This date in Yankee history: the Joba edition
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Credit: AP Photo, Tony Gutierrez
On this date in 2008, Joba Chamberlain left his start in Texas after 4.2 innings with what the Yankees later termed right shoulder stiffness. Joba would sit out a month before returning to the bullpen in September. Questions about that shoulder injury have hovered around the youngster ever since.
Prior to that injury, Joba had taken the American League by storm. In 113 career innings pitched, he had thrown to a nifty 2.15 ERA (2.52 FIP) with 44 walks and 138 strike outs. Opponents had hit just .214/.291/.294 against him. Since the injury, Joba has thrown 214.2 innings with less than stellar results. He has a 4.78 ERA (but a 4.05 FIP) while allowing 97 walks and striking out 199. His K rate dropped from 10.99 per 9 IP to 8.34, and his walk rate increased from 3.5 per 9 IP to 4.06.
After the shoulder injury, Joba’s stuff seemed diminished. He had been reaching the upper 90s as a starter but couldn’t hit that mark last year as he struggled to adjust to Major League hitters. This year, his velocity has inched back up into the mid-to-upper 90s, but he hasn’t found the consistently dominating approach he enjoyed throughout those first 113 innings.
We’ll never know for sure exactly how much of an impact that shoulder injury had on Joba’s development. Maybe he’s struggled lately because Major League hitters adjusted to his style. Maybe he peaked young. It’s certainly happened to plenty of players. Maybe the back-and-forth from the bullpen hasn’t been the developmental guide he needed. Maybe the injury had absolutely nothing to do with his 2009-2010 results. Whatever the case may be, August 4, 2008 has always stood out in my mind as the night something changed. Joba left the game and hasn’t been the same since.
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The Tyler Austin Watch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijZRCIrTgQc (safe)
Depressing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7dWuTNYDbs (safe)
He looks chunky. I gotta wonder what’s on his training table.
He should get ripped in 4 weeks.
/oldschool’d
did he work with Pete?
Could some it be in his head? I remember last year his 1st 3 starts out of the All-Star break. He was lights out. So, it’s still in there somewhere.
http://www.baseball-reference......g_gamelogs
Good times.
It was on that day that the Yankee season was all but finished. Pettite had started to fade by that point. Wang was obviously done for the year. As was Posada.
Replacing Wang, Joba and Posada with Rasner, Ponson and Molina will spell doom for any team. Especially one that had down years from Cano, Jeter, and Matsui.
Heading into that start, Joba was the brightest light and biggest hope for the team. After that injury, it was all pretty much over.
Matsui was hurt also right?
Yeah, he was hurt and when he wasn’t hurt he wasn’t very good (probably playing hurt. How many times can I say hurt?). A-Rod was on the DL for a bit too, no?
Melky also had a horrendous year IIRC. 2008 was just a combination of a lot of injuries and pretty much everyone in the lineup having a bad year.
Melky also had a horrendous year IIRC.
How was that different from any other Melky year?
Sorry. I couldn’t resist.
Haha. A particularly horrendous year.
and the scary thing is they still were in it almost right up until the end. unbelievable
Yep. Without Tampa Bay’s ascension, they probably make it.
(nods head)
Man, there’s nothing fun about this memory. I need a sneak peek of “This date in Yankee history: the Pussytubing edition” to cheer me back up.
If it makes you feel better, I’ll get you the celebration thread.
http://riveraveblues.com/2009/.....ons-19534/
Can’t wait for this shit to happen again.
I will always love that awkward Tex-ARod man-hug.
Loved that they all ran toward A-Rod and he just stood there and waited for them almost like, “Bitches i know i carried y’all’s sorry asses this entire postseason NOW COME GIVE ME A HUG!”
http://riveraveblues.com/2009/.....ent-676890
Awesome.
http://i30.tinypic.com/minfd2.jpg
I need to start using this more often.
I like Hank in the background, all smug.
Heh, between Posada’s face and Pettitte-related distractions, I didn’t even notice that.
I’m happy I got the first comment in that thread. Can’t wait for the 2010 edition.
Boner killer, dude. Boner killer.
(I say this as a woman.)
TIWYA
(this is why you’re awesome)
Damn, Joba looks much more out of shape now doesn’t he?
That picture looks like a lean, mean, flame throwing machine, as opposed to the Joba we have now.
Like I said, too much krill and plankton for Joba the whale. And a few brewskis (sp?)
It was those fucken flies in Cleveland the year before that fucked up Chamberlain.
What might have been. Eesh.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-KPGh3wysw (safe)
This post did..NOT..cheer me up.
/Borat’d
This event really changed the 2008 season as well. Had Joba stayed healthy, the yanks might’ve had a chance to make a run at the wild card. That’s how good he was that year for the yanks.
He should switch to light beer when goin out boozing.
Well clearly all that starting hurt his shoulder. If they’d left him in the pen where he belongs then he’d still be that lights out kid and the obvious heir to Mo.
/bjobber’d
If you look at Joba’s velocity in September of that year, after he came back from the injury it was fine. The velocity issues did not surface until spring training the following year.
I’m too lazy to look it up but I’ve done it in the past. If anyone wants to that would be lovely. But the numbers don’t lie.
actually when he came back his velocity was down. I remember because kay mentioned it on every fastball he threw
Joba’s horrible. why do we waste time talking about somebody who is finished?
Wow
agree!
finished at 24 especially when he’s been inconsistent not just flat out terrible