MIAMI -- Nothing is official, but manager Jack McKeon is toying with the idea of using a four-man rotation to close out the season.

McKeon is discussing the possibilities with pitching coach Wayne Rosenthal, as well as the starters themselves.

 

"We haven't decided anything yet," he said. "We talked about the possibility of that happening. We still have three games here where we are pretty much on rotation. Then we'll decide what we're going to do."

 

Realizing that overcoming a 4 1/2-game deficit in the Wild Card race is a long shot, the Marlins may go with four starters no matter how the playoff picture pans out.

 

The shortened rotation wouldn't be put into place until after the three-game series with the Phillies.

 

Left-hander Dontrelle Willis started on Tuesday, rookie Logan Kensing is scheduled to go on Wednesday and Josh Beckett gets the nod on Thursday.

 

On Friday the Marlins head to Atlanta for three games. Ismael Valdez will start the opener, and Carl Pavano is set for Saturday. After that it's up in the air as to how the defending World Series champions will round out their rotation.

 

With A.J. Burnett likely done for the season because of right elbow inflammation, the four-man rotation would consist of Willis, Beckett, Pavano and Valdez.

 

"It's fine with me," said Beckett of going with a four-man rotation. "We can do it."

 

Regardless of the Marlins' postseason positioning, McKeon sees a benefit to going with pitchers on three days' rest.

 

Pavano, who is 17-7, would get three starts and three chances of becoming the Marlins' first 20-game winner.

 

Based on how a four-man rotation would pan out, Pavano's number comes up on Sept. 25 and Sept. 29, and the final game of the season, on Oct. 3.

 

"We're sure going to try to give him a chance," said McKeon. "I've done it before. I'm quite sure he's not going to be a problem going on three days' rest to get 20 wins."

 

Should a four-man rotation be implemented, Beckett would get three more starts (Sept. 23, Sept. 27 and Oct. 1), as would Valdez (Sept. 24, Sept. 28 and Oct. 2). After Tuesday, Willis would have two more starts (Sept. 26 and Sept. 30).

 

 

mlb.com

Do it Jack!

Anyone else worried by Paano's comments on this move? He said he didn't feel comfortable starting on short rest and that he didn't like when he had to do it earlier this year (although he hasn't started on less than 4 days rest all year).

 

Either he's completly lost faith in salvaging this season, or is afraid of injury and not gettng paid this winter.

Anyone else worried by Paano's comments on this move? He said he didn't feel comfortable starting on short rest and that he didn't like when he had to do it earlier this year (although he hasn't started on less than 4 days rest all year).

 

Either he's completly lost faith in salvaging this season, or is afraid of injury and not gettng paid this winter.

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I think he is fatigued and feels he may not be able to pitch well. Carl is fatigued. I know it isn't the thing we all hope for, but being over .500 and not making the playoffs may be for the best because the guys are absolutely tired and need an whole offseason to recoup. I hope and think they shall make it, but it won't be terrible if they don't.

We lost today - so I say scrap the 4 man rotation idea. At this point, it is going to take a miracle and the guys seem to be wearing down. Carl is tired mentally and that is why he has struggled of late. I think a 4 man rotation would wear him and the others down further and there is no reason for that. Make Kensing the 5th starter and finish out the season as strong as possible. That way we get something for the future in Kensing and the starters dont blow up over the next few weeks.

 

If we had won today, I would say go for the 4 man rotation.

We lost today - so I say scrap the 4 man rotation idea. At this point, it is going to take a miracle and the guys seem to be wearing down. Carl is tired mentally and that is why he has struggled of late. I think a 4 man rotation would wear him and the others down further and there is no reason for that. Make Kensing the 5th starter and finish out the season as strong as possible. That way we get something for the future in Kensing and the starters dont blow up over the next few weeks.

 

If we had won today, I would say go for the 4 man rotation.

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Yup. Just play it safe and try and end it on a good note (winning season).

Go to the 4-man rotation. :thumbup

At this point it's not even worth it. Not even a miracle would be enough to get us to the wild card, I have been very optimistic up until the last minute but tonight was just the last straw, when Nolan Ryan... errr I mean Cory Lidle of the Phillies almost no-hits us, you know it's over. Unless we go on a major winning streak and everyone else goes on a major losing streak, we're done. We don't play ANY of the teams in contention that are ahead of us for the wild card for the remaining couple of games so it's out of our hands now, even if go on a big win streak it's still doubtful we'd come close.

 

It was a great season and we fought hard, but it's unrealstic to expect back-to-back wild card berths and world series championships every single year, especially with a small-medium market team like the Marlins. The front office did a great job of pulling off a deal at the trade deadline to get Mota and Lo Duca, if they didn't do anything at the trade deadline we wouldn't have even been contending during the second half and would have been playing meaningless games.

 

All i've got to say is this is going to be a very fun offseason I can't wait until next year, i've already got my deposit in for season tickets again.

If we go to the 4 man rotation and someone blows an arm, I am becoming a Devil Rays fan or something.

please no on the 4 man now....

Too little, too late

exactly. not worth the risk at this point. Pavano has already said he does not want to pitch on short rest anymore.

Why NOW... as opposed to 2 weeks ago (the DH in Chicago), when it could have made a real difference?

 

Like QuickGold said: "Too little, too late".

Too little, too late

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Exactly.