Joba to Pitch out of the Bullpen in the AL Division Series?

(Zell's Pinstripe Blog)

The Yankees are putting Joba Chamberlain back in the bullpen for tomorrow’s game.This makes us believe that the Yankees plan on having Joba come out of the bullpen during the ALDS.

Tomorrow’s appearance out of the bullpen is most likely an audition for a playoff roster spot. Some say that he shouldn’t pitch in the series at all, and some want him back in the bullpen. I don’t really know what would be good for him. He seems so fouled up right now, but you never really know what could happen in the playoffs. He would be in a different role and his slate would be clean entering the postseason. He was so dominant as a reliever, but at the same time you don’t really know if that will just come right back to him with just a flick of a switch.

If he returned to his old form coming out of the pen, the Yankees would be set. It would be hard to beat them with Chamberlain, Robertson, Hughes and Rivera at the back end of the bullpen.

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“I think it can give you a better idea of what you’re going to get,” Girardi said. “Will it be necessarily what you’re going to get during a series? It may not tell you that. But I think it will give you a better idea.”

“We might use him for a couple of hitters tomorrow just to see how he reacts,” Girardi said. “He feels good right now. We’ll see how he feels tomorrow. He’s in that mix and that’s something that we’re going to take a look at.”

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