Let's take a quick look around the Yankee Universe today following what might well have been the best start of Joba Chamberlain's young career.
Of course, it is with Joba that we have to start. Chamberlain is now 3-0 with an 0.83 ERA since the All-Star break. Mark Teixeira had this to say after watching him pitch 8 shutout innings Wednesday night.
"He’s growing up before our eyes. love seeing the progress he’s made. You hope that a young kid like that keeps getting better, and I think that’s what we’re seeing."
John Harper of the Daily News says Joba's much-discussed innings limit (140? 150? 170? -- no one knows for sure) is why the Yankees need Roy Halladay.
You know the deal. Unless the Yankees change their minds about capping his workload this season at around 160 innings, Chamberlain seems destined to be yanked from the rotation in September, which could create a huge problem come October. ...
The Yankee players are very much aware of the situation. A couple of them rolled their eyes at the mention of it Wednesday, and made it clear they think the front office is being overprotective of Chamberlain. ...
GM Brian Cashman has shown no real interest in paying the price in young players the Blue Jays want, starting with either Chamberlain or Hughes, but players assume the Yankees are always in on such things. As such some of them wondered about everything from the whether the club would make an exception on its facial hair policy in such a case to what number Halladay would wear, since No. 32 is retired for Elston Howard....
Scouts who have seen a lot of Chamberlain say they understand the Yankees' thinking, partly because they believe Joba is prone to further injury."Bad body, violent delivery, stiff front leg," one scout said. "He's got great stuff, but I'd try to protect him too because he's had leg and arm injuries in the past, and he's bound to get hurt again."
So maybe the Yankees' thinking is prudent. But Chamberlain is suddenly pitching so well that you wonder if it could cost them a championship.
The players had their own answer Wednesday - it's not too late to go get Halladay.
My take: I still find it incredibly unlikely that Halladay dons the pinstripes this season. The Yankees have to do something, though,. It's pretty obvious that they have a team which can make a serious run at a 27th World Series title. If Joba is in the bullpen, though, they are probably a starter short of getting it done.
Garza says he hit Yanks' Teixeira on purpose
Pitchers never admit this. But Tampa Bay's Matt Garza wasn't shy about it.
"They can take whatever they want from it from it, but I just kind of got tired of people brushing him back. It's about time someone made a statement," Garza said, noting that Longoria was hit by a pitch in the opener of the three-game series on Monday night.
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