Jobagate

If you are not a Yankees fan or just generally don’t care about the greatest franchise in sports history then just stop reading now.

Well it’s not even May and some fat mouthed Steinbrenner has opened his mouth. Hank Steinbrenner now officially running things for the Yankees has made it known that he wants phenom Joba Chamberlain in the starting rotation in place of either Phil Hughes or Ian Kennedy. Sometimes I really hate people with the last name Steinbrenner.

Chamberlain was drafted and brought through the minors as a starting pitcher, but has been a setup reliever and occasional closer since joining the big league club last summer. Job ahs torn through the American league like a cyclone through Kansas. He is basically unhittable. The argument Steinbrenner makes is that other young potential stars Kennedy and Hughes are struggling mightily and that Chamberlain can do a better job, and that in the long run Chamberlain is going to be a starter for the Yankees.

Here is the problem when your name is Steinbrenner; you have very limited long range vision. I, being way smarter than Hank, see things through a long term lens. This Yankee team is not built to win this or perhaps even next year the way it is currently constructed. This team needs to look toward its future when players like Pettitte, Posada, Damon, Matsui, Mussina, Giambi and Rivera are gone.

Think of three years from now having a team where A-Rod, Jeter and Abreu are your crafty old timers, guys in their prime like Melky Cabrera, Robinson Cano, Chad Moeller and maybe even Alberto Gonzalez(if we can find a position for him, perhaps 3rd and A-Rod at first). And a pitching staff consisting of Wang, Hughes, Kennedy, as starters and your pen being anchored down by Ross Ohlendorf and some guy named Joba; who is unleashing his fury on the league exclusively from the closer spot.

To me this decision is more about the long term future of this team. We know they will always find a place to plug in big time free agents, but they have plenty of home grown talent and don’t need to start tinkering with it too much. I know Joba is amazing as a reliever. Do I believe he can be effective as a starter, perhaps if his other two pitchs are as good as people say, but there is no guarantee. Why weaken your bullpen to maybe make your rotation better? You could wind up weakening two spots and ruining the confidence of all three pitchers; Chamberlain, Kennedy and Hughes. Instead show confidence in the young men, all under the age of 24, and allow your coach’s to do their job.