Tony DeMarco

NEW YORK - It's no longer a question of who’s going to pitch in the final game — or two — of this World Series. It's a question of can anybody besides Mariano Rivera pitch effectively?

With question marks in both dugouts and bullpens, about the only thing you can forecast with any sense of certainty is that a lot of runs will be put on the board before a new world champion is crowned.

“It's kind of working that way,'' Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said on Tuesday. “The offense is starting to pick up on both teams. I think these next two games could really get interesting.''

So we've reached a Game 6 — the first time a World Series has extended this far since 2003 — Yankees at home and one win away from their 27th title, and what do you know?

It's a pitching match-up for the ages — literally — Pedro Martinez, 38, and Andy Pettitte, 37, each back on the big stage quite possibly for the last time, each embracing the opportunity.

They've done this a few times before, of course — the first 11 years ago.

One is a certain Hall of Famer, arguably the best pitcher of his generation. The other is a Cooperstown possibility, in part due to his postseason successes, as nobody ever has won more playoff games than Pettitte's total of 17.

But it's no secret they're pitching on borrowed time, with only glimpses of past greatness left.

“Two old goats out there, doing the best they can, and having fun with it,'' Martinez said about the Game 6 match-up.

And for both, the amount of rest since their last start is an issue.

Martinez found a way to get through six-plus innings in a Game 2 loss, allowing three runs and six hits while striking out eight — velocity replaced by command and a devastating changeup.

“I look at this situation as a blessing,'' Martinez said. “I mean, what else would I want? Two months back, I was at home not doing anything. None of you were thinking of me. None of you were asking me questions. And today, here I am.''

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Martinez will be operating on regular rest — four days — so what's the issue? Well, his two previous postseason starts came on substantially longer rest, so how will his 38-year-old body respond this time?

“I got no choice, but I expect (the regular rest) will help me,'' he said. “I feel really good. I'm confident.''

Girardi has no choice, either. He's in too deep now; it's too late to change course with his three-starters-on-three-days-rest plan. So it's Pettitte in Game 6, and if necessary, CC Sabathia in Game 7. And second-guessers be damned.

(And the reality is, with Joba Chamberlain delivering mixed results in the bullpen, the other option really wasn't an option, as Chad Gaudin has thrown one inning in the past month.)

“If we're in Philly, and it's (a) 3-0 (series lead for the Yankees), maybe you do something different,'' Girardi said. “But we never got to that point, and our (three starters) feel good, so this is what we decided to do.''

But there's a key difference here. The plan looked great when it was Sabathia, a 6-7, 300-plus-pound mountain of a man with enormous strength, being asked to work on short rest.

It was an entirely different story for Burnett, who has succeeded on short rest in the past, but had nothing when there was a chance to clinch the World Series title.

And now comes Pettitte, who hasn't pitched on three days rest in four years, six years in the postseason. And who said he felt 'terrible' in his Game 3 start, “and that was on six days' rest.''

Still, Pettitte says at this point in a season, it's more a mental than physical issue.

“My mindset is going to be the same as normal,'' he said. “I'm not going to try to blow balls by guys, I'm just going to try to pitch. If I make adjustments during the course of the game, I think I should be successful.''

Best-case scenario for either starter is six solid innings, but it isn't likely both will get there. And then Manuel and Girardi will have to dip into their bullpens, and we know how that's been going.

The Yankees want a lead — any lead — by the seventh inning. And then a seven-out save opportunity for Rivera wouldn't be out of the question. If necessary, the bridge outs between Pettitte and Rivera likely will come from Damaso Marte against left-handed hitters and Chamberlain.

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