Joba Chamberlain started the 2008 baseball season in the bullpen. It appears as if he’ll end the season in the bullpen, as well.

Chamberlain, who missed time recently due to a shoulder injury, had been starting for the Yankees. As a starter, Chamberlain had a lot of success. In fact, Chamberlain was arguably the Yankees’ best starter.

In 12 starts, Chamberlain posted an ERA of 2.76 and had 74 strikeouts in 65.1 innings. While he was only 3-1 in his starts, he seemed to be getting better and better.

Returning to the bullpen isn’t all bad news for Chamberlain and the Yankees. Out of the bullpen, Chamberlain has a 2.28 ERA in 20 appearances. The Yankees will keep Chamberlain in the bullpen to minimize the wear and tear on his arm. Expect him to be the setup man for closer Mariano Rivera.

Photo: Newscom

Post from: Knuckle Curve

Joba Chamberlain, the young starting pitcher for the New York Yankees who has massive potential, is headed to see Dr. James Andrews following an MRI on his shoulder. Chamberlain left his last start after experiencing pain in his shoulder.

It’s never good news when pitchers go visit Dr. Andrews, who is an expert on shoulder injuries. If Chamberlain has a serious shoulder injury, he could be sidelined for quite a while. Even if the injury is relatively minor, there’s no doubt that the Yankees will be cautious with their young pitcher.

On the season, Chamberlain has been impressive in terms of making the transition from a reliever to a starting pitcher. He has a 2.63 ERA to go with a 4-3 record. His 103 strikeouts in less than 90 innings illustrate how dominant he can be on the mound.

In the next couple days, we should hear a Joba Chamberlain injury update. Stay tuned.

Photo: Newscom

Post from: Knuckle Curve