aren't used in the two prior games.

This is why I love playoff baseball, FWIW.

Your thoughts?