Flight from Detroit from Tampa: 9:24 p.m.

Game called: 1:17 p.m.

Stories finished: 2 p.m.

Time to kill: 7:24.

Ah, the exciting world of sportswriting. As I write this, I’m sitting on the floor at the gate, my laptop plugged into the only outlet within seven miles and I’m watching old episodes of the West Wing.

As for the Yankees, they have a decision to make. Darrell Rasner will pitch either Thursday against the Rays or Friday against the Mets.

Somebody else has to pitch one of those games. But who? Here’s a list of candidates:

Ian Kennedy: His start got rained out today, he’s supposed to go tomorrow. If the Yankees cut him a little short, he could come back on Friday. But shouldn’t he have to prove himself with more than two games?

Kei Igawa: If the Yankees had paid $4 million for him instead of $46 million, he would be on the first flight back to Japan. But they didn’t. It is a fact of life in all business that money talks.

Dan Giese: He’ll be 31 in a week, he has been in pro ball since 1999 and he has a major league resume of 9.1 innings over 8 games. But he has somehow pitched like Walter Johnson in six starts for Scranton (four earned runs over 34.1 innings).

Chase Wright: He’s 5-1, 2.54 for Trenton and last pitched on Friday.

Dan McCutchen: He’s 4-2, 2.15 for Trenton. But getting called up now is not part of his development plan. His start got rained out today, too.

Side issues: Kennedy and Wright are on the 40-man. But they can always make room if they want Giese.

Nobody cares what I would do. But you clearly can’t pitch Igawa at Yankee Stadium on Friday against the Mets. That’s a recipe for disaster. So Rasner goes on Friday and somebody else goes Sunday. Don’t throw a kid in the fire, try Giese. Igawa can work on his issues someplace else, not in games that count.

Joe Girardi said they are still discussing who will start on Thursday. Candidates include Darrell Rasner, Kei Igawa and assorted minor leaguers.

As for the make-up date, it looks like it will either be July 24 or Sept. 1.

Scranton’s game (and Ian Kennedy’s start) was rained out as well. He’s scheduled to go tomorrow.

Andy Pettitte against the Detroit hiitters.

Nate Robertson against the New York hitters.

Notes: Even for Joe Girardi, that’s an interesting lineup. Jeter has hit cleanup one previous time in his career. … It’s supposed to start raining (and a lot) around noon. Fairly decent chance they won’t get the game in. Or it will rain long enough to screw up our flight to Tampa tonight. … Cano has hit in six straight at 8 of 22. … Kyle Farnsworth has thrown 8.2 consecutive scoreless innings. … The Big G is 5 of 13 with six RBI and five extra-base hits.

Back later with updates.

UPDATE, 12:37 p.m.: If you’re sitting around waiting for the game to start, go find something else to do. If it starts at all, it’s certainly not going to start on time as it’s raining and the tarp is on the field.

Derek Jeter finally hit a home run. This notebook also has updates on Wilson Betemit’s injury, the return of the Attorney General, A-Rod’s rehab and other news.

The Baseball Beat looks at who is on the hot seat around the game.

“You know who he reminds me of a little bit? Jon Lieber,” Derek Jeter said. “He works quick, he throws strikes; he’s fun to play behind. He doesn’t take too much time between pitches, he has a plan and he goes right after guys.”

It doesn’t sound like advanced physics, but it’s what Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy weren’t doing. The Yankees badly need some balance in their rotation and perhaps Rasner can provide it.

We’ve seen it before. Aaron Small, Shawn Chacon, etc. Pitchers sometimes just suddenly emerge.

Detroit is 11-21 against right-handed starters. It’s amazing how sluggish they look against them. They’re 5-1 and hitting .295 against lefties, which isn’t good news for Andy Pettitte.

But Pettitte is no Kei Igawa.

Big rain in the forecast tomorrow, unfortunately. They already have the tarp on the field and assorted trucks and carts parked on it to hold it down. But we will be at the ballpark bright and early to let you know what’s going on.

Thanks for reading today.

Jon Albaladejo has a sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament and a strain of the posterial capsule. It is not expected he will need surgery, but he won’t be back any time soon.

Darrell Rasner against the Detroit hitters.

Jeremy Bonderman vs. the New York hitters.

Notes: Brooks Betemit, back at third. … Cano is 7 of 19 and Giambi 4 of 10. … The Yankees have lost 3 of 4 and are 0-4 against the Tigers this season.

Back later with updates.

UPDATE, 2:40 p.m.: A-Rod and Posada worked out again today in Tampa. Jeff Karstens tossed 42 pitches in a simulated game and is just about ready to start his rehab assignment. … “The plan” remains to start Kei Igawa in Tampa.

Shelley Duncan will be introducing the lineup on Fox. I watched him record it, he was very funny and did it in one take. I won’t spoil it for you.

UPDATE, 2:44 p.m.: Here’s the AP report from Tampa:

Alex Rodriguez is making progress in his rehab from a strained right quadriceps, and the third baseman could rejoin New York Yankees late next week.

“So far, so good,” Rodriguez said Saturday.

The three-time AL MVP is scheduled for an MRI on Monday and is eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list Thursday.

“I don’t want to speculate,” Rodriguez said when asked if could return then.

If he gets the go-ahead after his MRI he could be cleared to start playing rehab games in extended spring training.

On Saturday, Rodriguez took 65 swings in batting practice and fielded 31 grounders at third base during his second injury rehabilitation workout at the Yankees’ minor league complex. He is also running in the outfield.

Catcher Jorge Posada took batting practice for the second time since going on the DL on April 28 with right rotator cuff tendinitis. The switch-hitter remains on target to start a light throwing program Monday.

“It’s coming around good,” said Posada, who is expected to be out at least another month.

UPDATE, 4:01 p.m.: The Yankees had a chance to step on the neck of Jeremy Bonderman in the first inning and Robbie Cano let him off the ropes.

Obviously I’m not a major league hitter. But why isn’t Cano taking a strike there? Bonderman walks Giambi and then Cabrera to force in a run. Then he starts Cano with a ball. Take a strike, make the struggling pitcher work.

Instead he hacks away, right into a double play. My old Legion coach, Manny Lima of Post 1, would not approve.

UPDATE, 4:42 p.m.: So much for Wilson Betemit. He crushed a double to center then grabbed his right hamstring when he got to second base. He’s out of the game. No word yet, obviously, but he’s probably headed for the disabled list.

Maybe they can run twice at much at spring training next season, see what that does.

UPDATE, 5:01 p.m.: How about Darrell Rasner? 10 innings, 3 ER since he came up.

UPDATE, 5:06 p.m.: I do believe it’s time to declare that The Big G is back. 5 for 12 with six RBI in his last four games.

His base-running could use a little work, however.

UPDATE, 5:13 p.m.: The official word from the Yankees on Betemit is that he has a strained right hamstring. Alberto Gonzalez, please pick up the white courtesy phone.

UPDATE, 5:37 p.m.: Take that, UPenn stat geeks!

Meanwhile, Detroit is 11-20 (soon to be 11-21) against right-handed starters and hitting .256. They are 5-1 against lefties and hitting .295. It further underscores the point that the Yankees were flat crazy to start Kei Igawa last night.

Beyond, you know, that he stinks.

UPDATE, 5:58 p.m.: All things considered, allowing only run there was a success for Krazy Kyle. If he pitches and you still have the lead, that’s a plus.

UPDATE, 6:29 p.m.: Good to see Joba conduct himself like a gentleman there. … Looking forward to seeing Mo face Sheff in the ninth.

A few of us went over to see Sheff before the game, just to say hello. Sheff was an interesting guy to cover. He almost always made himself available to the media and he always had something interesting to say. It might have been factually incorrect or crazy, but it was interesting.

What amazes me about Sheff is that when you stand next to him, he’s not an imposing guy. But he’s such a good athlete and has such quick hands that he can turn on pitches and crush them.

So he against Mo should be cool.

Back later with some reaction.

A-Rod will have an important test on Monday. This notebook also has news on another injury, a reduced suspension and a manager who doesn’t mind his pitcher showing some emotion.

Yankees-Tigers this afternoon on Fox. Check back later for the lineup.

So, as you might expect, Igawa was asked what the deal was with his off-speed pitches.

“I thought the changeup worked well. The slider, I missed a few pitches. But besides that, they were pretty good,” he said through a translator. “The result was part of baseball. It can happen in any game. The thing I would like to work on is getting more strikeouts.”

Considering he had no strikeouts, that should not be a problem.

Girardi said “the plan” is Igawa to start on Wednesday in St. Pete. But I wouldn’t be surprised if the plan changed.