Starter or reliever? Where should Joba Chamberlain pitch? The question still bugs the Yankee organization and their fans.

Let's try to look at this as objectively as possible:

1. He was a starter (and ace) on a Nebraska team that went to the College World Series in 2005. He was drafted in the 1st Round as a starter and burned through three levels of the Yankee farm system in one season (2007) as a starter. That year Joba struck out 135 in 88 Innings.

2. Out of necessity, he was called up in the middle of a divisional race in August of 2007, and assigned the role of set-up man for Mariano Rivera, even though he had never been a reliever before. Lights out. One of the most electrifying debut stretches ever. As a reliever. But even then, there were rules in place so the team could protect their investment in him as a starter.

3. The Yankees moved him into a starting role and the results have been good, though nobody has even approached his late-inning domination. Here are some of the trends so far with Joba as a starter.

>His last start, May 5th vs Boston was by most accounts his most spectacular. He mixed all his pitches and struck out 12 in 5.2 IP, but allowed 9 runners (6 hits, 2 BB, 1 HBP) including a 3-run HR. He threw 108 pitches, and took the loss.

>In his 17 career starts, he has only 4 wins. Wins are not the be all/end all for a starting pitcher. But it's tough to be involved in the decision when you've only pitched into the 7th inning 4 times.

4. Starting pitchers just don't wear #62.

I mean it's cool for my 5-year old to tool around town in it, but when you're at the game and checking the out-of-town scores, what starting pitcher wears #62?

ESPN.com's Page 2 did their "ultimate scorecard" with the most famous jersey numbers 1-99 in all of sports. 62 was Dolphins Center Jim Langer. Pretty weak.

5. Ultimately, everything the Yankees have done with Joba to this point is to prepare him to be a starting pitcher. It's a long-term investment, both for the Yankees, and for Joba's future.

That said, Mariano Rivera was a starter when the Yanks brought him up. He started 10 games his rookie year. The next year he was John Wetteland's caddy. The year after, he embarked on an unprecedented run as history's best closer. So it's not as clear cut as one might think.

6. Bottom line. Yankee management sees him as a starter, which is what he's always been. The question becomes, do we still trust that they know what they're doing?

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