The Day the Bronx Stood Still

Well, the dust has settled. Pitches were thrown, bats were shattered, and runs were a plenty, but the one thing that mattered...didn't really matter.

Joba Chamberlain made his debut as a starting pitcher tonight, and although it's no secret that Yankee management is slowly bringing him along (umm, the Joba Rules? What's that like?), I think Yankee Nation expected a little bit more than 2 and 1/3 innings and more walks than strikeouts out of their pitching prophet.

Joba threw his 62nd pitch to Alex Rios in the third, ball four, hit the showers rook. In his debut, the pinstriped phenom gave up just one run on one hit, but walked four while striking out three. Joba also notched a balk in the first inning, which was followed up by a passed ball, proceeded by a Rios ground ball which brought in the first run of the game, and the first run that Chamberlain has allowed in over two weeks.

It was a rocky debut inning for Joba, but the rookie regained his composure and pitched a solid second. It says a lot that of the seven outs Joba recorded, three of them were K's, all swinging. Joba looked very much in control, and had his name been Schilling, Santana, or even his opponent Halladay, things may have worked out better for him and his team, maybe.

To say that Joba had a hard time getting calls would be quite the understatement. Painting the borders of his oppositions strike zone as usual, Joba threw a wide variety of impressive, intimidating pitches. A 101-mph fastball, a zipping slider, and a dropping breaking ball had Blue Jays looking silly at times, but more often had them taking their bases. Home plate umpire Ed Hickox reminded the world that Joba is still a rookie, and has more to prove before he gets the calls that a veteran starter would get.

But as usual, the least of the Yankees worries tonight was the 22-year old flame thrower. Two runs given up by Jose Veras and another four for Edwar Ramirez clinched a 9-3 Blue Jays win. Two of the relievers expected to fill the large shoes Joba leaves by becoming a starter proved tonight why Joba waited this long to make his first start. And as good as Joba looked at times tonight, he would have most likely looked better coming into the game in the seventh to preserve a 1-run lead, or to keep the Yanks in a tight game.

However, it was the same story it's been since the Yanks decided to throw Joba into the rotation. Close game given away by less than shaky bullpen...ouch it hurts. I mean, what's the point of giving Mariano Rivera all that money if he's not even going to be needed because the bullpen can't keep a game close? It really seemed like Joba was the answer to the Yankees' recent bullpen woes, maybe thinking he's the answer to starting pitching woes really won't help the team at all.

I'm not trying to be pessimistic in any way. I think Joba looked pretty good tonight, and as management allows him to throw more pitches and he learns the ropes, he could be a top starter. But one thing I know for sure, LaTroy Hawkins, Kyle Farnsworth, Ramirez, and Veras will never be able to make up for what removing Joba does to the bullpen. Yankee brass needs to get their priorities straight, before it's too late.