NEW YORK -- Plenty of media types here are ready to skewer Eric Wedge for going with Paul Byrd in Game Four Monday night in Yankee Stadium. The thinking is that C.C. Sabathia could come back on three days rest for the Indians, like Chien-Ming Wang is doing for the Yankees, and Fausto Carmona would then be ready for Game Five.
Wedge has been adamant since before the series started that Sabathia, who has pitched on short rest just once in his career, would not do it in this series and that the Tribe needs four starters to win. Furthermore, with Byrd on the hill, Wedge loses some offense because he uses Kelly Shoppach at catcher, moves Victor Martinez to first and sits Ryan Garko.
Is Wedge working from a position of strength because he still leads the series or is he making a big mistake?
---Mike Harrington
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AL Division Series
