I recently wrote an article for MLB Notebook about Joba Chamberlain’s last start and how I believed he had turned a corner. My main point was that Chamberlain’s rejuvenated emotion on the mound was a major contributing factor to his best performance in recent memory. Last night, he picked up right where he left off.
Chamberlain pitched into the eighth inning, allowing one run on three walks and two hits, striking out six. To end a fifth inning jam, he struck out two batters. He then did a little twirl, pumped his fist and shouted—an exorbitant amount of emotion for the fifth inning. And perhaps an unwarranted amount. But that emotion is a symbol of Chamberlain’s regaining of his old form. He is no longer worrying about what people think of his mound behavior; he’s simply being himself and therefore getting results (He has won back-to-back starts for the first time this year).
Chamberlain is on an innings limit this year. Manager Joe Girardi will not reveal what the magic number is however. It will be interesting to see what the Yankees decide to do. Do they let him reach the limit and then put him in the bullpen? Do they stop him before the limit and then move him? Do they ignore the limit and just let him continue to dominate if he does in fact do so? Do they go out and get another pitcher to combat this entire issue?
Who knows? Regardless of what they decide to do, I believe that, if Chamberlain continues to pitch the way he currently is, there is no conceivable way to remove him from the rotation this year.
I have always believed he should be in the bullpen but he may just prove me wrong. That notion, coupled with the emergence of setup man Phil Hughes, might just preserve his spot in the rotation.
Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: | Joba Chamberlain, Joe Girardi, MLB Notebook, New York, Phil Hughes, Pitching, Yankees
Crash Davis in Bull Durham: Your shower shoes have fungus on them. You’ll never make it to the bigs with fungus on your shower shoes. Think classy, you’ll be classy. If you win 20 in the show, you can let the fungus grow back and the press’ll think you’re colorful. Until you win 20 in the show, however, it means you are a slob.
The same thing goes for Joba showing emotion. Right now as a not-so-proven young flamethrower people think his antics on the mound are bush league. When he wins 20 games people will think it’s quintessential Joba or “Joba being Joba.” Same thing happened to Manny. Before he was the best hitter in the game he was a stuck up prick. Now he’s hilarious. What changed? Nothing. He was the same person as always, his actions just began to pick up where is words left off. Joba will get to that point too. And people will think he’s classy.
I don’t believe his antics are bush-league; I think they are genuine and personal. That beings said, I completely understand why someone would have a problem with it. I find little to dispute with what you said.
I thought I was actually agreeing with you. I was saying that tons of people have a problem with Joba’s exuberance on the mound. But those same people will love it once he becomes a HOF type pitcher. In the meantime he should just be him and do what comes naturally and eventually people will start to like it.
I thought you were too. I was saying that I agree with the principle behind the Bull Durham reference; that Joba will get flack for his antics until he proves himself. Then, when he does, no one will say boo.