Joba Potentially Done For Season
According to @Ledger_Yankees (Newark Star-Ledger’s NYY-related Twitter feed), Yankees RHP Joba Chamberlain has a torn ligament in his elbow and could be out for the remainder of the season.
Update via Mark Feinsand -
Joba Chamberlain has a torn ligament in his right elbow and is likely headed for season-ending Tommy John surgery.
Joe Girardi delivered the news shortly after 4 p.m. Thursday during his pregame press conference.
Chamberlain was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Wednesday with a strained flexor tendon, but the Yankees sent him for a dye-contrast MRI exam on Thursday. The test revealed the ligament tear.
Chamberlain has not reported any severe pain or problem, so the discovery of a tear was a surprise for the Yankees and the reliever. Surgery has not been set, as Girardi said he thought Chamberlain would visit orthopedist Dr. James Andrews.
“I think he’s a little confused by it all,” Girardi said.
Girardi’s press conference sealed the deal; Chamberlain headed for Tommy John surgery. That means he’s out for the rest of this year and a good chunk of next year too.
I so damn wish we’d traded his flabby ass.
In other news, Hughes was throwing 90-92 today on his 30-pitch workout.
Assuming steady progress and a return to full health, we can almost guarantee that Hughes will take Chamberlain’s spot in the bullpen and reprise his 2009 short relief role.
Apparently the Yankees schizophrenia on how to treat young arms will be on full display once again.
Only Cashman could do this crazy math where “The Joba Rules” = “Tommy John Surgery.”
But, fear not, Mark Prior is in the wings!
Steve Lombardi wrote:
You can’t blame Brian Cashman for this. Then again, I’d expect nothing less from you.
This site has officially broken me.
I’m done.
@ MJ Recanati:
Is not Cashman the HYIC? At the end of the day, the Joba Rules were his…and they totally screwed with Chamberlain’s development, no?
@ Steve Lombardi:
Really? Now torn elbow ligaments are Cashman’s fault? A little perspective, please. This injury happens to pitchers all the time, and can occur to starters or relievers under different usage patterns.
The GM earns his keep by using the teams’s organizational assets to acquire a suitable replacement. That may mean bringing up youngsters such as Whelan, Pope, or Norton to see whether one can fill the role; transitioning Hughes back to the pen, as MJ hints; or trading minor league players for bullpen help. In short, we ought to judge Cashman by how he copes with the challenge, not blame him because the injury hit an important player.
@ Steve Lombardi:
Steve, what’s HYIC?
I don’t blame Cashman for Joba’s injury but I do hope the Yankees reconsider “coddling” pitchers arms. Fat lot of good that’s done. Nolan Ryan and Jim Katz both think the innings limits are ridiculous. They point to their time pitching, all the innings and the work in-between games. I believe Ryan’s not all that worried In TX about innings limits.
Note to Larry Rothschild: don’t send out your dry cleaning.
Things could get ugly in Yankeeland this summer.
Blaming Cashman for the ORGANIZATION’s rules about young arms is asinine.
Is it time to bring up the youth and perhaps give up on the world series this year?
We have the worst DH in the league, Our top catcher has a balky back and his backup’s defense has regressed beyond keeping him on the team.
Cano is having an awful season, Jeter and A-roid are sub-par for their careers and we have one decent outfielder (Granderson) who is currently struggling.
@ K-V-C:
A tad early to raise the white flag, I would say. The team stands one game out of first place. There are steps that can be taken to keep the team competitive, both with intenral options and trades.
Perhaps the larger issue is how much of the future it makes sense to sacrifice to compete this year. We have until the trade deadline to weigh whether the team is really competitive or doing it with smoke and mirrors. If the latter turns out to be the case, then it would be foolish to surrender much of value for the sake of staying int he race.
redbug wrote:
Head Yankee In Charge
Steves right. Doesn’t the guy in charge need to be blamed for the lack of development from pitchers?? Saying anyone can get hurt is nonsense. The organizational plans are obviously not working in regards to pitching. They haven’t developed a starter since Andy P. Cashman has made one good FA pick in 10 years. They can’t judge pitching. And 200+ should be better used.
Jake1 wrote:
And before Andy P? Ronald Aames Guidry. After Andy P? Chien Ming Wang.
David Wells? Jon Lieber? Orlando Hernandez? Mike Mussina? Chien Ming Wang? Alfredo Aceves?
The organization that can’t judge pitching is currently 5th in the AL in R/G, behind SEA, OAK, LAA & TBR. 4th in the league in ERA (behind OAK, SEA, LAA)
Chien Ming Wang, line 1. Adam Wainright, line 2. Mark Mulder, line 3. Tim Hudson, line 4. Johan Santana, line 5. Daisuke Matsuzaka, line 6… So on and so forth.
Steve Lombardi wrote:
Unintentionally, ironically, hysterical.
Mark Prior had no rules, and tore up his shoulder three times. Would you blame the Cubs’ GM for that?
Oh, and not for nothing, but the Red Sox changed all of Matsuzaka’s habits, and got a lesser pitcher and multiple injuries, culminating in TJ surgery for him.
You guys take me way too seriously sometimes.
It was a half tongue in cheek comment. And, you’ll jumped on it like I just accused JFK of being a Cuban spy or something…
Your trigger fingers need some carisoprodol my friends. Some of you are way too quick on the draw and fire.
@ Raf:
what’s HYIC?
Head Yankee In Charge
Duh! I hate it when I should’ve been able to figure it out!
Thanks Raf.
When does the “Girardi is a ruiner of arms” meme start again?
Raf wrote:
Nobody deserves blame for this, unless possibly Joba, for not realizing he was hurt earlier. And even, him…well he just may not have known, because he pitched almost two innings hurt on Sunday.
Evan3457 wrote:
Oh, I know. Doesn’t mean it won’t happen, though.