Joba Rules with three excellent innings

by John Amato on Mar 11, 2009 2:53 AM EDT

Joba Chamberlain has probably been hearing the idiotic talk by many sports pundits who have been questioning Joba's performance so far this spring. He's pitched a handful of innings with terrible velocity and bad mechanics, but in their minds, if he doesn't get going fast, he's in trouble. Tonight he ended all that irresponsible speculation by pitching three dominating innings with a fastball that reached 96 MPH on the gun as he snapped off a few nasty sliders and curve balls along the way as well.

You would think that the NY sports media has seen enough spring trainings to understand that a power pitcher like Joba takes at least a handful of starts to get going after the time off he's had over the winter. Apparently not. I watched the silly SNY sports talk shows Tuesday and Chamberlain was a focal point with featured writers from the NY Daily News questioning Chamberlain's start so far. A case can be made that Joba is better suited for the bullpen, but to suggest something is wrong with him this early in the process is ludicrous. He had that swagger back on the mound that has already defined his short Major League career also.

Quick Notes:

Brett Gardner continued his hot streak at the plate, driving in a run with two hits.

Cody Ransom had two hits and an RBI.

Matusi slammed a long double to center field and scored on a base hit which allowed him to test his troubled knee running around the bases.

Austin Jackson's stance reminds me of BJ Upton's, as he slashed an RBI single and made a nice running catch in center.

Juan Miranda showed off his tremendous power by hitting a monster HR to deep right. Shelly Duncan also hit a 3 run HR in his only AB.

Two young pitchers looked really good as well. Phil Coke is a lock to make the roster and pitched two strong innings while Anthony Claggett, a pitcher the Yanks got in the Sheffield trade showed off a mean fastball (91 mph) with terrific movement in his only inning of work.

All in all a good game for the Yanks.

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Joba

All this overreaction to Joba’s first two games is silly. It’s Spring Training. All that matters is that he is healthy and he gets his work in. His numbers are meaningless.

by Ed Valentine on Mar 11, 2009 7:37 AM EDT reply actions

and another thing...

while I get excited about the prospects, I look at Shelly Duncan’s performance and realize the need to temper emotion with the reality that it is only spring training.

"No matter where you go, there you are"

by coops2001 on Mar 11, 2009 9:19 AM EDT reply actions

Indeed

Which is also why, as much as we want him to succeed, we should remember that Brett Gardner hit .228 last season. He is having a great spring, but it doesn’t mean he will carry that over. Center field remains a huge question mark.

by Ed Valentine on Mar 11, 2009 11:17 AM EDT up reply actions

Indeed Part Duex...

But he did bat .288 in September. That said, but isn’t there are saying to be cautious about what you see in September (read: IPK, 2007)?

"No matter where you go, there you are"

by coops2001 on Mar 11, 2009 2:23 PM EDT up reply actions

Yep

Spring Training, April and September can fool you. You have to let a season, and in some cases several seasons, play out before you can truly say what a player is.

by Ed Valentine on Mar 11, 2009 3:44 PM EDT up reply actions