Joba Chamberlain allowed two homers in the first inning, but the Phillies couldn't manage any more than that. He struggled with command, walking three batters and throwing nearly half his pitches for balls, but had just enough to get through 4.1 innings.
His velocity concerns me. Though he did top out at 94 MPH, he was often 89-91 with a few even below that. I keep telling myself it's only Spring Training, but this trend has been consistent since his shoulder tendinitis last August.
Nick Swisher went 1-3 with a homer (his first) and a walk (his ninth). Xavier Nady has yet to draw one.
The heroes again were the relievers, who threw 4.2 innings of scoreless, walk-less ball.
- If you're interested in taking part in a community projection project, you can visit Tom Tango's website, where he's surveying fan projections for playing time in the upcoming season.
- CC Sabathia was officially named the opening day starter (which also lines him up for the home opener against his old team on April 16).
[NOTE: Vote in the poll to the right and let us know if you are worried about Joba.]