Joba Chamberlain: Ready for Starting?

Well after 2 1/3 innings, the Yankees find themselves in a spot they have been occupying most of the season: back under .500 and in last place.

Joba Chamberlain did not pitch as well as anyone expected, but he kept the Yankees in the game after tossing 62 pitches, giving up only one hit, two runs, one of those earned, four costly walks, three strikeouts and an unexpected balk.

The argument for making Joba a starter is that he, by being a starter, would give the Yankees many more innings than he would, per season, as a reliever. Well, to call Joba a starter is not only silly, it's also untrue.

He's a starter in the making. You cannot expect anyone to successfully start a game with a pitch limit. Talk about pressure. How about knowing you not only have to get the job done for your team, but you have to do it with "X" amount of pitches. Joba the "starter" has a very public, very strict pitch count, and for good reason.

I'm not trying to argue here that he shouldn't have a pitch count; I want his arm healthy for many years to come, just like everyone else in the Yankee organization.

What I was thinking, while I sat in the stands at tonight's game, is that you should not start a pitcher that has a pitch limit like Joba's. I noticed that the Blue Jay hitters were making Joba work. I mean, really sitting on pitches and working the count. Wouldn't you if you knew you could knock a stellar pitcher off the mound by not swinging the bat?

If it were Moose or Pettitte or Wang, or any other starter, on the mound with the same numbers as Joba at the same time, in the same situation, we all know that there is no way Girardi would have went to the bullpen. But, again, the pitch count forces Joba out of the game, not his performance.

Now, I know, no one expected Joba to throw 62 pitches in only two innings, but you cannot expect that hitters won’t use his pitch limit to their advantage. This brings me back to people's original argument for making Joba a starter: So he can pitch more innings.

The Yankee organization should keep stretching out Joba, sure, because one day I’m sure he will make an electric starter. But, I will argue that he should be stretched out through the bullpen not by "starting" a game with a strict pitch limit. Now, again, I know the Yankee starters have not lived up to anyone's expectations this season, but is Joba really helping the team by starting? Even though he pitched OK, he still only gave the team 2 1/3 innings and the bullpen once again did not step up to keep the game close.

Dan Giese, who the Yankees just called up, did step up. He went 3 2/3 innings, giving up only one run on five hits and one walk. Not too bad for his Yankee debut. I would have advised the Yankees to start him in this game, knowing that he may only give them a few innings, then let Joba in for a few innings, and then turn it over to the bullpen.

Now, I know, hitters can sit on Joba's pitches no matter what inning he comes in, but I'd rather the game start with someone who at least has a chance to go deep, rather than someone who you know, even with a pitch count of 65, would almost certainly not last past four.

The stands were absolutely rocking when Joba threw his first few pitches, and one of his fastballs was clocked at 101 mph. It was exciting, that is for sure, and I look forward to his next start. Hopefully, his next appearance will end on a better—and longer—note.