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Cashman: Joba still not going to the bullpen
BY ERIK BOLAND | erik.boland@newsday.com
8:43 PM EDT, May 29, 2009

CLEVELAND – Brian Cashman understands that the move-Joba-back-to-the-bullpen talk will always percolate when issues arise with the Yankees’ relief pitching. “It’s just a topic we have to deal with,” the general manager said Friday afternoon.

But the logic behind some of that talk is what bemuses Cashman somewhat. “If he’s throwing 95 in the first inning, let people throw that argument out there,” he said. “We haven’t seen that yet, so why would they think that’s going to suddenly happen by going to the bullpen?”

Some say Chamberlain paces himself as a starter. Some have argued that he brings an adrenaline rush out of the bullpen, an argument Cashman brought up, then dismissed. “That’s all crap,” he said. “Wake up and smell the coffee. If he’s on national television on ESPN and throws 91 on the 22nd pitch, why would you think if he comes in in the eighth inning protecting a 4-3 lead [he'd throw 96]? Stop, he’s a starter.”

Even including his poor outing in Texas in which he gave up three runs in four innings, Chamberlain is 2-1 with a respectable 3.97 ERA in nine starts this season. His “career” as a starter still comprises just 21 starts.
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1) 2009 starting rotation. CC, AJ, Wang, Pettitte, Joba and Hughes as #6. Wait say many! Wang should be our #2. He was as close as an Ace as we have had. He has won 19 games back to back.

2) Revised 2009 starting rotation: CC, Wang, AJ, Pettitte, Joba. Yeah, go the Wang lovers. Change is explained as splitting CC and AJ with a pitcher with a different style.

3) Wang pitches 3 (three) lousy games. Boo! He is put on the DL. Oh my say the doomsters – he has caused our BP to be overworked. He is the reason the bull pen is so bad.

4) Revised 2009 starting rotation : (I never saw an official roster, did I miss it?? All of a sudden it is now:
CC, Hughes, Joba, AJ, Pettitte. When did Hughes and Joba become #2 and #3 and WHY? Was it too difficult to move AJ to 2, Pettitte to #3, Joba to 4 and Hughes to 5.

Wouldn’t it been more effective for Joba and Phil to possibly face the tail end of the opposing rotation?

5) Wang’s recovery is not going well. Hughes has a couple of good games, finally. He has been trying since 2007. Now all sudden Wang has to earn his way back to the rotation inspite of the errors made by Mgnt on the true reason for his medical condition. IMO he should HEAL his way back to the rotation #2 and all pitchers return to their original spots. But my gosh, Phil is doing so well he should go to the rotation And Joba To The Pen. Phil started as the 6th pitchers remember.

Both Gerardi and Cashman state that Joba to the pen is not a consideration. (AND QUIT asking us that f-ing question)

6) Putting future top of the rotation “you know who” in the bullpen will not solve the bull pen problem. He can save and win games in one stupid inning?? Face it, bull pen pitchers are failed starters. What do you expect from them. They sit for X-number of innings and then have to come in and hold/save the game until Mo comes in the 9th. If we are ahead. Oh and never, never on the road.

Please scroll up and read the excellent essay written by CBK (hope I got the initials right) about why Joba – thats his name ! should remain in the rotation….. It is only one loss, folks. The Yankees are still in first place.

While I am scolding — lay off the Berroa stories and jokes. Management has him on the bench, not the fans. The man has family and I am sure they would not want to read all the mean postings about him. If I was his Mother I would be all over you folks like th swine flu. I generally love reading your posts because they are usually baseball intelligent and humorous. Except when you lose.

Oh, I can imagine the epithets:

“Lazy.” “Stupid”. “Head up his a***”, “Bad, selfish, in-game thinking.”

Shall I go on?

I have nothing else to add – this post hit all the correct notes.

Girardi didn’t throw anyone under the bus, Quote – “It’s
been addressed”

The team has been playing great, lose one game and it’s a horror show. “Everybody is an idiot”, false quotes someone else yells.

Even the sane posters have caught the disease. Yeesh!

Awesome and right on the $$$$$$!!!

Oh ya….it’s NOW!

CC, Burnett, Pettitte, Wang, Hughes….with Coke/Aceves/JOBA/ and Mo.

Now that is a pitching staff.

What’s alternative? Hughes going back to minors for Wang and we keep running Veras/Coke/Robertson out.

Good luck with that.

Girardi said on Friday he is not going to 6 man rotation. Wang is coming back to rotation, soon. The options are simple:
A) Joba to pen, leave Hughes up
B) Hughes to minors.

You guys decide…

It’s really perplexing. But it’s become conventional wisdom and it seems like managers just aren’t willing to break this mold yet.

Torre got killed for doing this and if Girardi is going to manage in the same overly conservative, by the book way he should be held accountable to that same standard.

The team is playing outstanding baseball and the key has been the starting rotation stabilizing.

But today was simply a missed opportunity due to poor execution and decision making by the players and manager.

It happens. It’s a long season. But that doesn’t make these kinds of games better.