2010 Joba Chamberlain Performance Thread

[Hellsing]

Joba with the 92 MPH heater....nice! Ok...he hit 95.

[grizy]

True. I sure as hell wouldn't be respecting a 94 MPH fastball.

I would. But a lot of people throw 94 at MLB.

I link this all the time but it's very illuminating.

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/ar...a-fastball-be/

Basically it says location > velocity in terms of run expectation and the primary reason that higher velocity leads to lower run expectation overall is velocity is VERY good at masking bad location.

There is also a big jump in effectiveness from the 90~94 cluster to the 94+ cluster. My suspicion is it's because so few pitchers break that mid-90s line, especially starters so batters simply have much less practice seeing pitches at that speed over their careers.

[JavyVazquezIsSick]

91-95 today. It's sad he'll never even be a closer.

[THEBOSS84]

91-95 today. It's sad he'll never even be a closer.

You're out of your mind.

[JavyVazquezIsSick]

You're out of your mind.

You think he can be a closer with his current stuff?

[THEBOSS84]

You think he can be a closer with his current stuff?

Are you trying to say that there are currently no closers out there with inferior stuff?

[JavyVazquezIsSick]

I'm saying the Yankees will never have a closer than resembles a middle relief pitcher.

[b_joseph]

I'm saying the Yankees will never have a closer than resembles a middle relief pitcher.

To be fair, every closer looks like a middle reliever until they are given the chance to close.

Now if you mean a ''mop up'' middle reliever then I agree.

[flymick24]

he has no identity

[Huktonfonix]

91-95 today. It's sad he'll never even be a closer.

Oh no!

This is horribly upsetting to learn. I didn't watch the game today. I hadn't realized his career was over already. This is especially troubling given that I also just learned from the Javy thread that he's done for the year after only 2 starts, and that we traded the left-handed Mo, Mike Dunn, to get him.

Has Hal cancelled the rest of the season yet?

[JavyVazquezIsSick]

I'm making a projection based on stuff and command, it really has nothing to do with results. No one is saying anything rash here. Hell, Joba didn't even give up runs today.

[JSG]

he has no identity

can eiland be charged with identity theft ??

at very least, joba should get his own citibank commercial ...........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KERwnA8VfFM

[Abe Frohman]

A decision is going to be made ... hopefully sooner rather than later. Chamberlain looks horrible. he isnt even a shadow of his former self ... starter or reliever. it almost seems as though Girardi is trying to shelter him, picking and choosing his spots. hes not closing, hes not setting up. hes like a washed up middle relief pitcher that no one can really truly trust in a big spot. you know how damaging that must be to the psyche of a kid who was practically unhittable ? i wish they would just admit defeat, see the error in their ways and send him down. Girardi seems like a stubborn dude, but it will happen ... with Chamberlains current stuff hes going to get hit, and get hit hard. i wish it would happen now though so that come july - august and we're narrowing down into playoff mode, Chamberlain doesnt get plastered on the backpage for getting shelled in a few important late - inning situations.

[LazyEyeLou]

His average fastball velocity in his second start this year (just over 95) was higher than it had been in any single game appearance since '08. If that becomes a trend, it goes a long way to justifying him in the pen. But it's still a few ticks off the '07-early '08 peaks.

[Melan-cynic]

2/3's of an inning sure means a lot to the JTTP people.

[NYYRules#1]

2/3's of an inning sure means a lot to the JTTP people.

Well, they've never been known as a group who understand the problems of small sample size.

[flymick24]

is the flat brim of his cap to blame? my sources say yes

[stazsanity]

is the flat brim of his cap to blame? my sources say yes

That. And midges.

[Abe Frohman]

His average fastball velocity in his second start this year (just over 95) was higher than it had been in any single game appearance since '08. If that becomes a trend, it goes a long way to justifying him in the pen. But it's still a few ticks off the '07-early '08 peaks.

SSS aside, any SP that you remove from the rotation and place in the bullpen will throw harder. Im pretty sure Hughes' average FB velocity was a few ticks higher as a RP last season. Would that be reason enough to keep him in the pen too ? Is this what JTTP'ers will say if Hughes remains shaky and inconsistent as a SP here in 2010 ?

[Hellsing]

SSS aside, any SP that you remove from the rotation and place in the bullpen will throw harder. Im pretty sure Hughes' average FB velocity was a few ticks higher as a RP last season. Would that be reason enough to keep him in the pen too ? Is this what JTTP'ers will say if Hughes remains shaky and inconsistent as a SP here in 2010 ?

The difference is Phil is getting better. Joba is not. Joba started off great and has been in decline. Phil started off well, became sh!tty due to an injury, then found himself in the pen.

[OldYankeeFan]

is the flat brim of his cap to blame? my sources say yes

Haha. I'm convinced he's pissed off the baseball gods.

[LazyEyeLou]

SSS aside, any SP that you remove from the rotation and place in the bullpen will throw harder. Im pretty sure Hughes' average FB velocity was a few ticks higher as a RP last season. Would that be reason enough to keep him in the pen too ? Is this what JTTP'ers will say if Hughes remains shaky and inconsistent as a SP here in 2010 ?

Exactly.

Is throwing harder always better? Of course not.

Was Joba piss poor enough as a starter that we might as well get a few more MPH out of him by having him pitch in the pen? Possibly. Hughes, by the way, is just an entirely different case. He's an actual pitcher, and average velocity is less crucial to his success.

[Melan-cynic]

Hughes, by the way, is just an entirely different case. He's an actual pitcher, and average velocity is less crucial to his success.

This is just absurd. What exactly constitutes "an actual pitcher" and how can you proclaim Phil as one and Joba not? Joba actually has more pitches than Phil and has proven more as a starter.

Also, if you think Phil's velocity going from 91-93 as a starter to sitting 94-96 as a bullpen arm is not "crucial to his success" as a reliever or starter, you are out of your mind.

[Hellsing]

This is just absurd. What exactly constitutes "an actual pitcher" and how can you proclaim Phil as one and Joba not? Joba actually has more pitches than Phil and has proven more as a starter.

Phil: FB; Curve; Cutter; Changeup
Joba: FB; Slider; Curve; Changeup

Thought they both had four. Unless you are saying Joba's offerings are superior. Not sure I agree with that either. Maybe the 07' Joba. Not this one.

[Melan-cynic]

Phil: FB; Curve; Cutter; Changeup
Joba: FB; Slider; Curve; Changeup

Thought they both had four. Unless you are saying Joba's offerings are superior. Not sure I agree with that either. Maybe the 07' Joba. Not this one.

Phil hasn't had a fourth pitch until this Spring Training, and your inclusion of a changeup is assuming Phil carries that pitch into the big leagues and it has quality. I'm not saying Phil won't but we've actually seen what Joba's fourth pitch (changeup) can be as a starter: http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=4439255

We haven't yet seen a fourth ML pitch from Phil - meaning both the cutter and changeup. Not saying it won't happen, but Lazy's post is simply not accurate, hence my response. Also, the stuff '08 Joba showed is head and shoulders above Phil's, not sure how you can argue otherwise.