Joba’s rehab right on schedule

November 27, 2011 by Mike Axisa 33 Comments

Via Larry Brooks, Joba Chamberlain‘s rehab from Tommy John surgery is right on schedule. He spoke to reporters yesterday while at the NY Rangers game. Joba had his surgery in mid-June, putting him on track for a mid-June return next season. The Yankees should stretch him out so he can return to the rotation but they won’t, so I wonder if he’ll come back a little earlier than expected just because he’ll be preparing for one inning at a time rather than six or seven.

MannyB ace2be

Has it been confirmed by yanks FO that he will not be stretched out to possibly start?
I wish the yanks gave him another shot and I don’t believe he would be any worse than Hughes has been since like may/june 2010 but his ceiling was always higher in my eyes. Anyway glad to hear his recovery going well
- The Big City of Dreams
  
  Yea it’s pretty much been confirmed. His only chance to start is two yrs from now when he is a FA. Maybe another team will give him a chance.
- Urban
  
  Joba had a higher ceiling than Hughes prior to the August 2008 arm injury. He’s not the same pitcher Yankee fans saw in 2007 and for a good part of 2008.
  
  I would still like to see Joba given a chance to start again, although my expectations are much lower than they used to be. I think his stuff translates to more of a back-end starter and the Yankees have a whole bunch of those types around, so I can also live with him in the pen. It would be great if the surgery and the rehab process helps him rediscover the lost velocity.
  - MannyB ace2be
    
    If I’m remembering correctly pre injury 2011 joba had shown that his velo was coming back. I think I remember he was hitting 97-99 on the gun in games
    - Urban
      
      I saw a few mentions of that, but it wasn’t true. His velocity in 2011 was the same as 2010, actually very slightly lower, although not enough to reach much into it.
      
      In 2008 prior to his injury, his average velocity was higher as a starter than it is now as a reliever. It hasn’t come back.
https://twitter.com/#!/EricDKoch Eric

Yankees should consider this starting anew and move him to the rotation. What do they have to lose really? Is he a guy they bring into games in the 6th inning? Why waste that potential?
- The Big City of Dreams
  
  What do they have to lose really?
  
  —————————–
  
  I guess they feel that they could lose him completely if he got injured.
  - TCMiller30
    
    Would that really be a huge loss? I really like Job, but you’re saying they’d rather keep a 7th inning guy with a ~3 era (who hasn’t proven to be able to stay healthy in the pen) over possibly getting the guy we saw as a starter with a mid 3 era before they started screwing with his innings? I’m sorry, but I’ll take the injury risk of pitching on a regular schedule versus pitching sporadically out of the pen.
    - The Big City of Dreams
      
      I would take that risk as well especially since the bullpen is stacked with Sori, DRob, and Mo along with any other piece that will find their way into the pen.
      
      “I really like Job, but you’re saying they’d rather keep a 7th inning guy with a ~3 era (who hasn’t proven to be able to stay healthy in the pen) over possibly getting the guy we saw as a starter with a mid 3 era before they started screwing with his innings?”
      
      That’s the only thing I could think of because nothing else make sense unless he was a terror behind the scenes and made the whole starting experience a living hell for those around him.
      - Urban
        
        Joba as a starter prior to the injury was probably in the mid-2.00 ERA range, although it was only about a dozen starts. People remember and hope for that Joba as a starter and believe that same pitcher is sitting out in the pen. He’s not. That pitcher died on an August day 2008 in Texas.
        
        I say this not because I don’t want to see Joba as a starter. I say it because there is still an element of Yankee fans who refuse to accept the injury as reality and the Joba that created all the excitement and hope hasn’t been seen for over three years now.
        
        The Big City of Dreams
        
        You made some valid points and there are some ppl that still believe he’ll be an ace but even if he doesn’t become an ace I’ll take him as a 4th starter any day over a 6th inning guy in a stacked bullpen.
Peter

With Sori on for another year and Robertson stepping into Jobas former role you would think they could rethink the situation. Esp with all the reasons listed in todays earlier article and the 2012 free agent pitching class getting weaker and weaker each time someone signs a contract extension.
http://twitter.com/#!/czm93 Craig

Is there ANY way to appeal to the FO on this? Perhaps a group petition on behalf of RAB?
- Bobtaco
  
  Occupy Joba
  - Monteroisdinero
    
    I thought that was what Budweiser was for.
Robert

I think its funny how Cashman talked about how the mets abused Feliciano , they have done the same to Joba and Hughes.
- Rainbow Connection
  
  How were they abused?
  - Rainbow Connection
    
    Phil was ‘abused’ by showing up out of shape, then the Yankees protected him by making up an injury called ‘dead arm’ so the media would stay off his ass, right?
    - http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
      
      Made up an injury? Hope you have something to support that, but I suspect you don’t and we won’t see you again for another few threads. As usual.
      - http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse
        
        Don’t feed the trolls.
      - Freddy Garcia’s 86 mph Heat
        
        ban him.
  - Robert
    
    Every year they keep changing how they were used.You can’t take starters and make them relievers every other year. In 2010 Hughes went from 84 Ip to 169 IP .
    - pat
      
      It was more like 100 to 169 when you consider he threw almost 20 in Scranton that year.
      - http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse
        
        Don’t forget the postseason too.
        
        In 2009 he threw 111.1 innings, including minors and postseason.
        
        In 2010 he threw 192, including postseason.
    - The Big City of Dreams
      
      But were they abused or not handled properly?
      - RetroRob
        
        How about neither?
        
        Maybe they’re just young pitchers subject to those annoying inconsistent things that happen to young pitchers.
        
        I don’t think Hughes was abused at all.
        
        The Big City of Dreams
        
        I disagree I think they were not handled properly. Bouncing them back and forth between the pen and rotation was dumb and then they were perplexed when the pitchers didn’t perform well.
- The Big City of Dreams
  
  Abused ummmmm maybe mishandled is a better word.
dean

Nonsense….who would pitch the 6th inning if they made him a starter again? How could they win without a 6th inning guy?
- Jamey
  
  “Bridge to Soriano” is the new “Bridge to Mo”
Bronx Byte

Girardi and Rothschild do an outstanding job of managing the bullpen. They’ll know how and when to use Chamberlain.
While other teams scramble to get bullpen help at the 7/31 deadine, the Yankees will have a fresh arm in Chamberlain.
- Kosmo
  
  granted unless there is a setback.
DrJLD

People seem to forget how many pitchers did extremely well following Tommy John surgery. The Yankees were even the beneficiary of an occasional pitcher with this surgery in the past. The Yankees and Joba will really not know what to expect until next spring as he recovers.

Let’s not throw him under the bus for his past performances before the surgery. He may not be the Joba of old when he returns, but he may be a better overall pitcher. He may be a better starter or a better reliever…this will not be known for some time.

I know the Yankees and their surgeons know what they are doing. Give the negativity a rest. It says more about the writers’ states of mind than representing any medical or baseball fact.