Bypass A.J. if Yanks are trailing? Joe won't go there

ARLINGTON, Texas - It has been a hot-button topic since the Yankees announced their ALCS rotation.

If the Yankees are down in the series - two games to one, for example - there's no way A.J. Burnett gets a Game 4 start as scheduled, right?

Joe Girardi said that is a hypothetical he isn't interested in talking about.

"It's not even something we've discussed," Girardi said before Friday night's opener. "We're worried about today. I'm not worried about it. I know there's been talk about Cliff Lee in Game 3. I'm not worried about those games. I can't spend time thinking about those games because then you don't worry about this game. This is the most important game today."

If CC Sabathia were to start Game 4 Tuesday night on three days' rest, he wouldn't throw a full bullpen session Sunday. What if the Yankees lost the first two games? Would Girardi hold back on having Sabathia throw that bullpen session?

"That's something hypothetically if we get there, that's something we'll see," Girardi said. "But right now, my plan is to throw A.J. in Game 4."

Full confidence

Although Austin Kearns was 3-for-7 against C.J. Wilson and Brett Gardner was 0-for-5, Girardi didn't feel that was a big enough sample size to give Kearns the start.

"Gardy's not like a guy who hits .200 off lefties," Girardi said. "Gardy puts tough at-bats on people and there's a lot of different ways Gardy can get on, and he creates havoc."

Gardner hit .252 this season against lefthanders and .287 against righthanders.

All lefthanders on deck

The Rangers added lefthanded pitchers Clay Rapada and Michael Kirkman to their 25-man roster, giving them four lefties in the bullpen.

"It allows them to do a lot of matchups," Girardi said. "Against righthanders, we separate our lefties more, so it makes it more difficult. They might bring in one lefty to face Robby [Cano], then bring a righty and bring a lefty in to face Gardy. But we're OK with that."

Just for fun

Mark Teixeira says Sabathia - 40-15 in two regular seasons and 4-1 in the postseason for the Yankees entering ALCS Game 1 - might be the best free-agent signing in the history of the organization. Girardi, meeting with beat reporters, deferred to general manager Brian Cashman, who was sitting on a couch in the office.

"Just to -- Reggie [Jackson] off, yes, [Sabathia's] the best and Teixeira was the second best," Cashman said, laughing.

He later referenced postseason star Orlando Hernandez, signed to a four-year, $1.6-million deal in 1998.

"Best free-agent signing I was involved in was El Duque," Cashman said. "He didn't cost us any money and he won a ton of games."

Extra bases

Girardi said that although Saturday's Game 2 is a late-afternoon start, Jorge Posada will start again at catcher. During the season, Girardi stayed away from catching Posada the day after night games.