Yanks at Phillies: Joba in the spotlight

by Travis G on Mar 17, 2010 4:01 PM EDT in Game Threads

What will Joba do after Phil Hughes' four scoreless innings last night? It would behoove him to come back with a strong outing to announce he's not out of the running for the fifth starter's spot. He'll pitch in relief of Andy Pettitte, set to make his spring debut.

Joe Blanton starts for the Phils. The game will be aired only on MLB.tv at 1:05. The live boxscore is here.

Postgame notes -

Let's call it a semi-success. After Joba allowed a run in his first inning, I thought 'Oh, no. Here we go,' but he settled down and threw two scoreless frames to end the game. What will be really telling is how he does in his next game. Can he be consistently solid, or will he be consistently inconsistent?

Pettitte also settled down after a rocky beginning in which he gave up a run in each of the first two innings, throwing two scoreless frames after that.

We also saw the return of early-'09 Damaso Marte, who failed to record an out while getting hammered for three runs. He actually got hit on the elbow by a Ryan Howard line drive, but it's apparently just a bruise.

The offensive hero of the 6-2 loss was Mr. Cervelli (3-3, 2B, RBI). It was also good to see GGBG get a couple hits, especially one for extra-bases. No other batter had more than one hit.

7:05 p.m. game tomorrow against Tampa. It will be aired on YES and MLBN.

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Comments

Andy Pettitte is the one in the spotlight. He's starting.

by designatedquitter on Mar 17, 2010 12:45 PM EDT reply actions

starting

doesn’t inherently mean a spotlight.

by Travis G on Mar 17, 2010 1:23 PM EDT up reply actions

I was kidding in order to take pressure off poor Joba.

Although- it is Pettitte’s first appearance. No one will think anything of it if he is bombed (it’s 2-1 Phils as I write).

by designatedquitter on Mar 17, 2010 2:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Andy's got a job. Joba's fighting for his,

by david d on Mar 17, 2010 1:20 PM EDT reply actions

Let him start,go with a 6 man rotation

If he goes to the pen there is just 1 more guy I have to share my Ho and beer with.

Oh boy I can't wait,there is going to be a Ho Park in the bullpen.I wonder if we can use the bullpen phone to order condoms with our pizza that will sit next to the keg?I already bought my spurs and chaps.

by cashman bashman on Mar 17, 2010 1:43 PM EDT reply actions

You really gonna share your Ho?

by cph on Mar 17, 2010 1:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Have you not heard?

There is a Ho Park in the bullpen this yr.So I would imagine there will be some switching.

by cashman bashman on Mar 18, 2010 2:06 PM EDT up reply actions

3 IP 2 H 1 ER 1 BB 3 K

Good enough for me.

This sticker is dangerous and inconvenient, but I do love Fig Newtons.

by Lord Duggan on Mar 17, 2010 3:44 PM EDT reply actions

yeah...

…but he needs to repeat it. Joba’s problem as a starter isn’t that he isn’t capable of pitching the solid or even spectacular game here and there, but stringing together some solid starts. So let’s see what he does the next time out.

But yes, I would say he staved off elimination from the the 5th starter competition today.

by NumberSeven on Mar 17, 2010 3:50 PM EDT up reply actions

This is...

his real problem as a starter, if he has a clean inning, fine then move on. When he has men on base, this is where the fun begins…He tries to mentally navigate his way thru an inning, again with men on base…He needs to get the sign, and deliver the pitch with conviction,
last year, it would irritate me when he would shake off signs. At least be somewhat proven
as a starter, before you stand there and shake off signs (occasionally is ok), but he did it too much. Frankly, I don’t think his baseball IQ is good enough to do that (as a starter)…
That’s my story, and I am sticking to it.

by Great Gatsby on Mar 17, 2010 4:22 PM EDT up reply actions

NOOOOO!!!!!

PEN!!!

BULLPEN!!!!

Master of the squeegee

by FreeBradshaw on Mar 17, 2010 3:53 PM EDT up reply actions

Glad you're not the skipper, then

Yes, it was an improvement, but Hughes still pitched better his last time out.

by cph on Mar 17, 2010 3:56 PM EDT up reply actions

you too.

Skip is sticking with Joba. Patience was and is his virtue

Master of the squeegee

by FreeBradshaw on Mar 17, 2010 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Actually..

He pitched 4 innings, Yanks asked Phils if he could pitch bottom of the ninth (to get more work).
Better, but he didn’t start either, so?

by Great Gatsby on Mar 17, 2010 4:14 PM EDT up reply actions

he actually had 4IP and 5K

since they played the bottom of the 9th (but it’s unofficial, of course). Also, because his pitch count was so low, he pitched another “inning” in the bullpen after the game.

by Random_Task on Mar 17, 2010 5:35 PM EDT up reply actions

He lowered his ERA from 37 to 16.2. What does this tell us?

That he hasn’t pitched enough for any numbers to be meaningful. That’s all.
Have others pitched better (so far)? Yes.
Is Joba doomed to playing in some independent league? Not quite yet.
Do we all need to calm down and getr some perspective? Hell yes.
Do I enjoy answering my own rhetorical questions? It would seem so.

by designatedquitter on Mar 17, 2010 4:25 PM EDT reply actions

I think you forgot a pretty important note

Not sure if I missed this in the comments or the story (skim-read) but Damaso Marte left the game after taking a line drive off of him. Mark Feinsand’s early guess is that he will start the season on the DL, but that is a complete guess based on little actual doctor knowledge

Writer for Pinstripe Alley.
"Today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of this earth."
"So I close in saying that I may have had a tough break, but I have an awful lot to live for."

by Brandon C. on Mar 17, 2010 5:45 PM EDT reply actions