MLB - Sports Rumors

Thu Jun 05, 2008 10:35 am EDT

Damon questions decisions to move Joba into rotation

By Joe Zedalis

Johnny Damon

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You can feel the concern creeping into the New York Yankee clubhouse. By now the Yankees are practically the home office for slow starts, but the players are all too aware that improved pitching throughout the American League East means it won't be so easy to bludgeon their way to the top this year.

"We've seen that early on this year," Johnny Damon was saying at his locker Tuesday. "It's going to be tough to push across a lot of runs. So every game is precious. We've gotta win the games we should win. We didn't do that on the last road trip. We could have been 5-2. Instead, we went 3-4. That's a big swing."

We've gotta win the games we should win. In the language of ballplayers, that translates to not blowing games in the late innings. Which brings us to — what else? — the Joba Chamberlain debate. Don't think Chamberlain's move to the rotation isn't being second-guessed in the Yankee clubhouse. Not that anyone doubts he has the goods to be a No. 1 starter. The argument is where he helps the Yankees most right now, and I get the impression that if players voted by secret ballot, there would be a strong majority to send him back to the bullpen.

Source: New York Daily NewsNew Window

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55 Comments

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  1. Slammnardo
    1. Posted by Slammnardo Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:39 pm EDT

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    They extrapolated an awful lot out of that innocuous quote.
  2. John S
    2. Posted by John S Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:34 pm EDT

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    I think the move is going to back fire. When you have to HOPE that Farnsworth & Hawkins don't blow a game then you are screwed. Starting rotation is not doing that poorly and w/o Joba you will be seeing more 5-out Mo saves which will not be good.
  3. nick a
    3. Posted by nick a Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:37 pm EDT

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    1st! The Yankees should have threw everything at Johan Santana. Would have solved part of their pitching problems
  4. Ray n Becky BX.NY
    4. Posted by Ray n Becky BX.NY Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:58 pm EDT

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    johan looks good right now huh?!?
    I think they should wait until the yankees get a better relievers before moving him to the starting pitcher they want him to be.
  5. Lennox
    5. Posted by Lennox Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:55 pm EDT

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    The brain trust in the Bronx should be proud of the product they have put on the field this year... 200 million plus has bought them an under achieving, finger pointing, miserable team. Also, great job not going after Santana... he is a true ace, but not near as good as the two golden children in Ian Kennedy and Phillip Hughes... great choice bombers. As a Sox fan, I thank you very much for your stupidity! Keep on losing... LOSERS!!!
  6. Mr C.
    6. Posted by Mr C. Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:32 pm EDT

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    I agree with Damon. Joba is nearly untouchable in the 'pen. Why change that?
  7. zubee
    7. Posted by zubee Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:49 pm EDT

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    Bout time some of the players woke up and questioned some of managements moves. Damon is right about this one. They are not just screwing around with a superb arm, they are going to mess up his head as well. June 4th is not the time of the season when you take your brilliant setup man and decide he is going to the starting rotation. There is a time called winter ball and spring training to be doing that.
  8. Lennox
    8. Posted by Lennox Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:55 pm EDT

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    Chris, where would you play Damon? Leftfield while Ortiz is injured??? Other than that, there is no place for him.
  9. squad343
    9. Posted by squad343 Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:37 pm EDT

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    joba will be fine as a starter, schilling did it this way too and he is a great pitcher..hopefully the starting pitching staff will get significant run support so that the pressure isnt on the relievers as much..starting pitching is what wins championships
  10. Curtis
    10. Posted by Curtis Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:48 pm EDT

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    I question Johnny's big contract!
  11. jd 1
    11. Posted by jd 1 Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:19 pm EDT

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    "we gotta win games we should" thats all he said. Where does the rest of this come from? A writer's immagination I suppose.
  12. Benny
    12. Posted by Benny Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:57 pm EDT

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    Johnny is right. It makes you wonder who is in charge in New York these days. As I have said before, a transition like this should be made during spring training, but if it has to be done now , you send Joba to the minors to build up his stamina. How many times can you force the bullpen to go 5 or 6 innings for you before it has a residual effect?
  13. yankee doodle 41
    13. Posted by yankee doodle 41 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:45 pm EDT

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    Johan probably looks good right now to the redsux also. Remember, they turned down Johan too. Johan isn't setting the baseball world on fire yet.
  14. The Champiiiin
    14. Posted by The Champiiiin Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:43 pm EDT

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    I bet webb and santana would be good relief pitchers too. The idea the yankees need joba in the pen to secure these leads is hysterical, outside of when wang and moose pitch there are no leads to protect and that altogether ignores the fact that plenty of successful teams do not even have a top closer, let alone 8th inning guy.
    get dumber
    for people with the capacity of memory, chad billingsley and johan santana would be recent examples of guys who went from relief to starting in the same season at the mlb level.
  15. Catatafish
    15. Posted by Catatafish Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:11 pm EDT

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    Everyone points fingers and says "Good job losers" but I believe that this time last year was when we were 7-8 games UNDER .500 and now we are one game under? This has happened 2-3 years in a row. New York starts off slow, Boston comes out on fire. After the All Star Break Boston chokes out as usual to putter into the playoffs while New York has started to catch fire. Problem is, this year we have Tampa to worry about....who would have freaking guessed this!?
  16. PhilK
    16. Posted by PhilK Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:23 pm EDT

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    Sorry, did I miss the part where he said "Joba should stay in the pen"? He said "we gotta win games we should win". That means driving in RISP instead of stranding them by the dozens. That means getting 2 out hits. That means having starting pitching go deep into ballgames. It doesn't mean Joba should be the setup guy.
    Pettitte had 3 different leads and blew them all. The Yanks stranded 7 men in scoring position in one game. Did they lose those games because Joba wasn't in the pen? No.
    The Daily News is a rag, worse than the Post. The writer had nothing better to do so he made a BIG assumption that Damon was talking about Joba.
  17. Kelsey Grammer
    17. Posted by Kelsey Grammer Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:27 pm EDT

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    The News worst than the Post? I didn't think it was possible. Most of the papers here in Springfield are garbage as well.
  18. Donny B
    18. Posted by Donny B Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:38 pm EDT

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    Joba is going to learn the hard way but he will learn to be a fine starter.It is so obvious that he should have built up his stamina in the minors first.Its also obvious that management was pressured by Hank the rookie Stienbrenner to get him in there sooner rather than later when he was ready.I just hope that the fans understand that Joba needs some time and supports him through this.Now Hank is another story.Give a boy a mans job and this is what happens.
  19. joe a
    19. Posted by joe a Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:56 pm EDT

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    I agree with silent_phil...he didnt say anything like that. Besides that though, I think Joba's fine in the starting rotation we just need to rethink our bullpen order.
    Farnsworth CANNOT be the eighth inning guy because he can't pitch well in a tight game. He's terrible when its a tie or a one run game. In a three run game he's ok so he should be reserved for those spots. They should take Edwar Ramirez and Ohlendorff (as painful as it is to say) and groom those two to be the tight spot pitchers. After seeing Dan Griese the other night, who pitched very well, I'd keep him around and see what he can do.
    Like Catatafish said, don't worry we'll pick it up. And Tampa's a very young team they wont keep this up all year.
  20. darby
    20. Posted by darby Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:59 pm EDT

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    I say johnny makes sense on that but he really should keep his big mouth shut.
  21. Lou.M.
    21. Posted by Lou.M. Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:17 pm EDT

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    This only goes to prove--no one should ever talk to a reporter. He didn't say any of what you assume he said.
  22. ken
    22. Posted by ken Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:54 pm EDT

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    maybe jonny should worry about having the arm of a girl and maybe he should get some of those golden thongs and give some to joba,farnsworth and hawkins,and by saying they need to get more runs across the plate, was he quietly throwing his teammates under the bus?
  23. darby
    23. Posted by darby Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:59 pm EDT

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    Lou plain and simple johnny should keep his mouth shut.
  24. KM
    24. Posted by KM Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:52 pm EDT

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    Have you seen a bullpen player signed for $150 million? Keeping Joba in the bullpen is akin to keeping a star employee in a crappy company. He's going to always be unhappy and eventually leave. What Joba wants is a starter job so that he can make the big bucks and help the Yankees. It's what Heilmann wanted, but the Mets management was slow to understand. Now they have ruined Heilmann and hurt themselves.
  25. Benny
    25. Posted by Benny Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:57 pm EDT

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    This was a dumb move no matter how you shake it. Johnny only pointed out what everyone in New York knows but is afraid to say.

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