SPLAIN PLEASE

To quote Rickey Ricardo, would somebody please “splain” to me what the Yankees think they’re doing with Joba Chamberlain?

Aside from a short stint immediately following the All-Star game, Joba has been shakey all season.  He throws too many pitches, can’t throw strikes when he needs to, and generally can’t get out of the fifth inning.  Nothing has worked, and Joba has continued to struggle all year.  The guy who the Yankees hoped could be their number one starter of the future has been relegated to the fourth slot, and would be the fifth starter if Wang wasn’t shelved for the season.

So how do the Yankees help their struggling prodigy?  They decide to skip a start.  The ostensible reason for this insanity is the prevailing obsession with pitch count.  Ever since Dusty Baker blew out the arms of Mark Prior and Kerry Wood, the timid men who run baseball have been terrified the same fate would befall their prized prospects.  As a consequence, young pitchers not playing for the Nolan Ryan-led Rangers are coddled like infants.

The Yankees have fallen prey to this obsession.  They are so intent on limiting Joba to 150 innings that they have implemented a new system for  him.  Apparently he will now pitch every other start.  Which means he is going ten to twelve days between pitching engagements.

Well, we all saw what a success this system was.  Joba was awful: 4 innings, nine hits, seven runs.  He appeared to be hopelessly out of cinque.  Clearly, the long layoff left him rusty.

So what have the Yankees accomplished?  They have saved Joba’s arm.  He will not suffer the fate of Mark Prior.

He also won’t be worth a thing in the playoffs if this madness continues.  We can look for Sergio Mitre in game four against the Red Sox during the AL Championship.  If we get that far.

CC, AJ, and Andy better be perfect.  It doesn’t look like they will get any help from Joba.

View gormanb's Profile      Subscribe via RSS