Joba strikes out two in first minor league rehab appearance

by 60 Comments

Getting our hopes up for Rivera's return in 2012
Midseason Review: Exceeding Expectations

Update (10:55 a.m.): Thirteen months after blowing out his elbow and four months after dislocating his ankle, right-hander Joba Chamberlain appeared in his first minor league rehab game this morning. Pitching for the Rookie Level Gulf Coast League Yankees, he allowed an unearned run while striking out two in a hitless and walkless inning of work. Two errors by the third baseman and a passed ball allowed the run to score. Hooray, rookie ball defense. According to reports, he threw 23 pitches and topped out at 97 with the fastball.

The appearance officially kicks off Chamberlain’s 30-day rehab clock, meaning the latest he can be activated off the DL is August 9th. That’s assuming everything goes as planned, which is hardly a safe bet. Joba will probably take the next two or three days off before making his next appearance, which could last two innings.

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Getting our hopes up for Rivera's return in 2012
Midseason Review: Exceeding Expectations
  • DERP

    Yay

    • Ron Jeremys brother Rick

      I’m so excited
      I’m so excited
      I’m so SCARED

      • JU

        Did u just Jesse Spano us?

        • Easy E

          He really did. +1

      • LiterallyFigurative

        It’s alright, you’re saved by the bell….

  • Paul VuvuZuvella

    Wow!

  • Mike Myers

    “before making his next appearance, which could last two innings.”

    so, you are saying he is being strectched out for a starter role. Nice. Ill take that as a fact.

    • Cris Pengiucci

      My thoughts exactly. How long before he gets above 90 pitches? :-)

    • YanksFanInBeantown

      It -is- the only rational thing to do

    • http://thecarsboneblog.tumblr.com Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

      This is literally the only thing I’m taking from this article. Axisa, if he doesn’t come back as a starter I’m demanding your head right next to Cashman’s!!!!

      • Robinson Tilapia

        You lied to us Axisa.

        /timemachine’d

        • http://thecarsboneblog.tumblr.com Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

          Good thing you hadn’t posted on this thread already, otherwise crossing your own timestream and ripping a hole in the universe

          /TARDIS’d

          • Robinson Tilapia

            If we wound up in a time loop, we just would have had to repeat exactly what we were doing in order to escape it.

            /Meglos’d
            /outnerded

            • http://thecarsboneblog.tumblr.com Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

              Classic Who? Damn…I’m a newby, I started with watching the reboot and w/ the modern effects and stuff I can’t watch most of the classic because it’s so campy/cheesy effects wise, leading to the actors trying too hard. (My opinion anyway.)

              • V

                Agreed. The original also moves… so… slowly…

                Pacing is an art form!

                • http://thecarsboneblog.tumblr.com Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

                  Well from what I understand part of the draw to the Classic Who was the campiness, and the slower pacing. It came across more of a sci/fi comedy where as the new one (minus some of Russel T Davis’ stuff from seasons 2 and 3) are much more sci/fi drama.

  • Brian Cashman is Watching

    Minor league games are played in the morning? When did this start?

    • http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa

      Rookie Ball games are played on the back fields at each team’s ST complex, which don’t have lights. Most games start at noon, some at 10am like today.

    • AndrewYF

      I know that the Lowell Spinners (Boston’s short-season A ball team, I believe) play at around 10AM. I heard them announcing batters on Sunday when I was in Lowell.

      • Rick in Philly

        A lot of minor league teams play weird start times. When I worked for a team we did 9 or 10am start times twice a year and invited school children in. Great crowds, bad games; the players, coaches, etc. hated it.

  • jjyank

    Back-to-back encouraging posts about Mo and Joba, respectively. Today is a good day so far!

    • Cris Pengiucci

      All we need now is for the Yankees to pull of some unexpected trade, giving up almost nothing (like Pena or someone) and getting back a superstar. Make it happen, Cash!!

      • Robinson Tilapia

        Ramiro Pena for Justin Upton.

        • jjyank

          I was little going to make the same comment before I read this.

          Nunez for Coal Hammmmmel?

          • Robinson Tilapia

            Is Reeeeegie Corona still with the org, hiding on some disabled list. If he is, swap him out for either guy.

            • jjyank

              Too valuable. How bout Carmen Angelini?

              • Robinson Tilapia

                Wasn’t he cut?

                Hey, there’s always Cito Culver.

                *ducks*

                • jjyank

                  Shh, the Phillies don’t need to know he was cut.

        • Cris Pengiucci

          Best trade proposal I’ve ever seen! A win for both sides!!

        • DJ4K&Monterowasdinero

          Ramiro is not almost nothing as a baseball player. He is less.

        • MannyGeee

          Send Nunez to Arizona for J-UP… watch him fling baseballs from 3rd base and put dents into the walls of that dome they got over there…

  • Robinson Tilapia

    I can’t wait to see this man on the mound, in pinstripes, again.

    • jjyank

      Grunting, farting, the whole 9.

  • JW

    Topping out at 97 is pretty awesome, considering it’s his first game action, no? Could it be that his better overall shape (saw those “skinny” pics a month or two back) and the time rehabbing will put him back close to the v-lo he originally showed?

    • jjyank

      The velocity is awesome for sure, but I was always under the impression that control/command was the main concern from TJS.

    • Cris Pengiucci

      While the velocity is impressive, it’s his control that will determine how he’s doing. That’ll be tough to evaluate, as I’m sure there’s differneces among umpires, especially from level to level. Glad to see he’s at least begun the process of re-joining the team.

  • http://thecarsboneblog.tumblr.com Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

    Topping out at 97?! Take a step back big man, don’t want you over excreting yourself.

    • http://www.secondavenuesagas.com Benjamin Kabak

      Watching Joba over-excrete himself would be something I do not want to see.

      • jay destro

        too much poop for my taste.

      • http://thecarsboneblog.tumblr.com Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

        DAMN YOU AUTOCORRECT!!!!!!!!!!!

    • http://thecarsboneblog.tumblr.com Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

      Exerting

      • Robinson Tilapia

        Too late!

    • MannyGeee

      #gruntingandfartingexcreting

  • Nickel

    Topping out at 97 MPH on your first rehab appearance this soon after TJS is hugely encouraging, no?

    • http://www.secondavenuesagas.com Benjamin Kabak

      Yep. Keep in mind too that Joba’s a bit ahead of normal TJS rehab. He’s over 12 months removed from surgery so his arm strength should be there if he’s kept it up as best he could despite the ankle injury.

  • Bartolo’s Colon

    who comes back first? joba or gardner? unfortunately, i am taking joba

    • http://thecarsboneblog.tumblr.com Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

      Taking the Dark Horse: Mo.

      jk, Joba in early August, Gardner in late August and Mo in mid Sept.

      • Bartolo’s Colon

        i hope that is what happens, but i don’t see gardner coming back this year. he has had a ton of setbacks and every time they talk about him, they keep lowering expectations and moving the timeframe back. i hope i’m wrong

        • MannyGeee

          bum out

      • DJ4K&Monterowasdinero

        If Gardy has continued setbacks with his arm, we could probably still add him as a pinchrunner for the postseason. The problem is he only slides headfirst. I think he could adjust that for a short time.

  • Joey

    97 in his first appearance?? Must have had the adrenaline flowing… that’s very encouraging but I don’t want to see him hurt himself again

  • MannyGeee

    this is great. Pure irrational man crush on Joba. Glad to see he’s progressing.

  • LiterallyFigurative

    Stay healthy Joba!

    Hopefully we can keep or add onto the lead in the next month. Add Joba and Gardner (which is almost like adding two players at the trading deadline), and then have Andy ready to go for September.

    Maybe Feliciano comes back and is the 2012 Damaso Marte.

  • Rich in NJ

    Joba remains my favorite Yankee.

  • CUYanks

    Joba, Longoria, or Crawford back first?

    • MannyGeee

      Joba all day long. who woulda thunk it

    • Fin

      I’m not sure Crawford is ever coming back. I think hes in the witness protection program, hiding from Sox fans.

  • RetroRob

    Joba doesn’t need no stinkin’ 30-day rehab. He’ll be in the Bronx this Friday.

  • themgmt

    Imagine: Mo, Soriano, Robertson, Joba, Aardsma (not likely). Five closers, 4 inning game.

  • http://www.yankeeanalysts.com Steve Sciacco

    Not sure where he would be if it was spring training, but Joba has been a notoriously slow starter, even going back to 08 when the stuff was electric. If he is topping out at 97 now, I have to think theres more there. And that is very exciting.