Today in The Journal News
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Jul 25, 2009 
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For Joba Chamberlain, his post-break success has been all about tempo. He and the Yankees won again last night.
Chien-Ming Wang is worried his season might be over This notebook also has an update on A-Rod feeling spry.
On the eve of Rickey Henderson’s Hall of Fame induction. Sam Borden writes that the game’s greatest leadoff man was quite a character as well.
Here is some video from Hope Week. h
ttp://www.nj.com/yankees/index.ssf/2009/07/video_ny_yankees_host_camp_sun.html
Great job by Joba as he learns what it takes to be a consistent ML pitcher.
http://www.nj.com/yankees/inde.....p_sun.html
Carmona had a substantial innings increase a couple of years ago, hasn’t been the same since. However, Garza of the Rays had a large increase last year, plus significant post-season innings, and he has been the same pitcher this year. In some categories, he has been better, even. There is no hard science to it, but I think the Yanks should try to get Joba out a little earlier in games when they can, and spell him a start or two so that he can pitch all the way through the season.
For example, I wouldn’t have brought him out in the 8th last night. I don’t believe in babying pitchers, but if you are going to give a pitcher innings caps, you are going to have to save an inning here and there to keep from hitting that cap too soon.
On my way to the stadium for the first time – I couldn’t be more excited!!!!
There will be other opportunities to save innings, I don’t have a problem with Girardi trying to give Joba more confidence by sending him out there for the 8th.
Cash, I agree. Joba has been having trouble going deep in games. Seeing him going after batters these last two games and keeping the pitch count down is a real plus. Girardi showing faith in him to start the 8th isn’t a bad thing, even though it probably won’t happen all that much.
“At this point, Girardi is not expecting Wang to return.”
Ugh. So sorry for the Wanger.
On the plus side… Mornings in July are sweet for Yankee fans right now. Get caught up on the trade babble, read the blogs, prepare to watch the game tonight. Scha-WING!
” Chamberlain now gets the ball, gets the sign and throws it. He was literally wandering around the mound earlier this season or shaking off too many pitches.”
whenever i see a pitcher walk half way to the plate to get the ball from the catcher , i know that guy is going to be throwing a lot of balls and nibbling . pitchers who attack the zone don’t waste the time to take a walk around the infield on every pitch before they throw a pitch .
walking half way to home plate and the having to walk back to the rubber takes too much time and is just a bad pre pitch routine. less is more.
with the yankees doing so well at the moment and not wanting to rain on that parade, i’ll hold most of my thoughts on cashman ruining wang for 2009 by his total incompetence of not ordering testing on wang to start the season.
don’t look any further than that. it’s the first day of spring training. cashman has ordered wang to do nothing in the off season because of the severity of the foot injury.
yet he does nothing on measuring lower body strength or the health of the lower body.
he just rows him out to deep water and throws him into spring training.
don’t look past this in your arguments. this alone is what wrecked wang’s season. what little trust wang had in cashman has to be totally gone because of this. even if wang has a decent season next year, he’ll be gone as he had stated that he’d be leaving, off the record, after the way he was treated at arbitration last time.
that was heat of the moment. sad to say but wang is more than likely history with the yankees.
Great point randy l.
Sorry to drag out the wet blanket—this is the second time the NYY have streaked so hot, post All Star Game. It is fun. But the Wang problem & the fact they have yet to solve the Beanos & Angelos, remains troubling for any travel plans after October. . ..
Cashman never said anything to Wang about his offseason routine. Now, if you want to blame the medical staff then go ahead and knock yourself, but your constant whining about Cashman is getting really silly.
I think there was a little too much Joba hype and he started to believe the papers. He wasn’t in shape this spring and had this “I’m Joba and I’m great” thing. Having Hughes come up smoking challenged Joba. All of a sudden he was yesterday’s news. Sometimes a whack in the teeth gets your attention. Now if Hughes can successfully transition to starting next year – Wow.
The crying need is the Yankees have to get a quality RF. It is agony to watch the bad angles and lollypop throws.
Cashman doesn’t like any of Dr. Randy’s friends.
Several things going on already
Medical staff made the decisions on Wang’s re-hab, not Cashman. Stop being so dense.
I think sending him out there for the eighth was wrong precisely because of the inning count discussion. It’s not about innings as much as total wear and tear and he was over 90 pitches and that’s fine. If there was no limit issue then fine, send him out there.
Joba’s surge is about two things… throwing more fastballs and challenging hitters. That has brought back the fire. I don’t think it has a thing to do with his ego. It’s all about Joba being Joba.
RF is the weakest position on the team and that includes the # 5 spot in the rotation. If they can’t make a major deal (Alex Rios?) could they at least get a RH hitter who can field the position (Austin Kearns?) in some sort of platoon? Failing that they have to consider giving Melks more starts out there.
Boy, Rios. If the Yankees could work something on getting Rios, even if they overpaid. That is a top quality OF who needs a change of scenery. He can even play CF if needed. Just think, a corner OF with speed and an arm. Woah. Then an OF of Jackson, Rios, Melky, Gardner isn’t that shabby and a great upgrade on defense.
I stopped listening to Francesa a long time ago. So I’m just hoping that these last two starts will finally put an end to all the remaining “Joba belongs in the pen” talk.
He came up through the minors as a starter, and he is finally showing everyone that he deserves to be just that.
As far as Phil Franchise goes, I think he will also transition back to being a starter, but certainly not this year. When the machine is functioning so smoothly on all cylinders, you don’t start tinkering with the works. Let Phil finish this season as a reliever, build his confidence, and work his way back into the rotation next season. Although, the way he’s pitching now, he sure seems to be the logical candidate to take over the closer’s role when Mariano decides to hang them up. Unfortunately, I don’t think we can keep Phil in the bullpen until that happens. Mo is like the Energizer Bunny…he just keeps going and going and…
Joba did a great job yesterday. His visit home really helped. He should be fine the rest of the season with a bump or two along the way.
What is happening to Phil is the same exact thing that happened to Joba while he was in the bull pen. Phil is doing a great job and we all know that he will be in the rotation again next season.
That was my argument about Joba being groomed for Mo’s position when he retires. What a waste if an elite pitcher waiting in the bull pen. Mo, could indeed pitch more years.
The Yankees as a team are doing very,very well. As fans, we need to be supportive. You can sense the excitement!
:rolls eyes: