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The New Joba Rules - Good or Bad?
By Chad Matejicka on June 2nd, 2008 1:28 PM |
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While most fellow Yankee fans as well as sports writers are against the idea of converting Joba Chamberlain to a starter, I am all for it. While I believe that Chamberlain would be great as the heir apparent to Mariano Rivera and lights out as a closer, Rivera is not a free agent until after the 2010 season. Leaving Chamberlain in his current role would not maximize his current potential and reward to the Yankees based on the makeup of their current rotation. Yes, the argument will always be who is going to pitch the late innings of games so that they can get to Rivera. However, my answer to that is how are we going to get to the 8th inning if we are running out suspect starters who can’t pitch into the 6th inning? Chamberlain who can pitch 6 quality innings, will give the Yankees more of a chance to win, as he will put them 2/3 into of every game that he starts. The question lies though, are the Yankees handling his conversion the right way?
The issue that I do have with the Yankee management in relation to Chamberlain is how fast that the conversion from reliever to starter is taking. Since the rumors less than 2 weeks ago, Chamberlain was supposed to be pushed into a situation where he could handle 75 pitches. However, this is not something that Chamberlain is currently conditioned to do and thus a major cause of concern for me. Tomorrow night, Chamberlain will pitch against the Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium and is expected to throw between 50 and 75 pitches. I find it hard to understand how you can let Chamberlain start when he is clearly not ready to throw 75 pitches in a game and at least factor in the decision through 5 innings. If this is the case, he is more valuable to the team in relieving someone like Ian Kennedy in the interim, who could go 5 innings and Chamberlain could pitch the final 4 innings. This approach would allow Chamberlain to strengthen his arm out from the 1 or 2 innings that he is accustomed to the 3 or 4 innings and 75 pitches that he would consistently need to take the next step of becoming a starter. Additionally, the Yankees could clearly benefit from this approach as it would preserve and protect their starters while helping them to shorten games and most importantly giving them a great chance to win with this formula.
While I believe this is the right move overall and will work out in the end, I strongly feel that the Yankees should wait a little more time until Chamberlain is clearly ready to go 5 innings. At that time, the Yankee faithful can begin to get excited about Chamberlain’s long term progression. However, until then, we will all be forced to hold our breathe that whatever reliever who comes out of the bullpen can hold down the opposition for 3 innings in order to get to Rivera.
There are currently 10 responses to “The New Joba Rules - Good or Bad?”
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Roll the dice now! While no one in the Bronx wants to see Joba experience a Todd Marinovich-esque breakdown, I think the Yanks are now at a critical juncture where they need to take the risk and put him out there. He’s got the support of his team and has certainly now had more MLB innings in prep than when other young guns started, like Andrew Miller and even D-Train. Get him out there and fire up the team!
think the jays will be taking many pitches tomorrow night…
Kramonator is nuts. Chad is spot on, allow Joba the chance to build up his stamina. Moving him too quickly invites disaster.
Oooh, how exciting! Joba is now a starter! Thank God we have Farnsworth and Hawkins to help fire up the team!
If I am managing the Jays, I pull the first guy to not take his first strike. This transition has come way too early and shows a lack of guidance and a clear misdirection on the Yanks part. Can I speak to a grown up please?
Whether this move is ultimately a success will not hinge on Joba, but most likely on if Ramirez and Ohlendorf can step up to be the new set-up men. For better or worse, they are who Yanks fans should be looking to at this point.
this is the right move. the time is now to make this transition. how much longer are we going to wait? its now june, get him in the rotation now so he gets accustomed to it. he will be a good starter, maybe what the yanks need, but no need to second guess the move…especially when its a move we all knew was going to happen.
Nobody is questioning whether Joba will be a good starter or not. Grow up.
Listen, Joba is going to be a great starting pitcher…one day. I agree with Chad, the Yankees are rushing things and they need to ease him into the starting role, otherwise he will land on the DL just like his buddies. I think he will be lights out tomorrow night and after 5 innings, he will come out of the game and the bullpen will get lit up. Everyone is going to panic and want Joba back in the pen. What they need is Joba to bridge the gap between Joba and Mo…one more thing…if I have to hear another stupid question asked by Kim Jones about “disappointment” I am going to smash my television…and Johnny Damon needs to put a shirt on when he is on TV
Joba is from Nebraska, like myself. I have followed him since UN Kearney days, his Husker days and (sadly) his Yankee era. I believe it’s time to fly! I would have loved to see at least 1 minor league start, but as bottom dwellers; The Yankees can’t wait!!!
The Kramonator is correct!!!
It must be nice to live life in a box.
If this stream of nonsense is going to continue, can we establish some simple guidelines.
-In baseball, there is a group of pitchers who work after the starting pitcher leaves the game.
-These pitchers make up the “bullpen.”
-Their job is to pitch when the starting pitcher is no longer pitching.
-Often times, a team will try to have members of this bullpen pitch effectively enough to hand the ball off to their closer, who ideally, will be the pitcher of record once the team wins the game.
-Members of a bullpen often pitch in the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings.
Now, assuming we all now kunderstand that a bullpen exists, please, feel free to continue this discussion.