Joba to start Tuesday

by anaconda on May 30, 2008 5:18 PM EDT in New York Yankees News

Joe Girardi just confirmed during his weekly spot on Mike and the Mad Dog that Joba Chamberlain will make his first major league start against the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night at the Stadium. Andy Pettitte will make the start on Monday against Livan Hernandez and the Twins.

Girardi stated that he expects Joba to throw around 65-70 pitches.

On the mound for Toronto will be notorious Yankee killer - Roy Halladay.

Now I've gone on record saying the Yanks are making this transition way too fast and I think starting him on Tuesday at home with all the buzz surrounding it against one of the top pitchers in the league in Halladay is an enormous mistake and a helluva lot of pressure to put on him unnecessarily.

It is my belief that if the Yanks were going to insist on starting him next week, they should have done it on Monday against the Twins at the Metrodome in order to keep the hype and buzz down to a minimum.

It would be hard for me to imagine the Yanks handling this transition any worse than they have over the last 9 days.

Nonetheless, all eyes are going to be on Joba this Tuesday in the most anticipated start for this team in years.

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I completely agree

And he’s not just starting against an elite pitcher- he’s starting against an elite pitcher who has owned the Yankees.
I absolutely would have started him on the road.
I hope that there is some logical/ statistical reason reason to send Pettitte against the Twins and Joba against the Jays, rather than vice versa. The only other reason I can think of is to drive the gate…

"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."

by jscape2000 on May 30, 2008 5:25 PM EDT reply actions

drive the gate?

you don’t think the game was sold out long before they announced that Joba was pitching?

Crowds are won and lost and won again, but our hearts beat for the diehards.

by Edwantsacracker on May 30, 2008 7:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Rest apparently

The Yankees claim they want Pettite to start on Monday to keep him on regular rest. Whether that’s actually significant for one start or not (it’s probably not) is pretty hard to determine, but Joba hasn’t seemed to have too much trouble in the pressure of the New York spotlight. I think no matter when he starts he’ll end up at least doing alright.

Also, if he does get rocked, it’s hard to blame it on the fact that Halladay is opposing him. It probably has more to do with the batters opposing him. But really, I think he’ll put in a decent start. Win or lose, the sooner we make the transition the better, considering our dreadful lack of MLB quality starters right now.

Using Chamberlain VS. Igawa: the easiest decision ever made.

by DeathSquire36 on May 30, 2008 8:10 PM EDT up reply actions

It's not the easiest decision ever made

when they might be putting Joba’s health and well-being at risk by rushing him.

Is it really worth risking the Golden Boy of this organization?

I certainly don’t think so.

by anaconda on May 30, 2008 9:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Yankee Stadium

Joba thrives off the energy of the home crowd, and they’ll be rocking for him on Tuesday. He’ll be so pumped. I hope he’s not TOO pumped, but it ought to give him better mojo than if he were starting at the Metrodome.

It’s also no coincidence the opponent he’ll be facing at the stadium. His triumphant major-league debut was at the stadium against the Jays last August.

"If you lived in my grandfather's house...and you wanted to eat, you had to be a Yankees fan." --Joe Biden

by SenorSwanky on May 31, 2008 3:55 AM EDT reply actions

Actually, his major league debut was in Toronto.

by anaconda on May 31, 2008 4:05 AM EDT up reply actions

Oh yeah

I forgot about that.

I think Joba rises to the occasion of a challenge. And if he loses, it will fuel him to do even better next time against probably a lesser pitching opponent. That’ll probably be Zack Greinke and the Royals at the stadium. Not much lesser an opponent, but generally a lesser offense, at least.

"If you lived in my grandfather's house...and you wanted to eat, you had to be a Yankees fan." --Joe Biden

by SenorSwanky on May 31, 2008 10:26 AM EDT up reply actions

the night b4 blow joba

twas the night b4 THE START,when all through the bronx not a creature was stirring not even the rats;the pinstripes were hung in the lockers with care in hopes that blow joba soon would be there;the has-beens nestled all snug in their beds,visions of santana dancing in their heads.george in his adult diapers ,hank up his ass,both thinking of torre and the missed class,cashmen is praying this gimmick will work so he dose’nt look like a bigger jerk;ian,the jap ,rasner and hughes all they do is continue to lose;this storied franchise all’s left is the past because without baltimore this year they’d be last.so good luck yankee fans on this your BIG night,just keep the pre-game buffet out of the fat slobs sight

by todd delamuca on Jun 2, 2008 11:40 PM EDT reply actions