Girardi hints at back end of rotation

TAMPA, Fla. -- Joe Girardi said the discussions that will produce the winners of the competition for the Yankees' back end rotation spots have yet to take place.

But yesterday he dropped some hints about how those talks will turn out, and it doesn't appear as if there will be any major surprises.

Freddy Garcia, who will start in a minor league game this afternoon, looks as if he'll get the fifth spot and Ivan Nova, scheduled to start tomorrow, looks as if he'll be the No. 4.

The first hint came when Girardi said "I don't necessarily think so," when asked if there was any more pertinent information to be gained from Garcia's start today. "I think we have a pretty good feel on what Freddy can do," Girardi said. "Now we're getting to the point where we just have to sit down and have a long meeting."

Reading the tea leaves, the Yankees could be leaning toward keeping Bartolo Colon, who has been outstanding all spring, in the bullpen or perhaps ask him to accept a minor league assignment to start the year. The former would probably mean the end of Sergio Mitre's Yankee career.

"You talk, is there a point where innings catch up to him during the course of the season?" Girardi said of lingering concerns about Colon, who hasn't pitched in the majors since 2009. "That's somewhat of a concern when you have a guy coming off injuries; that hasn't thrown a lot in the last few years and you project in your mind how many innings they can give you. And if he is on our team, where does he fit best?"

A risk the Yankees just might be poised to take.

Hail to the (vice) chief

Vice President Joe Biden was an on-field guest before the Yankees took batting practice. A Phillies fan, Biden wore a Yankee cap and was presented with a Yankee jacket -- which he soon shed given the 80-degree temperature -- by Girardi. As he watched the Yankees practice their bunt defense, Biden chatted with, among others, Mariano Rivera and guest instructors Goose Gossage, Ron Guidry and David Wells. The Blue Jays were inconvenienced by the VP visit -- and not especially thrilled -- disallowed by the Secret Service from entering Steinbrenner Field and held on their team bus for about 30 minutes.

Extra bases

After pitching two scoreless innings in a minor league game against a team of Phillies' Single-A hitters, A.J. Burnett allowed four runs over the final 32/3 innings of his appearance. The final line of his 94-pitch outing: 52/3 innings: six hits, four runs, three walks, eight strikeouts . . . Phil Hughes was not sharp against Toronto, allowing three runs and eight hits in seven innings . . . LHP Pedro Feliciano (sore upper arm) threw 20 pitches in live BP and said he felt "good," and was likely to appear in a game tomorrow or Saturday.