Joba Chamberlain

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 67.189.178.102 (talk) at 21:07, 20 March 2008 (→‎2008: Will begin the season as a Reliever). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Joba Chamberlain
New York Yankees – No. 62
Pitcher
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
debut
August 7, 2007, for the New York Yankees
Career statistics
(through October 2, 2007)
Win-Loss2-0
Saves1
Earned run average0.38
Innings pitched24
Strikeouts34
Teams

Joba Chamberlain (pronounced [ˈdʒɑːbə] "jah-buh") (born Justin Chamberlain, September 23, 1985, in Lincoln, Nebraska) is a baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees.

Early life

Chamberlain grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. At age 3, his parents divorced, and his father Harlan, a counselor at the Nebraska State Penitentiary, took custody of Joba and his older sister Tasha. The family lived in poverty, with Harlan often selling his possessions for cash to buy things for the children. Joba served as a ball boy for Lincoln Northeast High School's state championship basketball team, and eventually graduated from Northeast. He did not jump straight to college; to help pay the bills, Joba briefly worked for the city of Lincoln's maintenance department.

Chamberlain's father was born on a reservation for the Winnebago American Indian Tribe, but had to leave to be treated for polio. Harlan spent his childhood in hospitals and foster homes and now uses a motor scooter to get around. Now retired from the state penitentiary, he works as a substitute teacher and takes tickets at Cornhuskers' games. Chamberlain still has family living on American Indian reservations.

Joba's niece was unable to pronounce the name Justin correctly, pronouncing it as Joba instead and he grew to prefer this name. He eventually had his name legally changed to Joba.

College baseball

Chamberlain played for the University of Nebraska-Kearney Lopers, leading the team in ERA (2.23), opponents batting average (.250), strikeouts (49), and complete games (4), before transferring to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He helped the Cornhuskers reach the 2005 College World Series and helped Nebraska with the team's first-ever CWS win, going 10-2 with a 2.81 ERA for the year; his 2005 stats included 5 double-digit strikeout games. Triceps tendinitis limited his 2006 season but he still pitched in 14 games, posting a 6-5 record, a 3.93 ERA and 102 strikeouts in 89.1 innings.

ERA W L G IP ER BB K
2005 2.81 10 2 18 118.2 37 33 130
2006 3.93 6 5 14 89.1 39 34 102
Total 3.37 16 7 32 208 76 67 232

Minor leagues

Chamberlain was drafted 41st overall by the New York Yankees in the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft; the Yankees received that draft pick as free agent compensation for Tom Gordon, who signed with the Philadelphia Phillies. Chamberlain did not pitch in the organized minors during the 2006 season, but dominated the winter league in Hawaii, posting a 2.63 ERA for the West Oahu CaneFires.

Before the 2007 season, Baseball America ranked Chamberlain as the 4th-best prospect in the pitching-rich Yankee organization, and the 75th-best prospect in Major League Baseball, and ranked his fastball as the best in the Yankee farm system.

He spent the first part of his 2007 season on the A-Advanced Tampa Yankees in the Florida State League. He went 4-0 with a 2.03 ERA in 7 games, and had 51 strikeouts and 11 walks. It was also here that fans felt Joba looked similar to another prospect, Colter Bean and soon began using the chant "Something for ya Faja" because of this. He was then promoted to the AA Trenton Thunder in the Eastern League, where he was 4-2 in 7 games with a 3.43 ERA and 64 strikeouts. He was named to the U.S. Team in the 2007 All-Star Futures Game July 8 at AT&T Park. Chamberlain pitched the third inning, striking out one, walking one, and allowing a hit and an earned run. On July 24, 2007, Chamberlain was promoted to AAA Scranton-Wilkes Barre, and made his first start the next day, striking out 10 in 5 innings and earning his first AAA victory. While the Yankees still see him as a starter in the future, the team announced on July 29, 2007, that Chamberlain would be moved to the Scranton-Wilkes Barre bullpen, and he made his first appearance the next day, striking out the side in 1 inning pitched and hitting 100 on the radar gun three times. On August 1st, Joba went back to Trenton to make a relief appearance, striking out 2 batters in a 1-2-3 8th inning. He then came back to Scranton, pitching 2 innings and striking out 5 batters.

Major leagues

2007: Yankee Rookie

On August 7, 2007, the Yankees purchased Chamberlain's contract, elevating him to the major leagues for the first time in his career. To make room on their roster, the Yankees designated Miguel Cairo for assignment, and sent down Brian Bruney (coinciding with the activation of Jason Giambi)[1][2] In his debut, a Yankees victory over the Toronto Blue Jays, Chamberlain struck out the first batter he faced and went on to pitch two scoreless innings, striking out two. The television and stadium radar guns clocked his fastest pitch at 100 and 99 miles per hour, respectively, with his slider consistently registering at 87.

On August 30, 2007, Chamberlain threw two pitches over the head of Boston's Kevin Youkilis. Chamberlain was subsequently ejected for the first time in his baseball career. The next day, he was suspended for two games and fined $1,000 for the incident.

Joba wears the number 62 in honor of his best friend and childhood teammate who wore the number 8 and died from brain cancer. Throughout his minor league career, he has always worn a number in which the digits added up to eight (e.g. 62: 6 + 2 = 8) even when he hasn't asked for it.

When Chamberlain takes the mound, he begins with a private prayer ritual which he began doing in Little League. Dating back to the August 30th game (in which he was ejected) against the Red Sox, the Yankee Stadium scoreboard staff began playing Mötley Crüe's "Shout at the Devil" whenever Chamberlain enters a game.

Joba had an extraordinary experience when he was "bugged" in game 2 of the 2007 ALDS against the Cleveland Indians. The game took place at Jacobs Field (in Cleveland) on October 5. With the Yankees leading 1-0, Joba was pitching in the bottom of the eighth when a host of small insects swarmed the field.[3] Joba was repeatedly sprayed down with insecticide, which had no apparent deterrent effect on the midges. The midges distracted him and apparently led him to throw a wild pitch, permitting Grady Sizemore to advance from first to second base. After a sacrifice bunt, Sizemore moved up to third base and, after another wild pitch by Joba, Sizemore scored the tying run. The Indians went on to win the game 2-1.

On October 14, Hank Steinbrenner announced that Joba Chamberlain would begin 2008 Spring Training as a starting pitcher[4] but will limit his innings.


2008: Will begin the season as a Reliever

As of early March, it was uncertain what Joba's role would be in 2008. Most likely he will start the year off in the bullpen and possibly transition towards starting in the second half of the season. General Manager Brian Cashman and others have not discussed a definite plan and have stressed that Chamberlain's role may change in the course of the upcoming 2008 season. However, recent statements by Cashman, ie "He's a back-end guy. That's how I'm going to classify him" have led speculation to be that he will start the 2008 season in the bullpen.

On Thursday March 20, 2008, The New York Yankees announced that Joba Chamberlain would start the season in the bullpen. Manager Joe Girardi stated that Chamberlain would be used 'without restrictions' but that the team's use of Chamberlain would be guided by common sense.

Awards

  • 2005 3rd Team All-American
  • 2005 1st Team All Big 12
  • 2005 Big 12 Newcomer Pitcher of the Year
  • 2005 2nd Team All Midwest Region
  • 2005 Big 12 Pitcher of the Week (3/1/05)
  • 2005 National Pitcher of the Week (3/1/05)
  • 2005 Big 12 Pitcher of the Week (4/25/05)
  • 2006 1st Team Preseason All-American
  • 2006 Hawaiian Winter Post-Season All-Star
  • 2007 FSL Pitcher of the Week (5/14/07)
  • 2007 FSL Pitcher of the Week (5/28/07)
  • 2007 EL Pitcher of the Week (6/18/07)

In 2007, Chamberlain was featured on the cover of an issue of ESPN the Magazine, being named as being "Next" or being the most likely young player to become a star.

Trivia

  • During the March 3, 2008 special Spring Training edition of Baseball Tonight from Walt Disney World, Chamberlain noted that he is actually left-handed; he throws right because "for some reason my dad made me a right-handed pitcher..."
  • In the same interview, Joba revealed that he just rode his first roller coaster ever: Space Mountain.
  • Joba has a son named Karter [1].

References

  1. ^ Omaha.com Sports Section
  2. ^ The Official Site of The New York Yankees: News: Notes: Yanks call up Chamberlain
  3. ^ The Official Site of The New York Yankees: News: Insects a nuisance at ALDS
  4. ^ The Official Site of The New York Yankees: News: Chamberlain to return to familiar role

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joba_Chamberlain&oldid=199677564"