March 07, 2008
Valuing Joba
Vince Gennaro puts a value on the various pitching roles and decides the best financial return for the Yankees is to start Joba Chamberlain. WasWatching doesn't quite agree:
Is there value, outside of salary saved, for the Yankees to have Chamberlain make 20 beautiful starts in a season and then have half of those gems turned into losses because the team lacked quality arms in the pen (such as his)?
For me, it always comes down to that golden rule in baseball: Every season, with the exception of maybe the 1962 Mets or 1998 Yankees, every team in baseball is going to win 60 games, no matter what, and every team in baseball is going to lose 60 games, no matter what - and, it's what you do in those remaining 40 games that will make or break your season.
I think Steve is exaggerating the ability of the bullpen to blow a lead. If Joba starts, the Yankees are more likely to have a 5-2 lead after six innings, when the game goes to the pen. There's a very good chance the Yankees win those games, no matter who is in the bullpen.
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Posted by David Pinto at
08:29 AM
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Pitchers
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The question they should ask (and I am not a Yankee fan) is which way does he make them a better PLAYOFF team. They need to shut teams down in the 7-8th in the postseason. Shortening the game has a huge effect when you are only using the top 3 starters...
I agree - tell me a shut down bridge guy isn't worth more than a 6 inning starter - if this guy were a top of the rotation 1-2 starter he'd be there now - since he isn't I think this is the best role for him - I actually think they should have let Rivera walk and let this guy close but that's another story