Hank Wants Joba Starting Now

From the NY Times comes word Hank Steinbrenner wants Joba Chamberlain in the starting rotation now. Calm it down Hanky:

With the Yankees off to a 10-10 start, and two of their young starters struggling, the Yankees co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner said there was one thing in particular he would like to change: He wants Joba Chamberlain, the Yankees’ hard-throwing setup man, to move into the rotation.

“I want him as a starter and so does everyone else, including him, and that is what we are working toward and we need him there now,” Steinbrenner said Sunday by telephone. “There is no question about it, you don’t have a guy with a 100-mile-per-hour fastball and keep him as a setup guy. You just don’t do that. You have to be an idiot to do that.”

“I think once Hughes and Kennedy get plenty of starts and get Joba back, and with Wang and Pettitte, we will be fine,” Steinbrenner said.

Steinbrenner said the Yankees were working on easing Chamberlain into the rotation, but he would not be specific on a timetable. The Yankees’ brain trust wanted to limit Chamberlan’s innings by having him spend at least part of the season in the bullpen. “The mistake was already made last year switching him to the bullpen out of panic or whatever,” Steinbrenner said. “I had no say in it last year and I wouldn’t have allowed it. That was done last year, so now we have to catch up. It has to be done on a schedule so we don’t rush him.”

Does Hankenstein realize the Yankees would not have made the playoffs last season had Chamberlain not sured up the 8th inning. Also, the Yankees were able to expertly limit Chamberlain's innings by using him in the reduced role of a late-inning reliever.

Relax Hank, you don't know nearly as much about baseball as you think - though you're right Joba will and should soon join the starting five.

First One To Seven Wins...

Bill Madden says these days a seven inning start is the new complete game. According to the article, teams with the most starts at or exceeding seven innings tend to find their way into October:

According to Elias Sports Bureau, the teams that get the most outings of seven or more innings from their starting pitchers have the best chance of making the playoffs. Last year, the Cleveland Indians led the majors with 71 games in which their starters went seven or more innings and they finished first in their division. The National League leaders were the Arizona Diamondbacks, with 59, and, not coincidentally, they too won their division.

With the exception of 2006, over the last five years those teams that finished first or second in the majors in starts of seven innings or more all made the playoffs. However, even those "new" complete game numbers are shrinking, as evidenced by the Yankees' major league-leading 87 starts of seven-plus innings in 2003, to the Angels' and Indians' major league-leading 71 in '06 and '07, respectively.

Madden: Don't Give Pitchers Long-Term Deals

Bill Madden offers owners a warning before signing starting pitchers to big contracts. He cites names like Kevin Brown, Denny Neagle and Mike Hampton before unfairly including Mike Mussina on a list of unsuccessful signings. He also misspelled Mitch Hilligoss, proving Madden couldn't pick Alan Horne out from a class photo of kindergarteners.

Some poor pitching signings listed below:

Japanese FAs May Be Bullpen Options

Masahide Kobayashi is a 33 year-old closer in Japan. He has a plus fastball that can touch 96 mph, a good splitter and an average slider. He is no spring chicken, but every bullpen in baseball could use a helping hand, especially the one rotting in the Bronx this Winter. Here's a report from Fantasy Baseball Cafe:

Masahide Kobayashi, record-setting, 6' 0", 172 lb., 33-year-old, righty closer will be a free agent after the 2007 season. After Iwase, and with Ishii on the mend, Kobayashi is likely the best readily available relief pitcher. A converted starter, Kobayashi was the first Japanese closer to achieve 20 saves in 6 consecutive seasons. He also had 33 consecutive saves in 2002, and has 200 career saves in seven years as the closer of the Chiba Lotte Marines. The fact that he will not need to be posted makes him even more attractive. Kobayashi has stated in the past that he deos not really enjoy America but that could easily change with the right contract and team. He has good control and is armed with a prototypical closer's arsenal containing a 95 mph fastball and slider. Kobayashi also has a split-finger fastball which he uses to keep left-handers off balance.

If signed as a free agent, Kobayashi could earn around $5 - 7 million dollars a year.

Kobayashi's 2007 showed potential for decline, but his raw stuff may still translate. He is far from a sure thing, but certainly worth a second look considering the dearth of middle relief available this year and year's past.

As is the case with Kobayashi, Yomiuri Giants veteran Koji Uehara is a free agent this offseason. Uehara was the Japanese version of Greg Maddux. Cunning, talented, poised and exhibiting tremendous control. He does not throw hard, 89-92 mph, but may command a respectable deal from a major league club, especially considering he was converted to closer in 2007 due to a nagging hamstring injury. He responded well, to say the least. Uehara struck out 66 batters in 62 total innings and walked only four, earned 32 saves, a 1.74 ERA and BAA of .204 in 55 games. At 32 years old, he isn't very young either, but he's been on MLB's radar for years now as a reliable professional pitcher.

Because I do not believe Kosuke Fukudome to be anything other than a more athletic outfield version of Akinori Iwamura. He will not hit 50 homers in the States and may not notch 20 his rookie season. Another pitcher available (via posting) this offseason is Hiroki Kuroda, who throws a fastball between 91-93mph along with a slider, shuto, forkball and splitter. He doesn't strike out many per nine innings, but is a reliable arm in Japanese competition.

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My #1 addition to the 2008 bullpen would be a healthy Mark Melancon, with JB Cox serving as a distant #2. Humberto Sanchez will not return from elbow surgery for some time, though there are several other potential bullpen powerarms in the minors. Guys like Kevin Whelan - when throwing strikes - would apply.

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