Wednesday, May 21st 2008, 11:58 PM
The Joba Rules are being rewritten altogether.
Joba Chamberlain pitched the eighth and ninth inning of Wednesday night's 8-0 win over the Orioles, and afterward the Yankees announced that it was the first step of the phenom's much-anticipated conversion from lights-out set-up man to starting pitcher.
"I am excited about the opportunity," Chamberlain said of the transition. "First and foremost though, we got to win ballgames from here on out. So tomorrow starts another day of getting my legs and getting back on mound to see what happens. And making sure we win a game."
Joe Girardi said the change is not in response to the Yankees' struggles of late or the starting rotation's problems, but rather had been part of the plan all along.
"This is the timetable that we had set," Girardi said while announcing the decision after last night's game. "It's going to take him awhile to get to where he can throw 100 pitches, but this is what we've had planned all along. This is what we talked about over the winter and in spring training, and you saw the first of it tonight."
General manager Brian Cashman also confirmed that the plan had always been to make Chamberlain a starter. "That's ultimately the place where he will have the biggest impact on this franchise," Cashman said.
The process of converting Chamberlain went into motion Tuesday afternoon with a conversation in the trainers' room between the pitcher, coaches and Cashman, who asked the reliever what he wanted.
"He looked me right in the eye and said he wanted the opportunity to start," Cashman recalled. "I asked 'This year?' and he said 'Yes.'"
So ended what had been an ongoing debate among Yankee fans, the front office and coaches since the hard-throwing righthander was brought up from the minors last season. The plan is for Chamberlain to pitch on a regular schedule, which Girardi would not disclose, and stretch his pitch count from 35 (which he threw last night) to eventually about 100 pitches.
Chamberlain said that he will incorporate more of his pitches when he can and work on building up endurance, but those are about the biggest changes he will make.
"That's it, that's all you're gonna see, I ain't gonna be any different Joba," Chamberlain said. "I am not gonna transform into a different person. I am going to continue to do the stuff got me to that point. The stuff you see in the eighth inning, you will see that from the first inning on. So it's not going to be any different. You are going to see a few more changeups, a few more curveballs a few more two-seamers but that's it."
Chamberlain will continue to stretch himself out while working out of the bullpen. There are no immediate plans to send him down to the minor leagues.
"The way the plan is, I am going to continue to stay here, there is no better place than here to learn and take your licks and get better," Chamberlain said. "The plan is, I am gonna continue to mix things in when I have the opportunity, but continue to do my job and get outs."
Chamberlain said the coaches had talked to him about the plan to stretch him into a starter's role during spring training, but never gave him a timetable for the plan to be implemented.
"I didn't know when, I didn't even know if it would," Chamberlain said. "I was surprised. They just told me (Tuesday), but I have a full faith in the coaches and the front office that they will do this the right way."
I really don't know how to feel about this. On one hand I totally believe this is a panic move. On the other hand He has electric stuff and just may save the season. We'll soon find out. The 8th inning will be weaker now leaving the obvious choice that Rivera will be picking up 4 or 5 out saves more often than not. I think I'm going to reserve judgment on this issue until I see him make his first start. I wonder who will get the boot in the rotation when Joba joins it. Most likely Mr. Kennedy. Interesting times are ahead my friends. Get your popcorn ready.
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