That really was one hell of a dive by the big fella. Didn't think he could move like that. Good stuff.
when the fastball is up in the high 90's, the curveball is devastating. 5 K's, all on breaking balls. What a fucking game by Joba. I hate it when he throws in the low 90's. Anyway, im on a roll here....next thread coming up.
A start he goes over 7 innings with a good pitch count and the gloaters come out...cool. Face it...You have 50 Yankees fans who want Joba to start. And 50 who want him in the 8th. I'm in the latter and I think Girardi should be as well...Bruney-Joba-Mo. Girardi could give a shit about Jobas future, its all about 2009 for Girardi...No postseason and he's fired. I wouldn't be surprised if he puts Joba in the 8th when and if Wang comes back to the rotation...He needs to win and that gives him the best chance.
Even if Girardi does want that (and I don't think he does), we are very fortunate that the latter 50 fans and/or Francessa aren't running the team. Cashman is... and he's made it very clear Joba is a starter. I really don't see why this is hard to understand. You have a guy who could grow into a dominant front-of-the-line starter. A guy like Santana, Beckett, Halladay, etc. (all of whom I'm sure would be dominant in a relief role). You (and others) are saying that you don't want to give him that chance, despite the fact that he's already shown he can be very, very good in the role, and that even when he struggles, he doesn't get lit up. Here is Joba's career line as a starter in the major leagues... he's started 22 games, about 2/3 of a season, so we're moving out of the range of small sample size: 22GS 6-2 W/L 3.19 ERA 9.5 K/9 That is not just "okay." That is very, very good. For comparison's sake, here are the career ERAs of the other front-line starters I mentioned (while pitching in the AL): Beckett - 4.16 Santana - 3.22 Halladay - 3.48 I swear, the Joba to the Pen guys are going to keep moving the goalposts on this one until he's won four Cy Young awards.
So, for this season, do you keep Wang in the pen? Guy's a 19 game winner, and if he's right, don't you have to move him into the rotation at some point? If Hughes, Wang and Joba are all pitching well and are here to stay, at least for now one of them has to go to the pen. Isn't Joba the best guy to do that, at least for this season?
You say "this season" as though it has no impact on next season. It does. If you put Joba in the pen now, you have the same problem next year where Joba's innings cap is at 140-150. He needs innings. So does Hughes. If they're going to move Wang back to the rotation, then they send Hughes down. And if everything goes well, Joba will be nearing his innings limit around August, and they can put him in the pen then, if they choose to.
nice little write-up on Austin Jackson, the Yankees top-prospect coming into the season. (Source) I strongly suggest reading the "feature story" that I linked in the article also.
Again...It IS all about this season for Girardi. Do you really think Girardi cares about Joba's dilemma for starters/reliever in 2010? Like I said...Girardi needs a Postseason berth in the worst way, if not he's fired...No question about it, the Yanks can easily eat the final year of his deal. And again...the BEST chance for Girardi to win would be Wang, IF, and I stress IF majorily. to be what he once was and have Bruney-Joba-Rivera. That's dominant. Girardi again can only focus on 09 because his ass is on the line...2010 Joba has no bearing on Girardi.
I really don't think you have a good idea of what Girardi is doing with the team. And if for some silly reason Girardi is managing the way you're assuming, I hope he gets fired even if they win the World Series.
Lately I haven't had a problem with him, but it's hard to have a problem with a guy when the team is winning so much. I still don't know why he allows Veras to hold a baseball.
