Vazquez decision awaits on Monday

Unlike the beginning of the month when fans didn’t want to see Javier Vazquez anywhere close to a mound, now fans actually are hoping he’ll be able to pitch his next scheduled start on Thursday against the Twins. That decision will be made on Monday, his bullpen day, according to Joe Girardi.

If Vazquez can’t grip the ball, Sergio Mitre will likely be the fill-in guy. He did a nice job in his last spot start, pitching five innings of one-run ball against the Twins last Sunday, and tossed a scoreless frame last night to keep it a two-run ballgame.

With all of the injuries that have flooded this team in recent weeks, the one pitcher who was starting to find his old self after a dreadful start to his 2010 campaign got stung by the injury bee.

Vazquez had to leave Friday night’s start early against the Mets, in which he tossed shutout ball for six innings, allowing just one hit and earning his second win of the week.

After bruising his finger while attempting to lay down a bunt in the seventh inning, Vazquez left the game in the bullpen’s hands to close out the game, which, thankfully, it did.