Hello there,

Tony Bartlett, author of the Tuesday Morning segment regularly seen here on this very blog at this time, is dealing with life stuff and will be back next week to enlighten us with his unique perspective.

So, what about today?

Well, you get bonus Johnny Archive time with no additional charge! Woot!

Let’s focus on the New York Yankees today shall we?

Okay, let me state up front that I am not a fan of the Yankees, and though I have had some issues with Brian Cashman and the way he has done his job as GM, I am also not a Yankee-hater.  I’m Yankee-neutral, so I think you can take my opinion on the subject of Joba as totally unbiased and founded in typical baseball logic.

Lets see, should I start with my thoughts overall on whether or not I think Joba Chamberlain should have been moved to the starting rotation or should I break down the last few games and Joba’s impact or potential impact? hrmmmm….

I’ll go with big picture first.  I felt moving Joba to the rotation was a knee-jerk decision and one with the focus being on the short term.  The possible “good” that could come from Joba becoming a starting pitcher and having success was, in my opinion, not worth the much more likely negative impact on Joba and the team overall.

I understood the thinking that Joba had shown in the past that he could handle the extra innings, and with the young Yankee arms (Kennedy, Hughes etc…) struggling, the situation seemed desperate enough and warrent such a radical move — yes, taking your lockdown 8th inning guy and sure-fire closer-of-the-future and making him a starter is a radical move, especially when you do it mid-season.

The obvious question when the move was announced — and it didn’t help that the new Stein Man had publicly called for it — was who would assume Joba’s role in the ‘pen?  Good ol’ whipping boy, Farnsy, wasn’t exactly a crowd or organizational fave’.  LaTroy Hawkins who had been a  decent set-up man in the past wasn’t exactly fitting in as a Yankee.  So, a void was indeed created.

Knowing what we know now, that deals were in the works – like the addition of Pirates closer Damaso Marte — seem to indicate a plan, so that’s good.  A few days or so, at least, of adjustment time was incorporated into the plan to allow for a pecking order to work itself out in the ‘pen.  Okay.  So, are all the bases covered?  Well, kinda.

Over the past few weeks, even with Joba not really getting off to a great start in his first gig as a starter, he settled into a top-end type pitcher, one where when he is slated to go, the team can expect to be given a legit shot at a ”W”.  Okay, so the issue is settled right?  Erm, no.

Let’s go back in time, not too far, just to a few days ago…Sunday 8/03 at Yankee Stadium.  The Yanks’ are battling the best team in baseball, the LA Angels and have an 8-5 lead going to the 8th inning.  Now, at the start of the season that would’ve mean it was Joba-time!  Not now, though.  Instead it’s Edwar (anyone see a “d” laying around?) Ramirez time!  Actually, Mark Teixeira decided to make it Tex-Time, as he belted his first grand salami as a Angel to thrust the Halo’s into a 9-8 lead.

You would’ve thought that a nationally televised meltdown by the Yankee bullpen would have brought up a storm of controversy about Joba not being there to shut the door?  right?  Probably, but the Yankee bats took care of that by ripping off 6 Runs in the bottom of the 8th and thus giving the Bombers a 14-9 Win.

Now, it’s Monday (yesterday) 8/04 and Joba’s turn to take the hill in Texas.  Entering the game Joba has pitched approx 85 Innings on the season, but 60 of them in the last 8 weeks.  Pitching in 105 degree Texas heat is tough for anyone, but especially for a young pitcher who had only 24 major league innings of experience coming into 2008, is not exactly a fitness buff and is learning to be a starter in the Bigs.

He ends up going 4 2/3 innings, giving up 8 Hits / 2 BB / 5ER.  But as we know, the real bad news is that he has some shoulder pain issues now.  Uh-oh.  Let’s get back to the game for a minute though, because there’s still some drama to play out.

One thing a manager has to do that is always open to debate is manage his pitching staff.  Knowing when to yank a guy or let him go another out or two.  Now, it only seems reasonable that the more you know a pitcher, the easier it is to know when the tank is empty.  In this case, Yankees manager Joe Girardi is trying to determine how long to go with the newly acquired Marte, a lefty.

It’s the 9th inning, the pitches are starting to mount up and you really want Marte on the mound in case basher lefty Josh Hamilton makes it to the plate.  Unfortunately, batting in front of Hammy, is known clutch hitter Michael Young, who is a righty.  What to do….

Girardi decides to roll with Marte, because the thought of facing Hammy without your top lefty on the mound is just too scary.  Good news, Young flies out.  So, it’s Marte versus Hamilton.  The game’s on the line, 2 out, 2 on.  Semi-good news, Hamilton walks — which is basically a victory for the Yankees.  But, wha, huh, now you have righty Marlon Byrd up and a drained lefty who has thrown 40+ pitches in the inning.  Oh no, Joe, say it isn’t so….BAM…grand slam!

It makes you wonder, did Girardi know Marte enough to know when he was out of gas?  Would the situation have played out better had Joba been in the mix to deal with the tough righties?

Now, you don’t have Joba as a starter or a reliever, you still have a hole against righties in none-save situations and losses are starting to pile up.  Stay tuned, to see how this ends, but it doesn’t look good at the moment.  Well, unless you’re a Mets fan.

-Johnny Archive