Listen to Hank!

Hank Steinbrenner says Joba Chamberlain should be a starter, and for once in my life I find myself in full support of a Steinbrenner. Send Joba to the minors for a month and then limit him to pitching every fifth day. Please!

Last year, Joba appeared in 19 regular-season games after his August call-up. The Yankees went 17-2 in those games (both defeats came in extra innings). Four times he entered games with the Yankees ahead by a run; three times the game was tied and once the Yanks trailed by a run. Otherwise, he made five appearances with NY up by 2 or 3 runs and 6 appearances with the Yankees ahead by more than 3 runs.

If he was a starter during that time, he probably would have made 10 starts and left a void in the 7th and 8th innings. Even if he was 10-0, I don’t think he would have surpassed the value he provided the Yankees by making 13 appearances in close games. Five times he pitched 2 innings and three other times he went more than 1 inning.

Putting Joba in the rotation essentially cuts in half the number of games in which he can appear. I’m all for that.