Joba Chamberlain Shines Again As Yanks Sweep Padres

As the sample size grows larger, the conclusion remains the same: Joba Chamberlain's move to the rotation is a good thing for the New York Yankees.

Joba walked three but surrendered just one run on four hits, while striking out an impressive nine batters in 5.2 innings of work Thursday afternoon.  His earned run average through four Major League starts now drops to a stellar 2.45 and the Yankees have won three of the four games he's pitched.

But what happens when Chamberlain gives up one run in 5.2 innings and then a Joba-less bullpen is forced to hold the lead?  Well, nothing apparently.  Jose Veras, Kyle Farnsworth and Mariano Rivera combined for 3.1 shutout innings to secure a 2-1 Yankee victory over the San Diego Padres.

In fact, in Joba's last three starts, the bullpen hasn't given up a single run in 11 innings.  The relievers in those games are 3-0 with three saves.  So much for that fear.

Here are the grades from the Bombers' seventh consecutive victory.

Joe Girardi, Manager: (B+) Like they normally do against young pitchers they haven't seen too much of before, the Yankees bats struggled against 25-year-old Josh Banks.  But thanks to some aggressive base running by Girardi, the offense was able to make the most of the few opportunities they got. 

With one out in the bottom of the fifth, Melky Cabrera drew a walk.  He then proceeded to steal both second and third before Jose Molina brought him home to tie the game with a sacrifice fly to center.  That inning nearly made me...yeah, that's probably too sexually explicit to publish.

In all, the Yankees stole four bases on the afternoon.

The only decision making I question in this one was Girardi pulling Joba in the sixth and later sending Farnsworth out to pitch the eighth.  Chamberlain struck out the first two batters he faced in the sixth and was only at 100 pitches, so he probably could have retired Tony Clark to finish the inning and give himself an opportunity to get the win.  Instead, the manager brought in Veras, forcing the bullpen to get one more out than it needed to, but luckily they got the job done.

In the eighth, Girardi brought in Farnsworth, despite the fact that he had just surrendered a home run the night before to raise his ERA to 4.18.  As the 54,362 in attendance held their breath, Farnsworth gave up a single, but not a single run, handing the ball off to Mo with the lead in tact.  I'd prefer Veras or Edwar Ramirez pitch the eighth, but it appears that Girardi is sticking with Farnsworth.

Johnny Damon, LF: (C-) Just one hit?  Damon is slumping.

Derek Jeter, SS: (A+) Jeter's looking more like Jeter.  His 2-3 day ran his hit streak to eight games.

Bobby Abreu, RF: (D) Abreu went 0-4 and left five men on base, but he did his job twice.  In the first, he flew out to deep center, allowing runners to advance to second and third with less than two outs.  Then in the sixth, with Jeter on second and none out, Abreu rolled his hands over and grounded out to first, moving the Captain to third.

Alex Rodriguez, 3B: (C+) A-Rod didn't do his job in the first inning, when he struck out with two runners in scoring position and just one out, but in the sixth, the MVP singled home the winning run.

Jason Giambi, 1B: (D-) Giambi struck out three times Thursday and is hitless in his last eight at bats.  All is right with the world again.

Jorge Posada, DH: (D) Posada went 0-3 with an intentional walk.

Robinson Cano, 2B: (F) Cano can't seem to get any momentum going.  He went 0-3.

Melky Cabrera, CF: (C+) Cabrera had a day in an inning.  In the fifth, he walked, stole two bases and scored.  Other than that, he went 0-2.

Jose Molina, C: (A) Molina continues to do his job in his backup role.  He was 1-2 with a double and a sac fly.

Wilson Betemit, 1B: (INC) Betemit replaced Giambi at first base late in the game.

Joba Chamberlain, SP: (A) Too many walks but get used to those nine strikeout outings, you'll be seeing them for the next 15 years.  Joba was once again mentally tough, working out of a bases loaded, none out jam in the second and a second and third, one out pickle in the fourth.  The Yankees are now 20-8 since Chamberlain's transition began.

Jose Veras, RP: (B) Veras surrendered two walks but no runs in an inning and a third.

Kyle Farnsworth, RP: (A) I think I might be able to get three outs in the eighth.

Mariano Rivera, RP: (A+) Struck out the side in the ninth.

Yankees Overall Grade: (A-) The offense wasn't explosive but it was resourceful, while Joba and the pen were impressive yet again.  It all adds up to a seven game winning streak.