Comments on: Joba’s Transition A Success

By: Paul Pierce

Paul Pierce — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:23:45 +0000

An ace needs to be a strike out pitcher? No.

By: pbausk

pbausk — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:36:34 +0000

i dont think wang is an ace, an ace is a guy who separates himself not just from the rest of the staff but from other pitcehrs in the league and the defining moment for an ace type pitcher is having that runner on 3rd and no outs and getting 2 big strikeouts and wang doesnt do that, if he were more of a strikeout pitcher he would be an ace but thats what he lacks

By: B.A. Baracus

B.A. Baracus — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:21:39 +0000

I agree that the Yanks have no ace at the moment. For the purposes of this conversation, I think you can throw out the postseason, because that’s a whole different stage. When he’s healthy, Wang is an ace (again, forgetting the postseason). But without him? The staff’s a bit rudderless. If I had to anoint one pitcher from the current rotation, I think Andy Pettitte fits the bill more so than Joba. Joba’s still learning how to pitch. A guy like that can’t lead a staff, no matter how filthy his stuff is. Who’s the ace of the Cincy staff, Edison Volquez or Aaron Harang? Believe me, that team still looks to Harang to be their stopper. Pettitte’s big-game experience gives him similar credentials, and if you need evidence, look no further than his gutty performance going against Johan Santana last weekend. Andy stepped up to the challenge big time. Pretty ace-like, if you ask me.

By: pbausk

pbausk — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:05:25 +0000

very true what gozer says, this staff has NO ace and even with Wang only had 3/4 of an ace

By: gozer

gozer — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:31:13 +0000

a rotation doesn’t always have an ace.

By: Rob Abruzzese

Rob Abruzzese — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:03:04 +0000

It’s only one start. Besides, if he’s not the ace who is? Mussina? Great year, but certainly not the ace.

By: gozer

gozer — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 15:19:31 +0000

4.0 IP does not a staff ace make.

By: Bobo

Bobo — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 22:42:12 +0000

joba is THE CHOSEN ONE!!!!!!!!

By: Rob Abruzzese

Rob Abruzzese — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 21:12:02 +0000

I called him the ace of the staff in this article because, well, he is. Especially with Wang out. He’s more consistant than Mussina or Pettitte. Who’s left? It says more about the weakness of the rotation than how good Joba is.

It is very early still but a 1.80 ERA over 25 innings as a starter is pretty good.

Right now he’s the ace. I’ll stand behind that.

By: Thomas Magnum

Thomas Magnum — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 20:40:30 +0000

Agreed. I agree, this has been successful so far, but he threw against the Pirates last night, and also, they have lost a fair amount of games because he was not in the bullpen. So lets just not be highlighting the positives here. I am happy he threw well last night, and I think he will continue to pitch well, but lets give it a while before we start calling him the ace of the staff.