Joba Chamber-"lion"

I presume about as common as it is for goalies to be named captains in hockey ...

That said, most baseball teams don't name captains. It was more common before World War II, when "managers" took care of more business-side duties than they do today and "field captains" (players) had more input on in-game decisions.

The only pitcher-captain I can find since WWII is Ron Guidry, who was co-captain (with Willie Randolph) for the Yankees in 1986-88, and was sole captain in 1989 (before Mattingly took over.)

 

If I ever am accused of being an over the top fanboy of the Yankees, I hope you all will remember this post. Especially you buck.

 

Buck, name three other pitchers under 25 who have a better arm right now?

Verlander, Kershaw and who else?

I just have a feeling about Joba. A friend of mine who was a NYC pe teacher for 25 years cried when Mantle died. Mantle was his guy. Joe was his father's Yankee. Munson was his son's. Jeter is the Yankee for people 30-40. Joba just might make this list.

I just have a feeling.

I'm trying to put this into words somehow.

Why is Johnny Bench and Nolan Ryan's baseball cards always worth so much? Why did they have such a following? There are many other HOF players from that time period, but why do Ryan and Bench have such a following? Is there a way to quantify it?

Ian Kennedy may have a better career than Joba or Hughes, but Joba just has something about him. A friend of mine who has season tickets say watching Joba pitch in person is just different. Something about him, my buddy says, but he cannot put his finger on it.

As for the fanboy stuff, would you rather have an exciting player or a boring player on the field?

Who do want to write about and watch? Favre or Fouts? I think that is an easy answer.

 

Despite the rabid hatred for the Yankees, I find it very difficult to not like this current crop Yankee Youngin's. There is definitely something there with Joba, Kennedy, ShrekShelley, Melky, Hughes, Cano & Wang. There's a genuine likability with these guys that you haven't gotten from the Yankees since...? Jeter, Rivera, Williams et al are good/great players, but they usually came across as aloof & distant. These rooks really enjoy goofing around.

 

From Wikiepdia, I know. I know. But if you want quick background, I think it does hold some value.

"Chamberlain grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. At age 3, his parents divorced, and his father Harlan, a counselor at the Nebraska State Penitentiary, took custody of Joba and his older sister Tasha. The family lived in poverty, with Harlan often pawning his possessions to buy things for the children. Joba served as a ball boy for Lincoln Northeast High School's state championship basketball team, and eventually graduated from Northeast. He did not jump straight to college; to help pay the bills, Joba briefly worked for the city of Lincoln's maintenance department.

Chamberlain's father was born on a reservation for the Winnebago American Indian Tribe, but had to leave to be treated for polio. Harlan spent his childhood in hospitals and foster homes and now uses a motor scooter to get around. After retiring from the state penitentiary, he currently works as a substitute teacher and takes tickets at Cornhusker baseball games. Chamberlain still has family living in American Indian reservations.

According to Yankees television sportscaster Michael Kay, Joba's niece was unable to pronounce the name Justin correctly, pronouncing it as Joba instead and he grew to prefer this name. He eventually had his name legally changed to Joba."

You can't make this stuff up.

 

I don't think you would ever have a pitcher as a team captain, especially a staring pitcher. Captains are pretty meaningless in baseball anyway.

 

As a Sox fan, I hate to say it, but you have a point.
Joba is dominant. No two bones about it. Except against Mike Lowell, who has a homer off him.
I think Shelley Duncan is an animal, and he'd definitely would be a good addition to an already impressive batting order.
Cano will win a batting title someday (and hopefully pulls a A-Rod playoff output against the Sox).
Wang is one of the top 5 pitchers in the AL, mixed in the discussion with Beckett, C.C. Sabathia, and Verlander.
I'm not really a fan of the others as much. But it's nice to say for the first time in a long time that both the Red Sox and Yankees have decided to keep good farm talent and not piss away all the prospects for guys way past their prime (the Eric Gagne trade not withstanding.)

 

Not trying to rip Joba at all, as he's been amazing. But I'll be interested to see him as a starter against big leaguers. There's a difference between getting three outs and going through a lineup three times.

Looking forward to the Joba-Clay arguments next year.

 

As crazy as this sounds, I think Joba should become the Yanks' version of Johnny Paps. This guy's mentality is built for the eighth & ninth innings and has the repertoire to go with it. Yeah, closers are a dime a dozen, but having one with stuff as sick as Joba's and a solid mind-set are EXTREMELY rare. Plus, the top closer is much cheaper than some mid-level or above-average starter.

The Yanks already have a very good pitcher in Wang, two young studs that have great potential in Hughes & Kennedy, plus there's also Alan Horne and Daniel McCutchen down in Double-A Trenton. Rivera is a free agent this year, and even if he does stay, he doesn't have too much left in the tank as a front-line closer. It would behoove the Yankees to make Joba's transition to the bullpen a permanent one.