Seaver: Joba is Babied
By Mike Silva ~ August 16th, 2009. Filed under: Mike Silva.
Add Tom Seaver to the growing list of people that want to see the training wheels taken off Joba Chamberlain.
“Tell me, how does a pitcher get to the next level unless he’s tested under fire?” Seaver asked. “Where are you going to find the next Bob Gibson or Nolan Ryan or Steve Carlton unless a young pitcher is pushed? You won’t.”
Seaver goes on to talk about Chamberlain’s mechanics, which also have many red flags attached.
I know the readers have grown weary of this Chamberlain dialogue. My issue is not with Joba, he wants to pitch and said as much earlier in the week, it’s with this idea from the Yankees that they are going to reinvent the game. It’s another example of “numbers gone wild” in the game of baseball. How will Joba ever learn to pitch through a lineup when, every time he gets momentum, he is either taken out or skipped a turn in the rotation. How has Tim Lincecum jumped his innings over 20% and still remained healthy? He already has a Cy Young in his living room. What does Joba have, a picture of a fist pump?
It’s easy to bully lousy offensive teams like the Oakland A’s. Let’s see Joba consistently pitch well against upper echelon teams in big spots. We need to see what he is made of the next six weeks. Right now do you think Joba is prepared for a Game 3 of the ALDS? Would you trust him, on the road, with the series tied 1-1. If you say yes than you are crazy! No way I risk a special season on this kid. He hasn’t earned it or proven worthy of that distinction.
The Yankees have their team running on all cylinders. It’s time for Joba to be part of the solution. Have the kid step up and prove he is as good as his right arm indicates. Right now all he has proven is that he can’t consistently produce even with the deck stacked in his favor. Not good for him, his development, or the 2009 New York Yankees.
You can also check out the discussion on this topic over at Baseball Think Factory.
August 16th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
How has Tim Lincecum jumped his innings over 20% and still remained healthy? He already has a Cy Young in his living room. What does Joba have, a picture of a fist pump?
That’s GOLD Silva, GOLD!!!!
August 16th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Never mind that Joba’s two best performances of his career were against the Red Sox and Tampa Bay.
Secondly, I don’t care what Tom Seaver thinks. He’s not the guy whose ass would be on the line if Joba had too much of an increase in workload and comes up lame.
Thirdly, RAB is calling you out for your continued nonsense.
Let it go, already.
August 16th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
GF
Tom Seaver is a HOF pitcher who might know a thing or two about pitching. The problem with you guys is that you rather throw your entire starting rotation into chaos than let this kid stand on his own two feet. I am not saying throw him until his arm falls off, but can’t he pitch every fifth day? More than likely he won’t go much more than 5 innings. Don’t you agree that 100 pitches isn’t all the same? I think the Yankees have a great shot this season to be special and it would be a shame that this childish, unfounded, nonsense would derail the team.
Amazing how I am called anti Yankee over at RAB the same day I am advocating Teixeira for MVP. Of course, those that haven’t watched him play are bashing me at BBTF citing WAR and UZR. Real good ways to evaluate the MVP award. Thank god we have members of the BBWAA making these calls and not give the vote to the fans. That is how we get the same nonsense All Star starting lineups.
August 16th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
What size is your helmet? I’m sure people would chip in to get you a replacement one.
Keep sticking to your ridiculous viewpoint. It’s not like you come off as a rahtard or anything.
August 16th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
Another outing where Joba Chamberlain does a great Sergio Mitre impression. I can see those extra days are really helping.
If he needed this much development he should be pitching in Scranton. Get someone up here who is interested in playing in a pennant race, not patty cake.
August 16th, 2009 at 7:02 pm
Silva, Steve Lombardi is on the porch calling you in for the retarded Yankee blogger supper club.
August 16th, 2009 at 7:14 pm
Silva,
I didn’t call you anti-Yankee. I’m calling you anti-common sense.
You don’t dramatically increase the workload of a young arm like Joba over a one year span.
There have been too many young arms that have been overworked and have come up lame because of a dramatic increase in workload.
Tom Seaver won’t have to answer to the media or the fans why Joba’s arm came up lame because he was pushed too hard too early in his career when he didn’t have a lot of innings under his belt.
It’s Brian Cashman and Girardi who have to answer for that. So Seaver can say whatever the hell he wants since it’s not his ass on the line.
This is not the same game as it was 30-40 years ago. Continuing to make those comparisons is stupid and makes no sense.
Frankly, you are a joke and you don’t have any idea what you’re talking about.
Oh well, I’m done with this place. This forum is where brain cells come to die.
August 16th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
Fair enough GF, we will agree to disagree.
Hopefully you are at least on board with my Tex for MVP
August 16th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
What’s with the Steve Lombardi hate? He always seems to be fair in my opinion.
August 16th, 2009 at 8:00 pm
Does Giuseppe know this isn’t a forum?
August 19th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
Mike, this is one Yankees fan (since ’68) who agrees with your assessment of Chamberlain. And despite some of the vitriol in the comments section, I know I’m not the only one.