Tony DeMarco

PHILADELPHIA - The Phillies got their split in New York and are back home for the next three games. So why does it feel as if this World Series could be shifting the Yankees' way?

The answer lies in the starting pitching matchups — or, at least in the Yankees' case, the potential matchups, as manager Joe Girardi didn't formally announce anything beyond Andy Pettitte in Game 3 on Saturday night.

But no matter how you shuffle the possibilities for the rest of the series, it keeps coming up Yankees.

Maybe it's simply a matter of whose ace will get to pitch three times instead of two. And half of that equation was answered Friday by Phillies manager Charlie Manuel.

There will be no Game 4 start on three days rest for Cliff Lee, who dominated the Yankees in Game 1, and is on arguably the greatest postseason pitching run in history: 3-0, 0.54 earned-run average, two complete-game victories in four starts, 33 1/3  innings pitched, 20 hits, three walks, 30 strikeouts.

So why not bring back Lee on short rest for Game 4 — and potentially again in Game 7 — especially considering the other possibilities (more on that later)? Just because Lee never has done it before? Apparently, that's enough of a deterrent in Manuel's mind — even though Lee said he would do whatever is asked.

"He's thrown 265 innings (this season), and he's never pitched on three days rest," Manuel said. "And I like him in Game 5, because with the off-day (on Tuesday), if the series goes seven games, that would be his bullpen day, and he might be able to pitch (in Game 7 for a couple of innings). But I don't think he's ready for it on three days' rest. That's really pushing him because he's never done it before."

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If Manuel had looked it up, the record shows pitchers on three days' rest in the postseason for the most part have been terrible. But the Yankees saw those same numbers — 20-34, 4.65 ERA — ignored them and decided to throw CC Sabathia on three days' rest in the American League championship series. The result? A dominating victory for Sabathia. So there is no official announcement yet, but the full expectation is that Sabathia will be back in Game 4 after pitching with a week's rest in Game 1.

"CC pitched consistently on three days' rest last year (actually, four times)," Manuel said. "There's a big difference. Plus, CC is big, and I think that plays a part in it. But Cliff never has done it."

But first things first — the matchup of Cole Hamels and Andy Pettitte in what could be the series' pivotal game. Last year's National League championship series and World Series MVP against the pitcher with the most postseason wins in history (16). But last year's Hamels has only shown up on occasion in 2009, and not at all lately. His postseason numbers: 1-1, 6.75 ERA, .328 opponents batting average in three starts.

Meanwhile, Pettitte has done this a few times before. This is World Series No. 8 for him. And this postseason has been exactly the kind Yankees general manager Brian Cashman brought Pettitte back for: 2-0, 2.37 ERA in three starts. In other words, there will be nothing that surprises or rattles him on the Citizens Bank Park mound.

"I know that if you give up more than a couple — two, three runs — you're going to take a loss, or you're going to get a no-decision," Pettitte said. "You just figure that's the way it's going to be."

And if the Yankees win Game 3, the Phillies fall into a big hole.

Rather than another showdown with Lee in Game 4, Sabathia will face right-hander Joe Blanton (12-8, 4.05), who you can argue wasn't a better choice for this start than rookie left-hander J.A. Happ. Those two were the most consistent starters all season for Manuel, with Happ putting up numbers (12-4, 2.93) that could win him the NL Rookie of the Year award.

But with Lee and Pedro Martinez around, Happ and Blanton have been relegated to the bullpen this postseason, with Happ being little more than a situational left-hander. Blanton has been here before — 2-0 last postseason, including a World Series victory — and Happ hasn't. But left-handers match up more favorably against the Yankees, as managers most often turn around switch-hitters Mark Teixeira and Jorge Posada to the right side.

Manuel's explanation: "Blanton fits for us because I think we want to keep Happ in the bullpen, especially in the middle where he could go some innings. Plus, Joe pitched in the World Series last year, and has a bit more experience."

A 2-2 series still looks favorable from the Yankees' point of view because no matter what happens in Game 5, the Yankees will be going home for the final two games, and won't have to face Lee any more (other than in a potential Game 7 relief appearance).

And up 3-1, the Yankees can tinker with their rotation and set it up even more to their advantage. They could drop in Chad Gaudin in Game 5 in an unfavorable matchup with Lee, but that would set up this scenario for the final two games:

A.J. Burnett on regular rest in Game 6 (likely against Pedro Martinez again), then the option of going with Sabathia on three days' rest or Pettitte on full rest in Game 7 (likely against the struggling Hamels).

"It all depends on what the starter does,'' Pettitte said. "In my eyes, that's what it all comes down to."

And the starting pitching matchups appear to favor the Yankees at this point.

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