New York Sports Report

Day 1 of the Joba Chamberlain Transition did not exactly go as the Yankees had planned.  Give the Blue Jays credit, they used logic and intelligence in their game plan and executed it to perfection.  Knowing Joba was limited to only 60-65 pitches or so, and that the Yankee bullpen could not be described as anything other than atrocious, they worked every count, took the walks, didn’t swing at any borderline pitches, and forced Joba to leave the game after only 1 out in the third inning.

Giving Joba a pitch count was implemented in order to not over work his arm too soon as he transitions to a starting pitcher.  However, that puts the team and the pitcher at a distinct disadvantage which the Blue Jays exploited to perfection.  The bottom line is that if he was not ready to pitch a full workload, he should stay in the bullpen until such time as he is ready. 

Moving Joba into the rotation was a widely debated decision, but since that decision has been made it has led to nothing but disaster for the Yankees.  On two separate occasions (May 27 vs. Baltimore, June 2 vs.
Minnesota) having Joba in the bullpen almost certainly would have turned a Yankee loss into a victory.  Even in yesterday’s effort had somebody else without a pitch count started and Joba relieved the outcome could have been very different. 

When the team’s glaring weakness is the bullpen, is not wise to take one of the only two reliable arms in it and make them a starter.  The Yankees have the best closer in baseball and cannot for the life of them get the ball into his hands because the bullpen is so disgusting. Joba is a great pitcher and is going to be a great starter before its all said and done, but even if he happens to go 6 or 7 shutout innings there is no guarantee that the tremendous outing will lead to a victory when every arm out of the bullpen gives up at least one run each time they step out on that mound. 

It is understandable why somebody with as many quality pitches as Joba should become a starter eventually, but when he is having so much success and the team needs him in the bullpen why would they mess with that for any reason, especially when they are trying to climb out of a last place hole.

This decision has been made and there is no reason to dwell on it one way or another, but it looks so far as though it is a tremendous mistake that will only end up costing the Yankees victories over the course of the season.  Hopefully in the future this decision will prove to be worthwhile, but as of right now it certainly has not.

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