Javier Vazquez

The Yankees were impressed enough with Ivan Nova's start Monday night in Toronto that he will replace Javier Vazquez next Sunday at Chicago.

Vazquez, who has an ERA above five, will move to the bullpen and will be available starting Monday. Joe Girardi did not comment about using Nova for more than one more start, and did not say he is prepared to use a six-man rotation.

It's starting to look increasingly clear that—now some three quarters into the season—the Yankees have lost their gamble on Javier Vazquez.

A quick check up on how some of the Yankees' top prospects are doing as of August 21, 2010.

After witnessing yet another poor start by Javier Vazquez on Monday, I believe that it is about time to call upon the services of 23-year-old Ivan Nova.

As you may or may not know, Vazquez is going through a stretch of dead arm right now, which is severely limiting his velocity on pitches, which are topping out at 88 miles per hour.

He got ripped by the Rangers last Wednesday, and he gave up two runs through four innings against the Tigers yesterday, throwing 106 pitches and dodging several scary situations in the process.

The Yankees had to overcome a five run deficit last night to beat the Texas Rangers after Javier Vazquez's poor start, a start he shouldn't have even made.

Javy's pitches topped out at about 85 mph last night, which is not good enough to get major league hitters out, let alone the heavy hitting Texas Rangers.

I have witnessed Cliff Lee torment my New York Yankees at the Stadium while he was a Cleveland Indian, a Philadelphia Phillie in the 2009 World Series, and recently a Seattle Mariner.

Now Lee is a Texas Ranger, but his uniform is irrelevant because most Yankees fans have no problem identifying Lee on the mound. I still remember our first encounter, like it was yesterday.

It was May 7, 2008 and I was bringing one of my best friends to her first Yankees game at the Old Stadium. Bringing a virgin is always a treat because the Yankees usually impress newbies.

Upon his return to the Bronx this season, Javier Vazquez was clearly a divisive figure among Yankee fans.

Some saw the potential in the one-time Yankee, thinking that the man who dominated for the Braves in 2009 after finishing fourth in National League Cy Young voting had learned enough since his uneven 2004 stint in pinstripes to be a solid back end of the rotation starter. After all, the rotation was much stronger this time around, lessening the pressure on Vazquez to be a front of the rotation type starter.

With #600 now in the past, the New York Yankees are ready to take on their rivals, the Boston Red Sox.

Boston has been hit hard with the unfortunate injury bug. Making the six and a half games the Red Sox need to catch the first place Yankees, who are tied with Tampa Bay Rays, not completely out of reach.