In case you missed it, read BYB’s case for Rafael Soriano in POSSIBLE HEIR APPARENT TO MARIANO: RAFAEL SORIANO. Now, let's get down to business...When Joba Chamberlain burst onto the scene in the summer of 2007, it appeared as though he would be the heir apparent to Mariano Rivera. Unfortunately, times have changed. Joba has gone back and forth from the starting rotation to the bullpen numerous times since he arrived in the Bronx, and he’s made the bullpen his home since the 2010 season. Once a top prospect as a starter; Joba is now a reliever for good, at least as a Yankee. With that in mind, you have to put him into the pool of possible heir apparents to Mo.
Joba has gone through a lot of crap in his career; bouncing back and forth from the rotation and bullpen (five times to be exact), a shoulder injury in 2008 that likely sapped some of the heat on his fastball, going from fan favorite to goat in some people’s eyes, and now the recent Tommy John surgery last June.
Chamberlain was pitching pretty well prior to the surgery, posting a 2.83 ERA and a 3.43 K/BB ratio in 27 appearances, so at least he has that to hang his hat on. Normally pitchers gain an extra mile an hour or two on their fastball when they return from Tommy John surgery, and hopefully that’ll be the case with Joba. If he can consistently throw 97+ MPH with his fastball in the late innings it’ll be a huge plus for him and the Yankees.
With that said, if Joba comes back in the middle of the season and can show he can blow batters away with 97+ MPH fastballs, while providing good results, he’ll be right back into the discussion as to being Mo’s heir apparent by the mainstream media and fans. For now, it’s unlikely he’ll get the closer nod, but stranger things have happened. He has the potential stuff to become a closer, and we saw glimpses of it in 2007 when he posted an outstanding 0.38 ERA, 1221 ERA+, and a 5.67 K/BB ratio spanning 19 games and 24 innings pitched. I’m not sure if he’ll ever post those kinds of numbers again, but either way, his name has to be at least tossed around in the future closer discussion.
--Jesse Schindler, BYB Lead Staff Writer
Follow me on Twitter @SchindlerJesse
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