The B-Jobbers lose their leader
ByAs Spring Training games go, yesterday’s was a watershed for the Yankees. No, it’s not because the Yanks won their 21st game of the spring. It’s not due to Joba’s finding his fastball and the end to some early Spring Training obsession over radar gun readings.
It is because the B-Jobbers — that bastion of bullpen bluster — have lost their leader. Mike alluded to this stunning development briefly in the game recap this morning, but it warrants further discussion. As Bryan Hoch reported, Jorge Posada has come to see the light and is fully prepared to embrace Joba as a starting pitcher.
Posada made headlines around the Yankee world last fall when he called on the Yanks to keep Joba in the bullpen. “Leave him in the bullpen,” Posada said during a YES Network appearance. “If you start him and he pitches 200 innings, he won’t be able to. You’re going to lose him. He’s going to get hurt … I said in the spring, seeing him as a reliever, I think his body is made to be a reliever.”
The Yanks’ catcher missed most of the 2008 season with a serious shoulder injury. When he made those comments, he had caught Chamberlain as a starter just a handful of times.
Yesterday, after witnessing the evolution of Joba through Spring Training and the eventual dominance of his stuff against the Reds, Posada was singing a different tune. “There’s no question — he’s our fifth starter and I’m happy with that,” Posada said. “I look for the betterment of Joba here. Give him credit, because he was so good out of the ‘pen. I hadn’t seen him as a starter, so he’s been showing me and proving me wrong.”
The added emphasis is mine and for good reason. Posada was the leader of the B-Jobbers for exactly the reason why so many Yankee fans have irrationally latched onto this idea of Joba in the bullpen. It is all they know of Joba Chamberlain.
While we at RAB know that Chamberlain has dominated at every level of professional baseball, the reality is that most Yankee fans aren’t as plugged into the minors as we are. They first saw and knew of Joba when he was throwing 100 mph heat in the 8th inning. They saw him as a bullpen savior who could replace Krazy Kyle Farnsworth and never knew him as a starter. In their minds, the Yanks were experimenting with Joba as a starter and not, as we know, returning him to his natural — and more valuable — position.
As the season wears on, more B-Jobber Yankee fans will see the light. Now that Jorge has spoken, after all, the Joba-the-starter has a real star behind it.
I hadn’t seen him as a starter, so he’s been showing me and proving me wrong.
He saw it with his own eyes.
At least he’s willing to admit his mistake
Great write up Ben, I really hope B-Jobber is used around the baseball world soon and not just RAB. I really hope it gets to the point where it is used like “gritty” and “plays the game the right way”, and to the point where John Kruk is saying, “Well, ya know, I’m a B-Jobber”. That would be just awesome.
never happen because some group somewhere will say it has a double entendre of a naughty meaning
And they’d be right.
Matt Bush just got his walking papers (for real). Lets get him for the 8th and put the B-Jobbers to rest!
Matt Fucking Bush doesn’t pitch the eighth inning.
You can’t cut me, I’m Matt F%&#@ing Bush!!!
F%&#@ing East County!!!
[ picks up and throws a freshman ]
“Posada was the leader of the B-Jobbers for exactly the reason why so many Yankee fans have irrationally latched onto this idea of Joba in the bullpen. It is all they know of Joba Chamberlain.”
It never occured to me that the people I was arguing with did not know Joba was a starting pitcher in the minor leagues. So who’s the bigger fool? (wait, don’t answer that)
Exactly.
You’re letting Posada, and the other B-Jobbers, off the hook way too easily with that. He shouldn’t be excused for latching on to his irrational stupidity simply because he hadn’t witnessed the truth of the correct strategy firsthand.
I’ve never seen cheetah nor an African antelope up close in person, but I know that the cheetah is faster than the antelope and if I bet money on the antelope outrunning the cheetah, all evidence to the contrary, I’d be a dumbass. I’m not excused for being a dumbass because I went on safari one summer and witnessed said race personally and then said, “Ah, now I see!”
guys, would you hire Picasso to paint your garage?
i rest my case.
Well, I wouldn’t mind having “Guernica” in my garage…
Good choice.
Well ya, I’d have him paint my garage just like he would the rest of the house.
Picasso did paint my garage.
I gave Picasso a plate of blintzes to paint my garage back in 1934, and he never did it.
Those blintzes were terrible!
Godin carved me a duck out of soap for my bathroom.
Rodin…DAMMMNNN
Beethoven composed my ringtone.
Da Vinci made me a mousetrap.
Cicero wrote me a 4th grade essay.
Kurt Vonnegut wrote my paper on Slaughterhouse Five.
Croussett taught me the Rise Pitch.
Croussett taught me
the Rise Pitcheverything I know including how to pleasure a woman.</citeJay Cutler taught me how to get what I want.
Great movie.
Jay-Z wrote me a crazy-ill-freshmatic-dope-ass rap song. It’s called “Sucka Got No Juice.”
Sincerely,
Ken “Sucka Got No Juice” Rosenthal.
IETC
Ok, so Jorge’s excuse is that he hadn’t really caught Joba as a starter. Did he not pay attention to anything last year after he got hurt? I breifly went looking for the Joba vs. Beckett box score, which should have been all it takes for B-Jobbers to realize where Joba belongs, and I found this gem of a writeup on the game. The last 2 lines should be read by all B-Jobbers, including those at ESPN and Rosenthal.
There are still some people who think Joba Chamberlain should be in the bullpen. No, seriously. Joba turned in the best start of his career Friday night at Fenway Park, shutting out the Boston Red Sox over seven innings while allowing just three hits and one walk. He struck out nine.
That’s right, against the second best offense in the league, Chamberlain struck out more than twice as many batters as he allowed on base. Yeah, he’s a setup man.
And after Kyle Farnsworth briefly became Kyle Farnsworth again in the eighth inning, Mariano Rivera entered for a five-out save to close the door on a big 1-0 victory for the Yankees.
New York is now 45-1 when leading after six. Clearly, the bullpen misses Joba.
Good find.
The funny thing about Jorge’s excuse too is that it’s not really an excuse. He caught Joba at least three times last season, including one 6-inning, 7-strike out performance. What more did he want?
A no hitter like Clay Buchholz had. Duh.
That’s where you’re wrong. The Bucholz no-hitter proved that he’s an awesome pitcher and therefore belongs in the 8th inning. The no-no itself wasn’t much to watch, but the way he dominated the 8th was a thing of beauty. He couldn’t have thrown a no-hitter without throwing the 8th. Why doesn’t ESPN want to put him in the pen?
Wrong.
The Red Sox already filled the 8th inning role first by signing the ultra-awesome Hideki Okajima and drafting the super-amazing Justin Masterson. Hence, since they built their team the right way by solving the 8th inning dilemma first, they can afford to fill the relatively minor and unimportant 5th starter role with Buchholz.
Exactly. I thought it sounded like the Yanks’ FO telling him to retract his statement and stfu because it’s a done deal and he should learn to embrace it regardless of what he thinks.
(Which, btw, is cool with me because that old nonsensical comment was really hanging around way too long.)
Do you really think that Jorge actually believes that Joba should be a starter or is he just supporting the organization’s wishes? I mean, he would be a fool not to think Joba should be given every chance to start, but baseball players are rarely lauded for their intellect.
Either way, I am glad to see the B-Jobber argument falling apart piece by piece and I look forward to the day that we can all look back on this ‘controversy’ and laugh.
I remember when i went to the stadium and Joba made his debut at the stadium against the orioles.The gun at the stadium was constantly at 99 and 100 and his slider 92 and 93 everyone was going nuts.He was untouchable that day.
I was at Joba’s debut in Toronto, nobody in my section knew who he was except me. Thanks RAB!
My favorite B-Jobber line is one from Eric Young on Baseball Tonight some time ago.
Young: Joba has not shown he can go 6 innings on a consistent basis.
Ravuch: Well, he hasn’t really been given a chance, right?
Young: You only need 1 start to go 6 innings.
Good times. It is a shame that BBTN has turned into a trainwreck of repetitive nonsense.
Young is Hall of Fame worthy after that analysis.
He did steroids, therefore he is ineligible. Maybe they can just create an interactive exhibit honorng his ‘greatness’ as an analyst.
He did steroids and is black, therefore he is ineligible. Maybe they can just create an interactive exhibit honorng his ‘greatness’ as an analyst.
Fixed.
You didn’t fix my typo. Grrrrrrr.
http://carlnet.no-ip.org/facepalm_implied.jpg
If Bruney stinks, this will become a big story.
How?
No, Lanny’s right.
It will still be a RIDICULOUSLY, LUDICROUSLY, MASSIVELY STUPID AND NONSENSICAL big story, but yes, it will technically be a “big story”.
and Marte Veras Albie Coke.
Disagree wholeheartedly. It is going to take 4-5 guys to stink before this becomes a big story as the Yanks will be rolling with set-up by committee. Even, then they have reinforcements waiting in the wings at AAA.
It’s called depth Lanny, and we seem to have it. If Bruney doesn’t get it done we have many more arms to try out before we start with the B-Jobbers again (hopefully)
With the lead at the start of the 8th inning last year the Yankees were 73-2. Joba was not in the pen. The pen has improved, with a full season of Marte and Coke, and no more Ohlie and Latroy and their 6.53 and 5.71 ERA’s.
With the lead at the start of the 8th inning last year the Yankees were 73-2.
I repeat, for emphasis,
With the lead at the start of the 8th inning last year the Yankees were 73-2
What can a B-Jobber possibly say to that?
Easy.
Why weren’t they 75-0? Joba’s fault.
Actually it probably would have been 65-0, because with Joba in the pen, they would have several less opportunities to blow leads, because they would have been trailing.
Repeat after me B-Jobbers, “You can’t blow a lead you don’t have.”
But with Joba in the pen, you can…..think bout that, people.
STOP TRYING TO TRICK ME WITH YOUR LOGIC, NERDS! I SAW JOBA NOT BLOW LEADS WITH MY OWN EYES!!!!!
How many people that pee on their hands do you listen to in the first place?
Would the Yanks take a flier on Joel peralta who was just released i Noe he didn’t have a great year last season but i would take him i rather have him the Jonathan albaladejo.And hes my father in law best friend that’s y to.
Albie is much better. So, in short, no.
So you’d rather have a crappy reliever over one with a killer K rate who has a lot of potential and had a great spring? Baseball operations fail.
15 hr’s in 40 games. Sign me up for Albie.
Joel Peralta, career FIP: 4.56
Jon Albaladejo, career FIP: 3.29
Albaladejo >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Peralta
just curious, is anyone okay with Frank Catalanotto as the utility player? He’s going to get released/traded soon. Wasn’t Cashman interested in him for the past few seasons?
No. Can’t play defense well anywhere.
but a good pinch hitter, could get on base when coming off the bench?
Can he play short?
yeah once, but that was back in 2002.
When our 1B was Giambi and his health questions, and Frankie was a bit younger, that made pretty decent sense. We also weren’t trying to carry two defense-first OFers on those rosters. And Matsui’s knees were less broken down.
So…At this point, Cat is kind of a DH that can maybe play a little 1B…a thing with some value to some teams, but I don’t know about this one.
Look for the Royals to pick him up and move one step closer to their dream of an all-shitty-firstbaseman roster
LOL @ the Royals statment. although, they did got rid of Gload today.
that’s good for the Yankees in an irrational “Gload always kills the Yankees kindof way”
i also include Marco Scutaro, Garrett Anderson, and Kevin Millar in this esteemed group.
none as feared as bernie williams was in the 90s
That Scutaro walk off still kills me.
It would be nice if Jorge coming around would make it go away, but, sadly, it won’t. Wallace Matthews has an idiotic column in Newsday that Joba belongs in the bullpen. It is so awful he should be fire for incompetence.
http://www.newsday.com/sports/.....308.column
Holy sh%t Wally ! Agreed ! Joba will be the biggest bust as a starter u can imagine !! He is built to be the 8th inning guy / closer after the great Mariano retires ! But the Yankees havent done ANYTHING right in years !! lol .. Just look at who we have playing 3rd base for another 9yrs !!
I like that comment.
http://actyankee.blogspot.com/.....-this.html
/FJM’d
Al Leiter will be relieved. The system that monitors Ball/strike calls will be in every stadium. Thank Mo Leiter’s rants on that subject are over.
While sanity is happy that Jorge has given up his B-Jobber nonsense, it’s only a momentary respite.
Whenever Max Kellerman and Mike Francesa finally join forces on the air (and you know they will), those two B-Jobbers will set sanity back AGES.
Earth. Wind. Fire. Water. Heart.
The Captain Planet Theme song?
hes our hero. cut pollution down to zero
I’m so tired of all this “put Joba back in the bullpen” talk. Joba has been a starter his entire career except for the end of 07 to the beginning of 08. If you really break down Joba’s performance from the end of his 2007 scoreless innings streak through the 2008 season he was actually more effective as a starter. Think of these two scenarios and tell me which you prefer…Joba giving up the lead in game 2 of the 2007 ALDS against the Indians as a reliever…or…Joba outpitching Josh Beckett in a Yankees win at Fenway Park as a starter (both of which happened)?