A Chip Off the Old Block

There's been a lot of hubbub here in New York, and especially on sports (aka knucklehead) radio about Joba Chamberlain, and Hank Steinbrenner (pictured, and that should be "HS" and not "JS") and his recent inane comments about him.

Hankenstein's been acting like a two-year-old, and has been demanding that the Yankees move Chamberlain into the rotation now, because he throws 100 MPH and anyone who thinks he should stay in the bullpen must be "an idiot." Talk about idiots. (Kyle Farnsworth throws 100 MPH, too, Hank. Should he start too?)

Chamberlain's in the best possible place for himself and the Yankees right now. While he was a starter in college and in the minors, he seems to be a quality eight inning reliever, and that is probably the most valuable commodity in baseball right now. You can't trade for one right now, and if you have one you hold on to it with your life. Quality starters and even closers are more common.

Steinbrenner seems to think by putting Chamberlain in the rotation he will automatically light up the boards and is a future Cy Young Award winner. He hasn't started an MLB game yet, but has shown he can setup Mariano Rivera quite well. So why even think of moving him? Rivera will be 39 this year, and is signed for two more years. Can he still be the same closer he's always been down the road? No one knows that, and you can't take chances should he get hurt or ineffective. You have to have someone who could step in should that happen.

The two rookies they've been counting on, Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy, have been taking their lumps in the early going, and everyone, including Hankenstein himself, knew that was a definite possibility. But the Yankees made a commitment to these kids, that they were the real thing. Now, Mr. Hankee has been running off his mouth once again that he would have made the Johan Santana trade last winter. It's REALLY easy to say that now, and Hankenstein looks like especially idiotic know. He also looks like he's doing his best to make himself look smart, and placing the blame for the Yankees' failures on Brian Cashman, who is committed to youth and the Yankees young pitchers. (Hey Hank, you and brother Hal are the money men, and the final say on matters like trades, so don't insult everyone's intelligence by uttering such nonsense.) I'm sure this is giving Cashman a few sleepless nights, and probably just wishes Hankenstein would just keep his big yap shut.

And a better question that few seem to be asking about moving Chamberlain to the rotation is: who replaces him in the eighth inning? LaTroy Hawkins? Kyle Farnsworth? Good luck with that one. And I've also heard that the injuries that Chamberlain had at Nebraska may make him a ticking time bomb, namely the knee and shoulder problems he's had. And putting him in the rotation might accelerate those troubles. Chamberlain maybe best suited as a one-inning reliever, and grooming him to be Rivera's successor. But, like getting his new luxury boxes, Hank has to be made happy. (Don't you get the feeling from those pictures of him, that he's NEVER happy?)

Yep, Hankenstein's a chip off the old block, and is bringing back the "good old days" when Pop would do or say anything outrageous. And most of the time, it was to the Yankees' detriment. He's fallen in love with the press and the back pages, just like his father.

Like I said before the season, it's going to be a fun year. Except if your name is Brian Cashman.