Kei Igawa was pegged as a No. 4 or 5 starter. Despite all the injuries, with a presumably healthy and effective Wang, Pettitte and Mussina, he's back to No. 4.
This would be more comforting were he not in the bullpen 10 days ago.
The Yankees need him to not be a stopgap, but the best No. 4 he can be. Think a less surly Jason Marquis, or a less funky Orlando Hernandez.
Igawa's numbers aren't that terrible -- 39 BB+H in 26.2 innings, 19 strikeouts. But he needs to improve that a bit, and it's questionable whether he has the stuff to decrease the 26 hits or up the whiffs. So it's a matter of control. His last, successful outing is not something to go on, I think, as he's unlikely to often give up 2 hits in 6 innings to offset his four walks.
The hopeful outcome might be something like his April 18 outing against Cleveland: 6 innings, 5 hits, 1 walk, 2 runs, 5 strikeouts. That's a solid No. 4 pitcher.
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