"Is Joba Chamberlain ready to turn the clock back to 2007?

Spring training results can often be deceiving, but the radar gun doesn't lie. Chamberlain hit as high as 96 mph during his 13-pitch outing Tuesday, consistently spotting his fastball throughout his inning of work against the Orioles.

Chamberlain allowed a solo home run by J.J. Hardy on a poorly thrown curveball, but his blazing fastball was hard to ignore, evoking memories of the 21-year-old who took New York by storm late in the '07 season.

"This is the best I've felt in spring training," Chamberlain said. "Usually, it's halfway through the season when I'm throwing this hard. That's a plus. Physically, I feel great, and mentally, I feel awesome. Those are two battles that are tough in spring training."

Chamberlain officially put his strained left oblique behind him Tuesday, reporting no problems after his first outing since March 11.

"It felt good to get back out on the mound," Chamberlain said. "It wasn't anything I was worried about, but it's always nice to get that first one under your belt. My delivery felt the best it's felt all year."

Chamberlain credits the mechanical changes he has made with new pitching coach Larry Rothschild for his consistent velocity this spring, something he believes will help him reach the high-90s - or even the 100 mph mark he routinely hit in 2007 - throughout the summer."