Why Put Joba in the Starting Rotation?
Reporter’s wet dream Hank Steinbrenner has once again satiated a lustful media with a cantankerous sound bite about set-up man Joba Chamberlain, stemming from a disappointing 10-10 start.
“I want him as a starter and so does everyone else, including him” Steinbrenner told The New York Times. “There is no question about it, you don’t have a guy with a 100-mile-per-hour fastball and keep him as a set-up guy. You just don’t do that. You have to be an idiot to do that.”
Yankees GM Brian Cashman reiterated that Chamberlain would most likely finish the season as a starter, but would remain in the bullpen for now.
Conventional wisdom seems to support their decision, mostly because Chamberlain would presumably have a greater impact by pitching more innings in a starting role. But, is this necessarily the case?
It is quite an assumption that Joba would automatically replicate his reliever form in the rotation. In one-inning stints, he has not had to conserve energy, go through lineups more than once, or have to pitch strategically. He could adapt perfectly, but there is no guarantee.
He could be another Eric Gagne who was a mediocre starter but dominant in the closing role.
The number of innings argument is also not entirely cogent. For instance, in a five-game stretch, a starting Joba could have the best start possible, perfect game and 27 strikeouts. But, he could only have an impact in one game. The Yankees could go 1-4 over that stretch. His effort could also be worthless if the Yankees score 15 runs.
But, as a reliever, say Joba pitches 3 innings in 3 appearances over the course of the five games. In each game he holds leads, for Rivera to save in the ninth. He may only pitch 1/3 the number of innings, but he has the potential to impact three times as many games.
Another factor should be the Yankees’ need. Their starting pitching sparks no fear in opposing batters. Does adding a third inexperienced starter into that rotation, presumably in Mussina’s spot, really affect the overall rotation that much? Is that potential positive effect worth relying on Farnsworth and Hawkins in key setup situations?
The Red Sox faced a similar situation with Jonathan Papelbon entering the 2007 season. He was a devastating closer in his rookie season, saving 35 games while allowing just seven earned runs in 68 1/3 innings.
Papelbon’s potential as a starter attracted the Red Sox ruminators to test him in the rotation. However, he returned to the closer’s role and not coincidentally the team went on to win the AL East and the World Series.
Don’t mess with success is a tired but true maxim. If someone has a truly elite gift at something, why tinker with it? Joba is a dominant reliever and the perfect heir apparent to an aging Mariano Rivera. He could be the Yankees answer to Papelbon for the next ten seasons. Why remove a square peg from a square hole because you can squeeze him into the round one with a little whittling?
