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Friday, June 26, 2009

MLB: Yanks insist Joba’s a starter; fans would like to see him in ‘pen

As Mike Francesa gets quoted in MLB.com…(spreads opens NY Daily News looking for article…finds XXX beige Dockers sale at Celluheavy Pants Factory)

The Yankees insist that Chamberlain will spend his future as a starter, and a successful one at that. Yet the debate rages on, crackling over the AM radio airwaves and spilling into the Internet blogosphere. There appears to be no end in sight.

“Whenever the topic is brought up, there is always a spirited debate on both sides, and it really can come up out of nowhere,” said Mike Francesa, who hosts a popular sports talk show on WFAN in New York. “It’s what you would call a hot-button issue. Everybody seems to have an opinion, and there are a lot of people who feel the way I do.”

...“The reason Joba is Joba was that he was electrifying,” Francesa said. “He really showed some special qualities that he has never duplicated since. I think he has all the makeup of a standout reliever.”

...“I think where the Yankees fail against the Red Sox is in two areas,” Francesa said. “One is the proficiency that Boston can move through the seventh, eighth and ninth innings versus the Yankees, and the ability to get situational hits. That’s why the Red Sox are 8-0 against the Yankees, those two reasons.”

Repoz Posted: June 26, 2009 at 09:04 AM | 17 comment(s) | Login to Bookmark
Related News: General, NY Yankees, Media

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1. RB in NYC (Now with New Running Goal!) Posted: June 26, 2009 at 10:28 AM (#3233801)

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

2. Jose Can You Seabiscuit Posted: June 26, 2009 at 10:33 AM (#3233806)

"I think where the Yankees fail against the Red Sox is in two areas,” Francesa said. “One is the proficiency that Boston can move through the seventh, eighth and ninth innings versus the Yankees, and the ability to get situational hits. That’s why the Red Sox are 8-0 against the Yankees, those two reasons.”

He's absolutely right, it has nothing to do with the Yankee starters having a 6.81 ERA against the Sox this year. Oh, and for what it's worth;

Joba vs. Sox 2009 - 4.09 ERA
Other NY Starters - 7.90 ERA

3. How to lose a guy in jemile weeks Posted: June 26, 2009 at 10:48 AM (#3233813)

It's not about numbers for him, it's about the image. These Yankee fans don't like to do it ugly, it seems. They acknowledge that Joba has had mild success as a starter, but he's frustrating to watch, compared to how automatic he was while a reliever. It's like fan laziness.

4. wjones Posted: June 26, 2009 at 12:34 PM (#3233904)

Here is one solution for the Yankees. Now that the President has ok'ed stem cell research, maybe this will lead into controlled cloning, where examples are shown that it would be for the public good. The Yankees, who will of course have enough money to underwrite such a venture, could also hire Mr. Applegate to argue that what is good for the Yankees is good for America, and so in doing would allow the Yankees to duplicate Mr. Chamberlain, thereby giving both sides of this argument victory, and making the Yankees the supreme power of the land again. Of course I'm sure someone has already thought of doing this.

5. OPS+ Posted: June 26, 2009 at 02:07 PM (#3234040)

Yes he's struggled to go deep into games but he is a 23 year old starter with a 3.81 era. It blows my mind that people still want him as a reliever.

6. Best Regards, Larry Mahnken (Dewey is a slacker) Posted: June 26, 2009 at 02:22 PM (#3234059)

It's because he'll always have a 1.53 ERA as a reliever.

ALWAYS.

7. Barry`s_Lazy_Boy Posted: June 26, 2009 at 02:27 PM (#3234063)

ALWAYS.

Obviously not. As he ages, he'll get BETTER.

8. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: June 26, 2009 at 02:41 PM (#3234079)

Yes he's struggled to go deep into games but he is a 23 year old starter with a 3.81 era. It blows my mind that people still want him as a reliever.

People are idiots. And contrarians. But mostly just idiots.

9. villainx Posted: June 26, 2009 at 02:58 PM (#3234098)

Can't they make Hughes the next teh ate guy? I would love for that to develop.

10. Designated Sitter (GGC) Posted: June 26, 2009 at 03:01 PM (#3234102)

I haven't really been following this argument, but are there any Primate Yankee fans who would like to see him return to the bullpen? I think these threads keep getting posted because Repoz has a weird obsession about Mike Francessa.

11. Not The Real Fausto Carmona (Dan Lee) Posted: June 26, 2009 at 03:07 PM (#3234107)

Repoz has a weird obsession about Mike Francessa

Maybe Repoz is Chris Russo. I dunno, though, I can't see an obsessive Springsteen fan knowing as much about obscure garage rock as Repoz does. It's obvious that Little Steven is involved somehow.

12. The Good Face Posted: June 26, 2009 at 03:10 PM (#3234112)

I haven't really been following this argument, but are there any Primate Yankee fans who would like to see him return to the bullpen? I think these threads keep getting posted because Repoz has a weird obsession about Mike Francessa.

I've seen a few posters here make the argument, but I suspect they're more interested in trolling the Yankee fans than anything. They generally involve assuming that Joba will pitch 80 healthy innings out of the pen with an ERA < 1.50.

13. Designated Sitter (GGC) Posted: June 26, 2009 at 03:27 PM (#3234143)

teh ate

You're poisoning the well by mispelling it that way.

14. JuanGone..except1game Posted: June 26, 2009 at 04:16 PM (#3234206)

I haven't really been following this argument, but are there any Primate Yankee fans who would like to see him return to the bullpen?

Me, Me, Me! Oh, missed the Yankees fan part.

15. The Yankee Clapper Posted: June 26, 2009 at 05:09 PM (#3234299)

I haven't really been following this argument, but are there any Primate Yankee fans who would like to see him return to the bullpen?

I don't think there are that many people in the pro-bullpen group. Sure, it'd be nice if the Yanks had 5 starters better than Joba and he'd be "stuck" in the bullpen while even better pitchers started, but that's just not the case. There may be a few folks who believe that Joba is more likely to be injured as a starter and thus should remain in the safety of the bullpen, but that's all speculation, too.

The issue is pretty much settled for the regular season, but might reappear in the playoffs if Joba isn't one of the top three starters. If he's #4, would he be more valuable in the bullpen than being used only once in a series, at most? If he's the 5th starter, then it's the bullpen for sure. Should he (and the Yanks) do well in that role, then maybe the argument lingers even longer.

16. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: June 26, 2009 at 05:31 PM (#3234336)

The issue is pretty much settled for the regular season, but might reappear in the playoffs if Joba isn't one of the top three starters.

I don't think that's very likely. Right now he's the 2nd best starter, and is more likely than the others to improve.

17. The Marksist Posted: June 26, 2009 at 06:11 PM (#3234381)

Why won't this die? It makes me kinda sad about humanity that these stories keep getting written.

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Friday, June 26, 2009

MLB: Yanks insist Joba’s a starter; fans would like to see him in ‘pen

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