New York Yankees young hurler Joba Chamberlain should be used as a starter in 2009. At least until it is proven that Chamberlain cannot handle the work load.
It is not rocket science. The more innings a pitcher logs, the more valuable he is to his team.
Now that the Yankees have officially brought back Andy Pettitte on a one-year deal, though, the Joba Debate has again hit the front burner. Some fans and writers theorize that the addition of Pettitte – combined with the depth of Phil Hughes and Alfredo Aceves – opens up the gates for Chamberlain to move back into a relief role, where he has been dominant bridging the gap to Mariano Rivera.
Not so fast.
New York general manager Brian Cashman informed Chamberlain in November that he will begin the year in a starting role, where he can add the most value to his club. The flame-throwing right-hander, outside of his brilliant run pitching high-leverage situations for the Yankees in 2007, has been a starter for most of his life, from his days as a prep/collegiate pitcher in Nebraska to his time in the minors.
There are certainly concerns about whether Chamberlain can remain durable pitching more than 150 innings. At such a young age, it is best that the Yankees be conservative with such a rare talent; hence the Joba Rules. Those in the relief camp cite this as key factor in their argument, saying that he is more likely to remain healthy pitching in the bullpen, where there will be less of a toll on his arm. He also has the make-up to close, they say, and is a potential successor to Rivera.
Certainly Chamberlain proved himself to be a worthy future closing candidate in 2007, when he posted a 0.38 ERA, 1,192 ERA+, 1.82 FIP (fielding independent pitching) and 0.750 WHIP in 24.0 innings. The youngster quickly became a Yankee fan favorite, as the fans were enthralled by his demeanor, mid-90s heat, intensity and tremendous success. He did what any team wants out of a reliever – avoid home runs and walks while missing bats; he struck out 12.75 hitters per nine innings, with 34 Ks against only six walks.
While there are legitimate injury concerns, why not give Chamberlain the chance to prove that he can handle the workload? A pitcher with his talent could emerge as an elite front-line arm, adding depth to a pitching staff that is already among the best in the league. Even an average starter adds more value over the course of a regular season than a plus relief man, which is really the main thing to consider here.
Chamberlain has a chance to be special even at this stage. Although it was a small sample size, he was effective taking the hill in the early innings in 2008. In 12 starts, he struck out 74 against 25 walks while posting a 2.76 ERA in 65.1 innings. Overall, he was again a dominant force in Pinstripes, producing rates of 10.58 K/9 and 0.45 HR/9 in 42 total appearances combined between both roles. The 23-year-old right-hander finished the year with a 2.60 ERA, 171 ERA+ and 2.65 FIP mark.
While injuries held him back, Chamberlain was lights-out when he was on the hill. His stuff is just off the charts. The 6-foot-2, 230-pounder threw his fastball 62.3 percent of the time in 2008, averaging 95.0 MPH on the radar gun. He mixed in a slider (avg velocity: 85.1) 25.2 percent of the time and also flashed a curveball and changeup. While he certainly would throw with more velocity in short bursts (97.0 MPH avg fastball MPH as a reliever in 2007), he has shown the ability to sit in the low-to-mid-90s for multiple innings.
What GM would not give a pitcher with that stuff a chance to start if they can handle the duty? Sure, the Yankees have some other options, with less depth in its relief corps. However, the American League East is a division that may end up being decided by which is team is least affected by injuries, especially when it comes to starting pitching. It is unlikely that every pitcher penciled in the New York five will avoid going to a DL at some point. Whether it is the injury-prone A.J. Burnett or even Chamberlain, an arm will go down. It is a numbers game, though. Having more options prepares the Yanks better for any potential injury situation. Aceves is not exactly a sure thing to replicate his success, either, and there is no telling what New York will get from talented-but-inexperienced Hughes.
Plus, Chamberlain is good enough to emerge as one of the best starters on the roster as he continues to get more seasoning at the Major League level. One good thing about the return of Pettitte and the other free-agent signings, though, is that Chamberlain will not need to be. He can be put in a four or five spot, potentially missing a few starts here or there to limit his innings. If he does indeed get injured, he can always go back to relieving, regaining his title as the successor to Rivera.
In the meantime, the Yankees have the opportunity to see if they have something special in Chamberlain. Thus, there is no rush.
Most relievers are relievers for a reason: they could not cut it in a starting role, either due to arm trouble or ineffectiveness. The verdict is still out on whether Chamberlain falls into that category. The Yankees are doing the right thing.
