Is Joe Girardi Setting Up Sabathia For Failure?

In New York’s 10-0 win at Tampa Bay on Saturday, Sabathia (1-0, 3.46 ERA) had a no-hitter with two outs in the eighth inning before giving up a single to Kelly Shoppach.  After 111 pitches, Sabathia was removed. 

Joe Girardi also said he would of removed him regardless of the no hitter after that batter.  I hope that isn't true and I'm not buying that.  You could tell on Sabathia's face, that he wanted the no hitter badly.

Sabathia has thrown 215 pitches over 13 innings in two starts this season.

“Watching that pitch count go up and up and up, that was what was on my mind the most,” Girardi said. “You have to think big picture. The big picture was the month of October. You have to think ahead. You can’t be short-sighted.”

Sabathia will face C.J. Wilson (0-0, 0.00 ERA) on Friday night as the Yankees open up a three game series to the Texas Rangers at Yankee Stadium.

My worry is, if Girardi is so concerned with Sabathia's pitch count, I think he should keep it to himself.  Publicly announcing his concern, I believe, will cause Sabathia to throw too many strikes and get pounded.

Maybe I am looking too much into this, maybe not.  However, if Sabathia pitches around the strike zone too much on Friday night and gets hit by the Rangers, I will feel better about my theory, but an unhappy Yankees fan.

I can see the shirts in the Bronx now, "PC Sabathia", pitch-count Sabathia.

Quotes from Associated Press