End The Joba Experiment…NOW
July 12, 2009 · Phil Kohen · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
Just what do you suppose Joba Chamberlain is looking for in the above picture?
His fastball?
His desire?
The path back to the bullpen as a set-up man?
I’ll take, “WE’VE TRIED THIS LONG ENOUGH for $200, Alex!”
Paging Mr. Cashman! Your common sense can be picked up whenever you are ready at the Lost & Found on the Concourse level right next to the First Aid Station.
Why do the Yankees have a starter in the rotation that has to throw about 25 pitches in the bullpen BEFORE he takes the field for real on the days he pitches? Doesn’t that tell you something? You know, that his body mechanics, namely his arm, are not adjusting to the role of a starter?
This is not something new with Joba. 2008 was no different.
In his 11 replacement starts during the months of June, July, and August, Joba averaged just under five-and-two-thirds innings pitched. He lasted seven innings only once and could not get out of the fifth inning three times.
His record for those 11 starts was 3-1 and seven no decisions.
This year his numbers look this: 17 starts and 89 innings pitched. That’s an average of five-and-one-third innings per start. That’s one third of an inning LESS than last year!
He has only gone seven innings or more three times so far this year. He has reached the sixth inning only six times. and on May 21, he failed to get out of the first inning against Baltimore. His record this year is 4-2 with 11 NO DECISIONS!
Even my 16-year-old daughter, who is a huge Yankees fan, can see this is not working.
UGH!!!!!
It has been no secret that over the last couple of years the bullpen has been a major concern for the Yankees. It does not help matters when one of your starters has to rely on the bullpen every fifth day to pitch half of the game. It has got to be tying the hands of Joe Girardi.
Take into account that Andy Pettitte has been as up and down this year as an elevator in the Palms Hotel here in Vegas or that Chien-Ming Wang is on the DL again and may be lost for the rest of the year.
C.C. then AJ then pray for rain?
The frustrating thing is that Phil Hughes is now facing the same type of issue. He did not pitch well in his early starts, so he was sent to the bullpen to make room for Chien-Ming Wang.
Girardi & Cashman do not want to change Hughes’ pitching habits and will not put him back in the rotation and put Joba back where he belongs, IN THE BULLPEN!!!!!
PAGING MR. CASHMAN. IS THIS THING ON!?
Check out what a GREAT job the bullpen did this weekend in Anaheim against the Angels.
If the Yankees do not get Joba squared away and the bullpen continues to get worn out, we might be sitting right next to the boys from Flushing come October wondering how did we get here?
All I am asking for is to put Joba back in the pen where he belongs.
Until next time…
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