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Joba Chamberlain News & Rumors

Yankees settle with Joba, Robertson
January 18
New York Post
 
"David Robertson and Joba Chamberlain will not be headed to arbitration with the Yankees. Both relievers agreed to one-year contracts yesterday, avoiding arbitration. Robertson is expected to receive $1.6 million plus incentives and Chamberlain $1.67 million. A day earlier, Phil Hughes avoided arbitration with the club by agreeing to a one-year deal worth $3.2 million. Robertson emerged as the Yankees' most consistent reliever last season, finishing 4-0 with a 1.08 ERA in 70 games. The right-hander led AL relievers in ERA. Chamberlain's season ended in June, and he had to undergo Tommy John surgery. He went 2-0 with a 2.83 ERA in 27 appearances for the Yankees last season. The Yankees are"
Chamberlain, Robertson reach deals with Yankees
January 17
New York Post
 
"David Robertson and Joba Chamberlain won't be headed to arbitration with the Yankees. Both relievers agreed to one-year contracts on Tuesday, avoiding arbitration. Robertson is expected to receive $1.6 million plus incentives and Chamberlain $1.67 million."
Joba's season officially over
June 11
New York Post
 
"The Yankees got the news they expected yesterday -- Joba Chamberlain needs Tommy John surgery on his right elbow and his season is over. Renowned orthopedist Dr. James Andrews reviewed Chamberlain's MRI exam results and confirmed the Yankees fears that surgery was the only option to repair the torn ligament in Chamberlain's elbow. He will have the surgery Thursday in Pensacola, Fla. Chamberlain tried to stay positive as he stared at a rehabilitation process that will keep him out for at least the next 12 to 16 months. "This is a surgery that a lot of people have," Chamberlain said before the Yankees' 11-7 victory over the Indians last night. "People understand that you can come back from"
Joba Chamberlain needs Tommy John surgery, surgery next week
June 11
New York Daily News
 
"A review by Dr. James Andrews of Joba Chamberlain's most-recent MRI results confirmed what the Yankees already believed: Their key setup man needs Tommy John surgery. Chamberlain, who was diagnosed with a torn elbow ligament by team doctors Wednesday, will undergo season-ending surgery performed by Dr. Andrews next Thursday, Joe Girardi announced before Friday's game against Cleveland. "I was pretty settled that he was going to have the surgery," Girardi said."
Joba has torn ligament; surgery likely for Yankees reliever
June 10
New York Post
 
"Joba Chamberlain's season is likely over and the future for the Yankees reliever is hazy thanks to an elbow ligament tear nobody saw unraveling. A MRI exam with dye contrast performed Thursday on Chamberlain's right arm revealed the damage the club believes will require surgery to repair. "It would be our position that he would need Tommy John surgery,'' GM Brian Cashman said of the procedure that usually takes 12 to 16 months of recovery. Chamberlain's agents requested the MRI exam be sent to Dr. James Andrews and Chamberlain could be examined by Andrews as soon as Friday. Chamberlain said he wants to pitch through the problem but realizes what is at stake. "You're going to have to cut my"
Cashman: No regrets about 'Joba Rules'
June 10
New York Post
 
"Considering that the Yankees' reasoning for implementing the "Joba Rules" four years ago was to prevent arm trouble and Chamberlain is now staring at Tommy John surgery, GM Brian Cashman was asked yesterday if he regretted using them. "No. Those rules exist in our minor leagues. The only reason it was publicized up here is they were put in a position at the big-league level to protect guys," Cashman said. "You don't normally have to do that at this level because guys don't move that fast. They weren't created for Joba. They existed for years, but [the media] got exposed to what a developmental program is. I don't think there's any regret in trying to err on the side of caution to try to"
Just no guarantees for young arms
June 10
New York Post
 columnist Kevin Kernan
"On the night of July 25, 2008, Joba Chamberlain pitched seven shutout innings against the Red Sox, striking out nine in a 1-0 victory. He walked off the mound that night at Fenway Park with a limitless pitching future. Now Tommy John surgery is right around the corner. Phil Hughes was on his way to the All-Star Game this time last year. Now It's a big day now when Hughes touches 90 miles per hour on the radar gun on a back field in Tampa. No one knows when Hughes will rejoin the Yankees as he battles right-shoulder inflammation. The Yankees were going to have these two young arms to anchor their staff for years. They traded Ian Kennedy in the deal for Curtis Granderson after the 2009"
Joba Chamberlain faces season-ending surgery for elbow injury
June 10
Newark Star-Ledger
 
"Joba Chamberlain had none of the symptoms that come with a torn elbow ligament. He performed typical tasks, such as turning door knobs, without a problem. He threw all of his breaking pitches, a troublesome motion for those with torn elbows, without any issues. He never heard a pop. He felt no pain. So, when a team physician told him today that a dye-contrast MRI exam revealed a torn ligament in his right elbow , Chamberlain left before he could break down. "It's pretty easy to break down in that situation," he said. "I got out of there, shed a couple of tears, but you can't let it beat you. You have to get stronger from it." Though the team has sent his results to orthopedic surgeon"
Joba Chamberlain has torn ligament in right elbow
June 10
Newark Star-Ledger
 
"Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain faces the possibility of season-ending elbow surgery after an MRI revealed a torn ligament in his right elbow. Yankees manager Joe Girardi called the situation a head scratcher. Chamberlain hadn't shown symptoms associated with a torn ligament. Girardi said Chamberlain is unsure of how long he's been injured. Chamberlain was placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday . After Rafael Soriano went on the disabled list in May, he served as the eighth inning bridge to closer Mariano River. Chamberlain had a 2.83 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in 27 appearances and had gone his last 9 2/3 innings without allowing a run."
Joba Chamberlain's soap opera takes sad turn for Yankees
June 10
Newark Star-Ledger
 columnist Steve Politi
"Harlan Chamberlain arrived at Yankee Stadium on Thursday carrying a cribbage board in a plastic "I love N.Y." bag, expecting a few quick games in the clubhouse with his son. Then his Blackberry buzzed after he pulled into the parking garage. Then he heard the shaken voice of a pitcher who was once supposed to be the great hope for an entire franchise, and knew those games - and everything else about his talented kid - were on hold now. "It's torn," Joba Chamberlain told his dad. It, as the Yankees revealed soon after, was a ligament in his right elbow. The MRI is headed to specialist James Andrews to plan a course of action, and while the son was insisting they'd have to cut off that arm"
Joba Chamberlain's father admits 'reservations' about 'Joba Rules,' looking back on early years
June 10
New York Daily News
 
"Looking back now, Harlan Chamberlain and his son knew no better than to just comply with the " Joba Rules " the Yankees placed on the young pitcher earlier in his career. It was the first time the two were dealing with a major league franchise, after all. After hearing the news Thursday that Joba Chamberlain likely needs Tommy John surgery , Harlan admitted he would have some misgivings about the way the Yankees limited the hard-throwing reliever's innings, if he were doing it all over again. "Looking back on it now, well...there's some reservations," the elder Chamberlain said. "But I entrust these people, this organization with one of the two most precious things I have: my"
Joba Chamberlain has torn right elbow ligament, season-ending Tommy John surgery likely
June 10
New York Daily News
 
"So much for the Joba Rules. Joba Chamberlain appears headed for Tommy John surgery after a dye-contrast MRI Thursday revealed a torn ligament in his elbow. The Yankees are sending Chamberlain's MRI results to Dr. James Andrews for a second opinion at the requests of the pitcher's agents, but the team is resigned to surgery being the final result, meaning he would be out for the next year. "We're sending the films to Andrews, but from our perspective it's indisputable that it's Tommy John," Brian Cashman said. "It's torn. His strength and stuff is there. The MRI doesn't necessarily match up with any symptoms." The news stunned Chamberlain, who said he feels no pain in his elbow. He had"
Joba the Hurt could be long gone
June 9
New York Post
 
"Joba Chamberlain went on the disabled list yesterday and nobody knows when the right-handed bridge to Mariano Rivera will return. The Yankees are so concerned they are sending Chamberlain for a second MRI exam today after yesterday's MRI exam revealed a strained flexor tendon. Today's MRI exam will include a dye contrast, which is more thorough. "That [problem] can lead to a long time," general manager Brian Cashman said after last the Yankees' 11-6 loss to the Red Sox last night at the Stadium. "We have had guys in the past that it took a month." The biggest fear is that often flexor tendon problems are the precursor of elbow ligament damage, which requires Tommy John surgery. "[Today] we"
Joba Chamberlain heads to DL, giving another setback to Yankees' bullpen
June 9
Newark Star-Ledger
 
"Perhaps no manager in baseball treats his relief pitchers with more care than the Yankees' Joe Girardi. Yet, despite his stringent rules and constant monitoring of their workloads, his bullpen is quickly beginning to look like an infirmary. Joba Chamberlain became the latest casualty today when the Yankees placed him on the 15-day disabled list with a flexor tendon injury near his right elbow. He will be shut down for 10 to 14 days before beginning a throwing program, meaning the Yankees will likely be without him for at least three weeks. "Guys that are able to shut down teams in late-inning situations are really hard to replace," Girardi said tonight, as the Yankees lost to the Red"
Yankees place Joba Chamberlain on 15-day disabled list
June 9
Newark Star-Ledger
 
"The Yankees bullpen has suffered its latest casualty. Joba Chamberlain was placed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday after an MRI revealed an issue with his flexor tendon that caused tenderness in the area. He will be shut down for 10 to 14 days before beginning a throwing program, meaning the Yankees will likely be without him for at least three weeks. Chamberlain had helped the bullpen absorb major losses to injury. He filled in as the team's set up man to replace Rafael Soriano, who has been on the disabled list since May 14 with right elbow inflammation. The bullpen has also been without left-hander Pedro Feliciano since spring training, an absence the Yankees have coped with by"
Yankees place reliever Joba Chamberlain on 15-day disabled list with strained muscle in right arm
June 9
New York Daily News
 
"Yankees relievers are becoming an endangered species. Joba Chamberlain became the latest member of the Bombers bullpen to land on the disabled list, sidelined by a strained flexor tendon in his elbow. Chamberlain will be shut down for the next 10-14 days before starting a throwing program, meaning he's likely to miss at least a month overall. "His arm has been a little tender the last couple of weeks, so we've been careful with him in what we've done," Joe Girardi said. "He played catch (Tuesday) and he said, 'It feels pretty good today but it's been tender.' We had the doctor look at it and they decided to do an MRI this morning. It's really pretty amazing; he probably pitched with it for"
Joba Chamberlain rediscovers his groove
June 8
Bergen Record
 
"The hat is pulled down low, just above his eyes, the brim ramrod straight. His Yankees jersey is baggy, fitting almost like a Little Leaguer's. Joba Chamberlain often looks like a kid. And he occasionally still acts like one, towel-whipping a clubhouse attendant before Tuesday night's 6-4 loss to Boston. But he's pitching like the man the Yankees have been expecting since his electric debut in 2007. Chamberlain, 25, has filled the set-up role in place of an injured Rafael Soriano, building a sturdy bridge to closer Mariano Rivera. Chamberlain has not allowed a run in his past eight appearances, and owns 2-0 mark with a 2.83 ERA in 28 2/3 innings. Hitters are batting .228 against him. Since"
Yankees' Joba Chamberlain brings back his curveball
June 7
Newark Star-Ledger
 
"Joba Chamberlain fired a tight slider that dove out of the strike zone and followed with a fastball over the outer edge. The Angels' Howie Kendrick fouled off both. The pitches were good enough to put Kendrick on the defensive, but they weren't enough to put him away, and Chamberlain knew this was a problem. The Yankees reliever had been summoned to protect a one-run lead late Sunday afternoon, and with a runner already in scoring position and the count full, Kendrick waited for the payoff. Which would it be? Another slider? Another fastball? Chamberlain had a different idea. "I needed to be able to change his eye level, to have something that goes down, that starts in the middle of the"
SI poll: A-Rod, Jeter among most overrated
June 1
New York Post
 
"It happens as routinely as June following May: Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter are judged harshly by their peers in a Sports Illustrated poll. Now the fans are jumping on board. According to SI, 185 major league players were asked anonymously "Who is the most overrated player in baseball?" For all the time put into the poll, the results are predictable. Of the top five, the Yankees have three. Rodriguez led the poll with 18 percent. Joba Chamberlain, got 12 percent and Jeter bagged seven percent. Nationals outfielder Jason Werth, who signed a staggering seven-year, $126 million contract in the winter, and Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon were named on four percent of the ballots. Rodriguez"
Sports Illustrated player poll has Alex Rodriguez, Joba Chamberlain
June 1
New York Daily News
 
"Do the Yankee Stadium Bleacher Creatures need to add "O-ver-rated" to their roll call of chants? Other Major League Baseball players sure seem to think so. Alex Rodriguez, Joba Chamberlain and Derek Jeter were voted the most overhyped players in the game by their peers, according to a poll released Tuesday by Sports Illustrated. The trio of Bronx Bombers sit atop the wrong kind of standings after being called out by a survey of 185 ballplayers. A-Rod received 18% of the vote, Chamberlain 12% and Jeter 7%. Washington Nationals outfielder Jayson Werth, Boston Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon and another Yankee, Nick Swisher, each got 4% of the vote. "I've been on this list before. I think"
Joba relieved inflammation not pink eye
May 23
New York Post
 
"When Derek Jeter asked Joba Chamberlain what was wrong with his right eye yesterday morning in the clubhouse, Chamberlain answered, "pink eye." "Go home," said Jeter, aware that the infection is highly contagious. "Woke up this morning with it," said Chamberlain, who was ahead of himself in making the diagnosis. After warming up during the Yankees' 9-3 Subway Series victory over the Mets at Yankee Stadium, Chamberlain was relieved to find out he did not have pink eye."
Joba takes place of Sore-iano
May 11
New York Post
 
"The Yankees had to turn to Joba Chamberlain to pitch the eighth inning last night because Rafael Soriano could not pitch due to a sore right elbow. Soriano saw Dr. Christopher Ahmad before the game with the Royals, and is expected to go for an MRI exam on the elbow today at Soriano's request. "I want to make sure everything is fine," the $35 million reliever said. Soriano said the elbow began bothering him last week after he threw back-to-back days against the Blue Jays. "I talked to the pitching coach that day in Detroit and said, 'Can you give me the day today?' " Soriano said. "He said, 'That's fine.' " Soriano pitched Friday and Sunday in Texas, and said the elbow began bothering him"
Joba Chamberlain's permanent reminder helping him on mound
April 19
Bergen Record
 
"The sentiment preserved in ink on the inside of Joba Chamberlain's left forearm has come to represent his new beginning with the Yankees. Live for today. Prepare for tomorrow. The message of his newest tattoo is a fitting precursor for what he hoped would be a rebirth of sorts for him on and off the diamond. No longer is Chamberlain fearful of not living up to expectations. There is very little to fear when you have failed far too often to everyone's liking, and especially your own. Sometimes reflection can be the most important step toward rediscovery. "I got home this winter and just went through all the stuff we had gone through in four years," Chamberlain said. "I just sat down,"
Joba Chamberlain's average velocity down, but reliever
April 19
New York Daily News
 
"Joba Chamberlain is averaging 93.6 mph on his fastball and has reached 96 multiple times this season, and the reliever believes he's got enough in reserve if he feels he needs the extra heat. That, plus a rejuvenated slider with increased depth, are perhaps the reasons Chamberlain "is throwing the ball well for us," GM Brian Cashman said. Of course, when it comes to Chamberlain, who burst onto the scene as a rock-star setup man in 2007 and has been in and out of the rotation, nothing is simple - he's pitched well, but also had three shaky outings, so his ERA is 4.00. All three batters he's walked have scored, including Sunday night, when he came in with one out in the seventh and walked"
Can't get the Joba done in 7th
April 11
New York Post
 
"A few hours before last night's Yankees-Red Sox series finale, Joba Chamberlain was sitting in a corner of the Yankees clubhouse talking about everything he's been through in his career. "You look back at all the things I've done since '07 here. It's been a roller coaster," Chamberlain said. Last night was a microcosm of that. Chamberlain got a huge out to end the sixth inning, but then crumbled in the seventh in his first stumble of the season. The 25-year-old relieved CC Sabathia with the bases loaded in the sixth. He got a groundout from Kevin Youkilis to escape the jam, and keep the Red Sox lead to 1-0. In the seventh, though, Chamberlain issued his first two walks of the season, and"
Joba is in 7th heaven
April 5
New York Post
 
"The Yankees entered the season with Rafael Soriano and Mariano Rivera locked into the eighth and ninth innings. Now, after watching Joba Chamberlain throw lights out in two chances in the seventh inning in the season's first four games, manager Joe Girardi said Chamberlain has laid claim to the seventh inning, as well. "Right now, that's what we're doing," Girardi said after last night's 4-3 win over the Twins. Chamberlain said Girardi hadn't spoken to him about his decision. "That's the first time I heard it," he said. "It's an honor and a privilege to have that role and to know that with the arms we've got down there they have enough confidence and faith in me to get guys out.""
Yankees' Joba Chamberlain may have found his role
April 2
New York Daily News
 
"He's been a starter and he's been a setup man, and neither role has worked out. So now, Joba Chamberlain is taking on yet another role with the Yankees, serving as the seventh-inning bridge to Rafael Soriano and Mariano Rivera. And the 25-year-old is feeling good about the challenge. "I've had the good fortune and pleasure to be in a lot of roles," Chamberlain said at Friday night's Million Dollar Kickoff in Manhattan, where he was promoting MLB 2k11's Perfect Game contest. "You embrace the role that you're in for that year. For me, it doesn't feel much different from the eighth inning." The righty added that while fans may only notice Soriano and Rivera, the seventh-inning role is a"
Opening Day not old for Joba
April 2
New York Post
 
"Joba Chamberlain still is just 25 years old, but it feels like he has been around Yankee Stadium since the Casey Stengel days because he has been discussed, dissected and dismissed more times than any other player his age. Thursday was Chamberlain's fourth Opening Day with the Yankees, and he started 2011 off strong, retiring the three batters he faced in the seventh inning of a 6-3 win over the Tigers. "Every opportunity that I get is special," Chamberlain said. "It's hard to get to the big leagues here, but it's harder to stay. The hard work to be able to get my fourth one, to be able to help this team win is an honor and a privilege." Chamberlain is no longer the closer-in-waiting or"
Joba Chamberlain back on the hill
March 23
Bergen Record
 
"After missing 10 days with a left oblique strain, Joba Chamberlain felt good in his one-inning return to game action. "I've probably never felt this ready [to start a season]," Chamberlain said after hitting 95 mph with his fastball against the Orioles. He felt he had his best delivery all spring. Chamberlain faced four batters, giving up a home run to J.J. Hardy. He struck out two. Chamberlain wasn't worried going in, but Joe Girardi took a wait-and-see approach. "The fact that he was able to throw 95 makes me feel pretty good," said the manager."
Joba strong in return from injury
March 23
New York Post
 
"For the most part, baseball relies on speed guns too much. It's better to judge hitters' swings than to be seduced by readings that reach the mid-90s. The gun, however, was a useful tool yesterday in gauging how Joba Chamberlain threw in his first outing since suffering a left oblique muscle strain. "He threw 95 (mph); that makes me feel pretty good," manager Joe Girardi said after the right-hander gave up one run, one hit (homer) and fanned two in one inning of a 6-2 loss to the Orioles. Chamberlain, who hadn't worked since March 11 because of the strain in his rib cage, was satisfied with his return and the way he has pitched this spring. "It wasn't anything to worry about," Chamberlain"
Joba Chamberlain's velocity raises eyebrows as New York Yankees reliever returns to mound
March 23
New York Daily News
 
"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,"
Joe Girardi waits to see Joba Chamberlain prove he's healthy vs. Orioles
March 22
New York Daily News
 
"Joba Chamberlain returns to the mound Tuesday in Sarasota against the Orioles, an outing which should put his oblique injury officially behind him. Chamberlain hasn't pitched in a game since March 11, sidelined last week by a strained left oblique. Chamberlain has insisted the injury is nothing to worry about, but Joe Girardi won't feel the same until he sees the reliever in a game."
Joba (strained oblique) shut down by Yankees
March 17
New York Post
 
"The Yankees said Wednesday that reliever Joba Chamberlain's injury is a strained left oblique and he won't be pitching soon. Chamberlain felt what he described as a "cramp" or a "spasm" while pitching last Friday. An MRI exam revealed the strain, and the Yankees are going to keep him off a mound for the immediate future. The plan is for Chamberlain to play catch Thursday, then make a plan after that. "Anytime you hear a strain, you say that's bad news," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "That's not what you want to hear. Right now he feels good. He's asymptomatic. He's done tests (in the training room) and feels good. As I've said, throwing is different than doing tests in the training"
MRI for Joba Chamberlain
March 16
Bergen Record
 
"Joba Chamberlain went for an MRI on his left oblique to better determine the source of his discomfort, and manager Joe Girardi said he doesn't have a plan for when the right-hander would resume pitching in a game. "Anytime you're dealing with an oblique, there's always a little bit of concern," Girardi said. Chamberlain last pitched Friday, and reported soreness to the team Sunday. He came in for treatment early Tuesday and spoke with Girardi. "Joba said that functionally, he's fine," Girardi said. "But I think they might give him a couple of extra days." Like the improving Sergio Mitre (sore left side) who is scheduled to throw a bullpen session today, Chamberlain would throw a side"
Uh-oh! Joba injury a worry for Yanks
March 16
New York Post
 
"With just two weeks remaining before Opening Day, Joba Chamberlain's left oblique injury sounds as if it may be more serious than the Yankees originally thought. The 25-year-old reliever experienced some pain in the area when he pitched on Friday, and manager Joe Girardi originally said Chamberlain would pitch again today or tomorrow -- but he has been pushed back after an MRI exam revealed what GM Brian Cashman would only call an "injured oblique." Both Cashman and Girardi said they are not overly concerned, but the fact they sent Chamberlain for an MRI on Sunday is not a good sign. Chamberlain told both of them yesterday he is not experiencing any pain. "Whenever anyone's dealing with an"
Joba Chamberlain has sore oblique, may cause him to miss more time at spring training
March 16
New York Daily News
 
"Joba Chamberlain's sore left oblique will keep him out of action for at least another day or two, as Yankees team doctors in New York were examining his MRI results to determine the severity of the injury. "Joba said, functionally, he's fine," Joe Girardi said. "I think they might give him a couple extra days. They just want to go slow and make sure they're doing the right thing." Chamberlain was scratched from his outing on Sunday, two days after he reported soreness in his side following an appearance in Friday's game. He spent Tuesday morning at Steinbrenner Field receiving treatment."
Joba Chamberlain's MRI examined
March 15
ESPN.com
 
"New York Yankees doctors are examining an MRI of reliever Joba Chamberlain's oblique on his left side to determine if the injury he sustained last week is more severe than originally thought. The Yankees had said that the right-hander is day to day. "He's been asymptomatic," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. At the moment, Chamberlain isn't pitching as the Yankees determine if it is anything more serious than a slight strain. Girardi noted that oblique injuries can be very tricky, especially for pitchers. They can mushroom from seemingly nothing to weeks or month-long injuries."
Joba, Mitre oblique injuries not thought serious
March 15
New York Post
 
"Joba Chamberlain and Sergio Mitre both have been sidelined with tightness in their left oblique muscles, but the Yankees say neither injury is serious. Chamberlain felt some discomfort after throwing a pitch Friday. Chamberlain worked out yesterday and said he felt fine. The hope is the reliever can throw in a game tomorrow or Thursday. Mitre was scheduled to start last night's game against the Red Sox, but was scratched yesterday morning in favor of Manuel Banuelos. Mitre woke up with tightness in the muscle Sunday, but he still wanted to pitch last night. Considering he missed five weeks last year with a strain in the same oblique, the Yankees opted to be cautious and keep him out. They"
Yankees take care of Phillies, Joba Chamberlain pleased with effectiveness of fastball
March 8
New York Daily News
 
"Joba Chamberlain went back to basics Monday. Relying on little more than the fastball that made him a cult hero back in 2007, Chamberlain threw a perfect inning of relief in the Yankees' 7-1 win over the Phillies at Steinbrenner Field. Chamberlain, who had allowed two runs on two hits and two walks in his last outing on Saturday, retired Shane Victorino, Placido Polanco and Jimmy Rollins in order in the fourth inning Monday. "I felt great; I didn't even throw any of my secondary pitches," Chamberlain said. "I felt good with my heater, pitched off of that the whole inning and then threw one changeup to Jimmy. I have to just pitch off my heater.""
Joba looks top notch to scouts
March 8
New York Post
 
"A flock of scouts descended on George M. Steinbrenner Field yesterday. Asked what they were doing watching the Phillies and Yankees, the answer was universal: normal coverage. However, teams know the Yankees are looking for starting pitching and ever since GM Brian Cashman said Joba Chamberlain wasn't a lock to make the team on the eve of camp opening because he has options remaining, other teams have been watching the reliever, who has pitched impressively in three of four outings. "I thought he was very good,'' said a scout whose speed gun clocked Chamberlain's fastball at 94 mph. "He has been throwing well.''"
Joba takes 1st spring shelling
March 6
New York Post
 
"CC Sabathia wasn't the only Yankees hurler to get beat up yesterday by the Nationals. Joba Chamberlain absorbed his first spanking of the exhibition season in a 10-8 loss to the Nationals at George M. Steinbrenner Field. In his third outing of the spring, Chamberlain allowed two runs, two hits and two walks. "He threw OK but made a couple of mistakes with his fastball," Joe Girardi said. "When we made mistakes with the fastball they hammered us." The Yankees, who are 2-5 in the Grapefruit League, fell behind 7-0 after 3½ innings before scoring eight runs in the home fourth."
Joba Chamberlain started spring training poorly, but Yankees could see a return to form this season
March 4
New York Daily News
 
"Joba Chamberlain seemed to set the wrong tone for what looms potentially as a crossroads season, reporting to spring training overweight. Yet, two weeks into camp he has lost the weight, pitched well and bounced around the clubhouse here as a visible, upbeat presence. In other words, if he was discouraged by the way his 2010 season went, with Joe Girardi losing faith in him late in the season, you sure can't tell. "Hey, there were times I (stunk) last year," Chamberlain said Wednesday. "I was terrible. You saw it. But it's over. I learned from it and I'm excited about what I'm doing right now." In fact, Chamberlain, who pitched a scoreless inning Wednesday against the Astros, says he"
Joba Chamberlain started spring training poorly, but Yankees could see a return to form this season
March 3
New York Daily News
 columnist John Harper
"Joba Chamberlain seemed to set the wrong tone for what looms potentially as a crossroads season, reporting to spring training overweight. Yet, two weeks into camp he has lost the weight, pitched well and bounced around the clubhouse here as a visible, upbeat presence. In other words, if he was discouraged by the way his 2010 season went, with Joe Girardi losing faith in him late in the season, you sure can't tell. "Hey, there were times I (stunk) last year," Chamberlain said Wednesday. "I was terrible. You saw it. But it's over. I learned from it and I'm excited about what I'm doing right now." In fact, Chamberlain, who pitched a scoreless inning Wednesday against the Astros, says he"
Joba Chamberlain's fastball clocks in at 94 mph as reliever throws perfect inning for Yankees
February 28
New York Daily News
 
"If Joba Chamberlain has to prove something this spring to claim a job in the bullpen, he got off to a pretty good start Saturday. With his fastball clocking in at 94 mph, Chamberlain tossed a perfect third inning against the Phillies, striking out one. "It was good to face somebody in a different uniform," Chamberlain said. "I had some good nerves today, which was exciting for me. It was nice to have that; you miss that feeling, that competitive edge.""
Joba comes out firing
February 27
The Journal News
 
"When Joba Chamberlain heard that his fastball was clocked up near 95 mph on Saturday, the Yankees' reliever was surprised. "It felt like I was throwing bowling balls out there, to be honest with you," he said, adding that he didn't think his velocity had been that high this early in spring training "in five or six years." Chamberlain, who worked a perfect inning in the Yankees' 5-4 loss to the Phillies, has been dogged by questions about his role and his weight this spring but said it felt good to be back pitching in a game. "You miss that competitive edge," he said. With Rafael Soriano now the primary setup man for Mariano Rivera, Chamberlain's spot in the bullpen is murkier, and there"
Chamberlain sharp in first spring outing
February 27
New York Post
 
"Is it the added pounds? The lowering of his hands? The possibility that he is pitching for a big league roster spot? Or, for the first time ever, not switching roles during the offseason? Whatever the reason, Joba Chamberlain looked good in one inning in the Yankees' 5-4 loss to the Phillies yesterday at George M. Steinbrenner Field, and that's all that matters. The fastball reached 94 mph. The slider had bite — just ask Wilson Valdez who whiffed on a filthy 87-mph slider. All five pitches were strikes in a perfect third inning. "My hands are lower this year," said Chamberlain, who dropped them from the chest to the belt buckle to remove the side-to-side movement in his deliver. "I [stunk]"
Colon and Chamberlain Open in Right Direction
February 27
New York Times
 
"The company line is that individual results in exhibition games matter far, far less than the process of preparation, especially on lazy Saturdays in February when the regulars spend a few innings in the field, log a couple of at-bats and escape into the sunshine. Still, judgments are formed, opinions are developed and, as Manager Joe Girardi said, "That doesn't mean that you can't open someone's eyes now." Within the Yankees' dugout, much of the eye-opening Saturday went on during the first three innings of their 5-4 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, when two of their spring curiosities were unveiled. Bidding for a rotation spot, Bartolo Colon struggled to command his sinker but flashed"
'Hefty Lefty' sympathizes with Joba's weight struggle
February 19
New York Post
 
"If Joba Chamberlain feels a need for moral support dealing with weight gain, all he has to do is look in the coaches' office at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Because Chamberlain's added pounds have been a popular topic in the early days of Yankees camp, The Post asked David Wells if he could help Chamberlain deal with the testy issue. "Joba could be one of those guys it bothers," Wells said of criticism from fans and the media. "That's where I can come into play. I can talk to him and put him at ease and help him concentrate because he has electrifying [stuff].""
Joba Chamberlain could learn from habits of Mariano Rivera, the Yankees' durable closer
February 18
New York Daily News
 columnist Bill Madden
"Mariano Rivera showed up at Yankee camp customarily late Thursday and looked quizzically at me when I asked him if he needed to lose any weight. "Why?" he said. "I don't need to. I'm okay. Really." Already, there are a lot of weighty issues in this Yankee camp but, rest assured, Rivera, the greatest closer of all time and a physical marvel, is not one of them. Obviously, however, as he remained holed up in his Westchester home this week with a bunch of sick kids, he hadn't kept up on the news reports from Steinbrenner Field, where Joba Chamberlain's expanded girth has become a major issue. It's only a matter of time until Joba is indicted by the Yankee diet police for absconding with CC"