Mailbag: Are Yanks stingy with Joba?

Mailbag: Are Yanks stingy with Joba?

Reporter Bryan Hoch answers Yankees fans' questions

By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com

Click around the radio dial and the sports television programs, and it seems like all of New York is fascinated with Joba Chamberlain. There's good reason: the 21-year-old has been electric so far, bringing in a flurry of questions for this week's Yankees mailbag.

As we have all seen, Chamberlain has been absolutely amazing. He is, without a doubt, the most effective arm in the bullpen. How long can the Yankees go before his talent is too much to deny a day off, or two, after every outing given the ineffectiveness of the rest of the bullpen?
-- Reed T., McGuire AFB, N.J.

At least another month, I'd say, though the Yankees are sticking steadfastly to the plan that the so-called "Chamberlain Rules" are here to stay. The club's investment in Chamberlain, whom they continue to project as a key piece in the organization's future, is heavy, and certainly no one wants to see a promising rookie suffer a setback.

The guidelines with which general manager Brian Cashman and the club's player development hierarchy have presented Chamberlain to manager Joe Torre are conservative by design; some might say too much so. If keeping Chamberlain healthy for September and potential playoff appearances means keeping him out a day after he pitches an inning, or holding him to 35 pitches if used for two innings, then the Yankees seem prepared to do that.

Watch closely how this progresses, though, and wonder if some of the rigidity may fall off if the Yankees keep up their run. If Chamberlain continues to retire batters with remarkable efficiency and the Yankees' postseason odds come down to a few select outs, you would think there might be some room to bend.

I originally thought the Red Sox did themselves a disservice by placing Jonathan Papelbon in the bullpen, but he is a great closer and has the demeanor to go along with it. Mariano Rivera had a great 1996 year as the setup man for John Wetteland. With Mariano reaching the end of his career, is there any talk of having Chamberlain set up for Mo next season and learn from him? Chamberlain has great command of his pitches and also has a cool-calm demeanor.
-- Erik Z., Buffalo, N.Y.

Let's get past this season before projecting Chamberlain's future role, though Cashman is on record as saying the Yankees still see him as a starting pitcher -- it just so happened that the organization internally realized Chamberlain could outproduce some of the relievers on the Major League roster earlier this year.

I wouldn't completely rule out Chamberlain's spot in relief; there have been so many starting pitchers who have found homes in the bullpen, and let's not forget that he's still an incomplete product -- Chamberlain's changeup and curveball could use development time if he is headed for the Yankees' rotation. For the time being, you see Chamberlain speaking so often with players like Rivera, Roger Clemens, etc. -- he's not shy about asking for advice. That can benefit him.

Please clear up a belief I have held for 60 years: the phrase "Holy Cow" was used by Harry Caray in his broadcasts of Cardinals games, as I remember from my grandpa's knee listening to the Cards broadcast. How does Phil Rizzuto claim he made it famous? I'm not degrading or disrespecting the Scooter's career on the field or broadcast booth, but our Little League went to St. Louis and bought us kids "Holy Cow" shirts to wear as our uniforms.
-- Bob W., Orange, Calif.

Correct you are. As Jack O'Connell wrote in his obituary for Rizzuto -- who passed away last week at 89 -- on MLB.com, "[Rizzuto] refused to give up his 'Holy Cow!' call that had been used first by another broadcasting legend, Harry Caray, because it was a phrase Rizzuto had used since childhood to avoid swearing. Anything that was part of Phil Rizzuto was part of his broadcast."

Though Caray may have said it first, the catch-phrase became part of Rizzuto's broadcasting essence; as much as the warm memories Yankees fans hold of his train-of-thought style, mid-inning birthday wishes to fans around the five boroughs, unpaid plugs for the Scooter's favorite bakeries, or early trips jetting across the George Washington Bridge to catch a few extra moments with his loving wife, Cora. "Holy Cow" may not have been completely original, but Rizzuto was one of a kind.

Looking at the standings on MLB.com, I notice there is a statistic called XW-L (expected win-loss record). This is a complex formula that the official Web site of MLB uses to determine the record the teams are expected to have in relation to their runs scored/runs against. The Yanks are now tied with Boston for the best of this "record" in all of baseball -- what are we to believe this might mean? Can you break the stat down?
-- Steve G., Charlotte, N.C.

The expected win-loss records provide some nice comparison and argument; generally, to see how "lucky" a team has been. The development of this statistic trails to sabermetrician Bill James, who came up with an equation in the 1980s that attempted to accurately predict how many games a team would win over the course of a season by examining how many runs were scored and allowed.

If you're a math whiz and want to cook up some numbers at home, the theorem is as follows: "Runs scored to an exponent of 1.83, divided by the sum of runs scored to an exponent of 1.83 plus runs allowed to an exponent of 1.83." Some versions also use two as the exponent.

What do you think the chances are of Bobby Abreu being a Yankee next year? I believe he could get $16 million, or the Yankees could buy him out for $2 million. With the overcrowded outfield, I don't see him back.
-- Steve S., New York

Your financial figures are roughly correct. If you'd asked this question in May or early June, I probably would have said the chances were extremely slim. With a $16 million option there for 2008, Abreu is not exactly an inexpensive piece. His offensive production sparked the Yankees late last season and if he repeats it, that could help make the price tag somewhat more palatable.

I hear Doug Mientkiewicz is preparing to rejoin the team soon. I am happy with the production of Wilson Betemit, Andy Phillips, Shelley Duncan, and the return of Jason Giambi. Does Doug have a job when he returns, and who would be sent down?
-- Tyler W., Mountainside, N.J.

Mientkiewicz is rehabbing in Tampa, Fla., but the Yankees do not plan to call him up until rosters expand to 40 players on Sept. 1. Upon return, he'll likely see time as a late-inning defensive replacement and part-time player; the same role he served for the '04 Red Sox.

Win leaves Yankees feeling youthful

Win leaves Yankees feeling youthful

Chamberlain, Ramirez each dominant for one inning of relief

By Caleb Breakey / MLB.com

NEW YORK -- Three lockers separated the cubbyholes that belong to Joba Chamberlain and Edwar Ramirez. The two relievers stood upright, the lines on their faces shifting as they listened, spoke and grinned.

Packs of reporters, print and broadcast, encircled the pair of pitchers. They had just dazzled a Sunday crowd of 55,071 at Yankee Stadium, combining to help seal a 9-3 win over the Tigers.

Chamberlain stood with a massive sling of ice wrapped over his arm and around his stomach, coloring his skin a shade of red where it touched him and adding to the already thoroughbred look branded from head to toe on his 6-foot-2, 230-pound frame.

Fifteen feet away stood Ramirez, the man manager Joe Torre labeled a thermometer earlier this season, playing off the slenderness of the 26-year-old rookie, who stands 6-foot-3 but rarely pushes a scale's needle past 150.

The two relievers are not related, but Chamberlain and Ramirez share a common trait: They throw nasty pitches -- so deceptive and biting, in fact, that left fielder Johnny Damon took a stab at describing what kind of pitcher the two of them would combine to make.

"Umm... Cy Young?" Damon postulated.

Quite a compliment, that, but the Yankees are more interested in how Chamberlain and Ramirez perform individually and in tandem. For the big fellow, the one who received chants of "Joba! Joba!" in the scoreless seventh inning he pitched, it's all about a fastball that reaches 100 mph.

Chamberlain's slingshot of a right arm explodes the ball from the tips of his fingers, so much so that catcher Jorge Posada said he couldn't compare it with that of any pitcher who has fired heaters into his mitt.

For the afternoon, the 21-year-old Chamberlain got Gary Sheffield to strike out, and then he struck out American League MVP candidate Magglio Ordonez on three pitches.

The next batter Chamberlain faced, Carlos Guillen, a .304 hitter, stayed alive at the plate for just a few more seconds than Ordonez, striking out on four pitches.

Ramirez helped explain what the oomph of the Tigers lineup was up against: "[A] very, very, very, very good fastball. And a good breaking pitch."

Detroit had to be happy to see Chamberlain exit. Tigers manager Jim Leyland said Chamberlain's fastball got his hitters so geared up for the heater that they had no chance against the rookie's slider.

Despite some frustration fuming over the Tigers' lack of hitting with runners on base, Leyland spoke some words that seem to already be spreading across the Bronx faster than the subways.

"He's one of those special guys."

Leyland's comment came across clear, but he easily could have been referring to Ramirez -- at least judging from the performance the right-hander turned in after relieving Chamberlain.

Ramirez came on in the eighth and used just 15 pitches to strike out the side. The fastball, which he throws between 89-92 mph, worked well as a setup pitch, skimming the corners for quick strikes.

But Ramirez broke out his secret weapon when he got ahead in the count. It was the pitch he featured in his Major League debut, when he also started an inning by fanning three in a row.

It's the changeup which Torre has studied well.

"That pitch is one of those power changeups," said Torre, who tied Casey Stengel for second place in franchise history with 1,149 wins as a Yankees manager. "It's one of those that, even if you look for it, it's tough to hit it, anyway."

Torre said he and Yankees management are working to take care of the two rookies, most notably Chamberlain, who, at least to this point in the season, is ordered one day of rest for every inning he pitches.

The two relievers don't care so much about the plans, however. They're having fun. They're pitching. They're doing well, and, as Chamberlain said, they may help even each other become better and prove Damon right.

"Hopefully, maybe I can learn [Ramirez's] changeup one day," Chamberlain said, "and I can give him some tips on the slider."

Damon, freshly showered and standing at his locker -- one spot over from Chien-Ming Wang, who started the game and picked up his 14th win -- said the two young guns could surprise teams during the Yankees' run at a pennant.

It all starts on Monday against Los Angeles at Angel Stadium. The Halos will be the first team, assuming they saw Chamberlain and Ramirez dominate the Tigers on Sunday, to make their scouting reports just a little bit thicker.

Either way, Damon, who launched a go-ahead solo home run off Tigers starter Jeremy Bonderman, said the Yankees are as solid as they've been all season, and now they have these two guys at the other end of the locker room standing under blue name plates reading "Chamberlain" and "Ramirez."

"They're throwing the ball well and nobody knows too much about them yet," Damon said. "We have a lot of good things going on."

Notes: Farnsworth growing on fans

Notes: Farnsworth growing on fans

Reliever extends scoreless-innings streak with K of Sheffield

By Caleb Breakey / MLB.com

NEW YORK -- There were lots of boos for Gary Sheffield on Saturday afternoon, and then a chorus of cheers for Kyle Farnsworth. The power-on-power showdown in the seventh inning resulted in a swinging strikeout, and all of the sudden, the 54,802 in attendance for the Yankees' 5-2 win over the Tigers ushered the formerly out-of-favor Farnsworth back to the dugout with all the glitz and glamour of a hometown hero.

The crowd rose to its feet when Farnsworth got two strikes on Sheffield, and then exploded into an ovation when home-plate umpire Jeff Kellogg shot his hand up for the out. At that point, Farnsworth walked as casually as ever off the mound, past the first-base line and into a group of pinstriped teammates waiting to give him high-fives.

"That's one thing about these fans," manager Joe Torre said. "They're going to let you know they appreciate you, just like they're going to let you know that they think you can do a better job."

Since the right-hander surrendered a run to the Royals on Aug. 4, Farnsworth has thrown four scoreless innings, while walking just one and striking out four. Over that stretch, his ERA has dropped from 4.87 to 4.47.

Farnsworth has been working on his mechanics with pitching coach Ron Guidry since the All-Star break. Of late, Torre said, Farnsworth has shown a smooth motion off the rubber, leading to better location with his fastball and, even more importantly for the right-hander, his slider.

"It definitely feels like [the ball is] coming out [of my hand] a lot easier," Farnsworth said. "I think that's just being nice and, mechanics-wise, just keeping it quiet and not trying to explode and jump out too fast."

As Torre noted on Saturday, pitchers can't settle into a role that disregards the practical need of getting into games on a regular basis to stay sharp. The skipper said he learned that lesson earlier this season, when Mariano Rivera struggled in save situations because he didn't have opportunities to pitch in those spots frequently. Too many days separated his outings, and as a result, Rivera's ERA skyrocketed to 10.57 by the end of April.

Farnsworth has been through stretches this season in which he hasn't pitched for five consecutive days. He doesn't suggest, however, that regular trips to the mound have keyed his recent success. Instead, he attributes the strong innings to a change in attitude on the mound.

"I'm not fighting myself," Farnsworth said. "I'm just pitching, and whatever happens, happens."

Jeter rests: Derek Jeter, who got the day off on Sunday, resorted, as he often does, to joking with Torre after he found out his name wasn't on the lineup card.

"He always has his tongue in cheek," Torre said of the captain. "He says, 'I guess I've been benched,' and then he walks out of my office -- that type of thing."

Torre noted that, more often than not, it's too easy to put Jeter and his other stars into the lineup every day without a second thought, but given the wear and tear of a 162-game season -- not to mention the fact that the Yankees now have a deeper bench than they did on Opening Day -- the skipper is looking to give his prominent players a day or two off when he can.

"The season catches up with a lot of guys," Torre said. "We ignore both [Jeter] and Alex [Rodriguez] all the time, because we're so used to writing their names in the lineup -- and Robby Cano, too. ... We're just trying to be vigilant there, just try to take care of people before they have a problem."

Torre closes in on Stengel: With 1,148 wins in his managerial career with the Yankees, Torre needs just one more victory to tie Casey Stengel for second place in franchise history, an accomplishment he never would have imagined achieving as a youngster.

"Casey is who I grew up with," Torre said. "When [the Yankees] started that five World Series in a row, I was like 5 years old, and even though I wasn't a Yankees fan at the time, you certainly couldn't help but notice how dominant the Yankees were. Then I got to know Casey personally when he was managing the Mets. He was a colorful character."

With Saturday's victory over the Tigers, Torre recorded the 2,141st win in his career, passing Walter Alston for sole possession of eighth place on baseball's all-time list. That, coupled with his pending tie with Stengel, makes Torre a proud, yet humbled man.

"The number of games I've won is impressive, but the numbers that I've been lucky enough to win as a Yankee means a great deal to me when you start realizing the names you're connected with," Torre said.

Getting to know Joba: Five baseballs sit in Joba Chamberlain's locker, all of them in a perfect horizontal row on the top shelf. One was used in a Florida State League game, another in an Eastern League game, another in the Futures Game, and still another at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

And, of course, the last ball in the row of five is the game ball from his first Major League game against the Blue Jays in Toronto.

"They're just a little reminder of what it takes to get here," Chamberlain said. "[They remind me] of the hard work it took and to not ever stop working hard."

Now that the hard work has been accomplished -- for a cup of coffee, at least, if not much, much more -- Chamberlain is willing to reveal other secrets than the significance of those five balls.

While it may not be top-secret information, Chamberlain was excited to talk about his favorite foods and desserts. Steak tops the list of his main-course favorites, while ice cream and brownies is his choice of dessert.

Coming up: Phil Hughes (2-1, 4.44 ERA) and the Yankees will hit the road to take on Dustin Moseley (4-2, 4.84) and the Angels on Monday for the first game of a three-game series at Angel Stadium. First pitch is slated for 10:05 p.m. ET.