Writing the Pine

Welcome to Section 203 – the new home of the Bleacher Creatures and my new Yankees Blog as well.

Blue Jays v. Yankees – 7/5/2009

At first it looked like a bigger blowout than the typical haircut of the Bridge and Tunnel crowd in South Jersey in the summer.  Brett Cecil worked methodically to ensure his team was in a hole early.  In the pregame show with John Sterling, manager Joe Girardi was hoping for a nice “easy” game and it looked like he would be able to enjoy a laugher in the third game of a four-game set with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Then, Joba fell apart like a snowman in July. After being staked to a 4-0 lead, Joba squandered not only the cushion provided by his teammates, but numerous counts where he was ahead 0-2 and 1-2.   Before you knew it, it was 8-4 Jays, with Joba’s statline spared by a Cody Ransom error.

AP Photo / Bill Kostroun

Between, Jays starter Brett Cecil and Joba, we were approaching the three hour mark and we were only in the FIFTH inning.  I was having horrible flashbacks to the last game I attended (Castillo Dropped Pop-Up Game) where Joba was dragging his feet with numerous mound conferences, 3-2 counts on everyone including the batboy and 50-pitch innings.  Joba’s better than this and no we will not be having a “Joba is meant for the bullpen” discussion.  He just needs to adjust to finishing off batters when he has them 0-2 and trust his stuff.  He seems tentative at best and just an utter mess with men on base.

But it seems like the criticism, booing by the crowd at Yankee Stadium, and media attention is irking Joba:

The fans booed Chamberlain after the homer and booed him some more when he gave up a single to Adam Lind, his final batter, who had belted a two-run homer off him in the third. In Chamberlain’s last six starts, he is 1-1 with a 4.60 earned run average. But he has lasted only 31 1/3 innings, meaning he has left a lot of outs for the relievers to collect.

“We know that we still have work to do with Joba, and we’ll continue to do that,” Girardi said. “We need to get him to attack the zone.”

But Chamberlain disagreed with Girardi’s theory. He said that he did a solid job of attacking the hitters and that he felt as good as he had all season. His fastball averaged about 93 miles per hour, but he did not have the intimidating velocity that he has often shown. A cult hero when he pitched out of the bullpen, Chamberlain dismissed the verbal abuse that landed on him.

“At the end of the day, the sun comes up and I still have a job,” he said. “I give everything I got every time I go out. If that’s not enough, I don’t know what is.” – NYTimes.com

No one’s doubting your heart and effort Jobby.  We’re just wondering where the Joba of 2007-8’s been this season.  FYI, Joba is still winless at his home stadium.

Luckily for the Yanks, the bullpen came through again today, with Alfredo “Ace” Aceves pitching an unheard of 4-inning save, allowing 1 hit and striking out 5 (lowering his ERA to 2.02).  We needed Joba to pitch deep today with the “Philthies” (Coke and Hughes.  Credit for the nickname actually goes to Michael Kay.  I wish I had thought of it first.  DAMN DAMN DAMN.),  Mo, and Bruney unavailable after pitching in the 12-inning affair the day before.

” Double A” a.k.a. Alfredo Aceves came through in the clutch.  In fact, I’m going to throw another nickname out there:  First-half MVP for the NY Yankees.

AP Photo / Lynne Sladky

Yes, kudos and accolades to A-Rod (for anchoring the offense and spurring a winning streak), Tex (for a gold glove 1B and being worth $180 million), A.J. and C.C. (for front-line starting pitching), Mo (for being Mo, at least in save situations), Jeter (for proving his critics wrong about his speed, defense, and hitting and for dating Minka Kelly) and the rest of the Yankees that have come up huge (Georgie, Melky, Cano, Swish, Damon, Gardner, Pettitte, the Philthies, and even Godzilla).  Crap, I just named 15 members of the 25-man roster.  But my main point is on a team with so much talent and pre-season hype and contributions UP and DOWN the roster, Double A’s been the most valuable.

He has stabilized the much maligned bullpen and been versatile enough to be the long man, middle relief, eighth inning guy, and today a closer.  If stretched out enough, he could probably spot start too.  And he wasn’t a high-priced free agent signing or acquired through a trade for prospects or even drafted.   We signed him to a minor-league contract out of the Mexican league.  By the way, I think he’s only 26 years old.  For those that like to remember the glory days of the 90’s, he’s Ramiro Mendoza meets El Duque.  There.  I said it.  And no, I won’t take it back.

Look, Ace obviously doesn’t have the raw talent and ability of Joba.  Scouts rate Joba’s fastball and slider very high and his curveball and changeup are coming along nicely.  However, with much less “stuff”, Aceves is going out there and mastering the same hitters that teed off Joba.  Chamberlain’s still young and the season’s only at the half-way point.  I believe he’s going to get IT real soon and hopefully we will see the full potential of Joba as a starter.

Ultimately, a win’s a win and the Yankees were one bad inning away from being tied with the “Team That Shall Not Be Named” in the division.”  However, it’s hard to ignore the somewhat hidden costs of the last two victories – Chien-Ming Wang’s health and confidence in Joba Chamberlain.  Luckily, this year’s version of the Yankees seem to be a resilient bunch and it will make for a very interesting summer.

And that’s my two cents.

Edible Arrangements Fruit Basket of the Weekend Goes to . . .

the scrappy Seattle Mariners for taking 2 out of 3 and came within a short hair of sweeping “that team” north of here.

AP Photo / Winslow Townson

Replacing Wang

My theory is we call up Sergio Mitre.  We have a few open spots on the 40-man roster.  Look for him to get called up to start this Thursday in Wang’s spot in the rotation.  Please no Kei Igawa.  I’ll pass.  I could see Aceves starting but I’d rather have him anchoring the ‘pen.

All-Stars

Congrats to the Captain, Tex, and Mariano on their All-Star Game selection.  Looks like having laptops available at the stadium for online voting helped nudge Tex over Youk the Beard.

And finally, in honor of our inaugural posting in Section 203, a tribute to a first inning roll call from back in 2006.  Have a good one folks!

Section 203 is the home of the Bleacher Creatures at the new Yankee Stadium.  It’s also where FiveToolPlayer comes to write about his beloved (and at times frustrating) New York Yankees.  Come back often as FTP rants, raves, and gives his take on the most recent Yankees game and news.