Monday, July 6, 2009

Yankees beat Blue Jays, but their starter doesn't do the best Joba

Is Sunday's game over yet? What a long, long game, especially the first few innings. Were Joba Chamberlain and Toronto pitcher Brett Cecil competing in a Steve Trachsel pitch-alike contest?
Sheesh.

It's a good thing that Alfredo Aceves pitched a four-inning save, completely shutting down the Blue Jays. And that the Yankee offense bailed out Joba after he gave up eight runs and nine hits in 3.2 innings. Or yesterday could have been a really ugly loss, instead of an ugly win.

Granted, Cody Ransom made a critical error, but still. Chamberlain was terrible. (Incidentally, why is Ransom on the team, anyway? He can't field well, can't hit, and he's 33 years old to boot. Makes no sense.)

While I'm happy the Yankees won, I was irate over Joba Chamberlain's downright delusional postgame comments. I'm sick of hearing him say about how great the other team was. I'm sick of him saying how wonderful he pitched, when he stunk up the joint. Here are some examples from yesterday's postgame:

"I did a good job today," Chamberlain said. "My mechanics were the best they've been all year and I'm just going to continue to build.

"That's a good lineup -- there's not much you can do about it."

On what planet is giving up nine hits in 3.2 innings "a good job"? Or wearing out the Yankee bullpen - yet again - "a good job'? And why is it that Aceves was completely able to shut down that "good lineup" when Chamberlain got his butt kicked?

It gets worse. Joba said even more dopey things. Not only did he say, about himself, "there's really not much to be mad about" because the Yankees won, but he also said this:
"I did a good job today [of attacking hitters], I felt like," he said. "They're great hitters. I threw good pitches and they put good swings on it. They've been doing it all year. They're going to continue to do it."
Again, the hitters didn't "continue to do it" against Aceves. And I guess I missed when Chamberlain attacked hitters. All I saw was a whole lot of nibbling.

If El Duque was probably the most fun Yankee pitcher in this decade to watch, Chamberlain is rapidly becoming the least fun to watch. His games are uninspiring, mediocre, and slow.

Yankee fans are losing their patience with Chamberlain - he got booed in yesterday's game. While I hate it when Yankee fans boo their own players, I also didn't care for Chamberlain's response to the boos:

"At the end of the day, the sun comes up, and I've still got a job."

And that's precisely the problem. Joba pitches like he has nothing left to prove. He's already become complacent, at the ripe old age of 23. Good grief.

Besides, what is this sun will come out tomorrow stuff? Is Joba now Annie or something?

What do you think? Leave us a comment!

3 comments:

  1. Ian Kennedy got all kind of backlash for similar comments last year. Joba needs to get humble.

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  2. That was the most painfully long game I've sat through and let me tell you those cold, rainy days in April in the wind tunnel that is the 4 deck are no picnic.
    Joba seems to have forgotten how to pitch.
    As MSG was running Bull Durham all weekend, all I could think of was--
    "don't think Meat it only hurts the team."
    But then Joba opens his mouth; he is not thinking or the least bit self aware of how poorly he is doing.
    Aceves was outstanding and a welcome relief.
    Did anyone see Swisher on Mike'd Up? The guy is a riot.

    Jeanne

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  3. Joba's remarks did remind me of Ian Kennedy, because they seemed clueless. I know Girardi said he was going to have conversations with Joba, but how about some coaching from Eiland? With Wang out, the situation is more urgent!

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