I’ll take it!

Joba’s recovery is pretty crazy.

I can’t really believe Joba is back on the mound already, but hopefully he keeps up the pace. I won’t go into what else I hope for him on the mound, since I’ve learned not to bother hoping for that one…

Joba returns to the starting rotation, Mo could come back this year, Gardner is close to hitting off of a tee ...

Goodness ... what a blessed day.

In any event, what’s up with Joba’s line?  1 IP, 0H, 1 R 0BB

Did Andujar turn a routine flyball into a inside the parker from 3B?

[3] 2 errors and a passed ball.

[4] Oops, didn’t see the passed ball.

Joba is determined.  Hard to believe the guy is still just 26.  I guess only spending a year in the minors will do that.

4) I presume they were both E-1.

Well, that’s a sudden rush of unbelievable.
Worth a period without CC and Andy?
Probably is.

This is some minor league “make sure he gets in his one relief inning so have him start the game” thing, right, not a return to sanity?

Via RAB: Thirteen months after blowing out his elbow and four months after dislocating his ankle, right-hander Joba Chamberlain appeared in his first minor league rehab game this morning. Pitching for the Rookie Level Gulf Coast League Yankees, he allowed an unearned run while striking out two in a hitless and walkless inning of work. Two errors by the third baseman and a passed ball allowed the run to score. Hooray, rookie ball defense. According to reports, he threw 23 pitches and topped out at 97 with the fastball.

[8] I can only hope that this is a long term investment for next year and beyond, especially since Banuelos seems MIA.

Also, per RAB, he hit 97.

[8] Pretty sure thats what it is. I think we all had this hope that his rehab regimen would best be executed with starts instead of random relief appearances, and then one thing leads to another and he ends up in the rotation. Then, all of a sudden, the Yankees had 5 starting pitchers getting the job done.

I guess maybe the door is open if Pettitte can’t come back in the timeframe expected, but I’d think they’d get Phelps in there to see how he can help in 2013 and beyond.

Would love to see Chamberlain in there, though, that’s for sure.

More from RAB:

Joba will probably take the next two or three days off before making his next appearance, which could last two innings.

More investment evidence?

[7] was predicated, without having read the article, on this being a return to sanity.

[11] Given that both Pettitte and Kuroda are on one year deals and I’m not sure how long the Yankees want Garcia around, it would serve the Yankees well to explore moving Joba back to the rotation. Right now the Yankees are guaranteed to have CC, Hughes and Nova next year (barring injury) for the remaining two spots, it looks like Phelps, Banuelos (if he ever comes back) and a recovering Pineda will be options.

Since Banuelos and Pineda are question marks and it is seemingly only semi-likely that the Yankees will pursue any of the big pitching free agents this winter, it makes sense to have another high upside starter available as an option. At worst the Yankees miss out on 1.5 months of post TJ Joba in the BP this year and end up with him in the BP next year. However there’s a chance that the 1.5 month sacrifice this year leads to an above average starter next year. Given the BP is already pretty strong, I’d seriously think about that gamble.

Oh silly us discussing this again.  I wish it was for real but I’m not holding my breath.

I think the Yankees are just fucking with us.

[16] It’s a secret plan.

[16] - You never know, the front office could think this is the official website of the New York Yankees and think our talking about it constitutes an order from above.

[14] IDK man.  Then if they work Joba as a starter but Phelps finishes this year strong, he’ll deserve (I would think) to be penciled into a spot next year.  And depending on Pineda’s recovery, if he’s ready to go in ST he’s got a spot too.  I’d rather Banuelos be the backup plan, perhaps with some other pitchers (e.g. Warren, maybe Marshall moves up, etc) in the backup plan.

Just because, okay now you throw Joba in as a starter through ST and Phelps and Pineda both outpitch him.  Then what, we go through the same, “oh, they’re jerking Joba around again?”  Or if Phelps outpitches him but they want to see what Joba can do and they move Phelps to the bullpen?  I think it will create more distraction, more uncertainty, and honestly at this point, we don’t know if Joba will ever live up to his promise as a starter.  I think he’s set as a reliever now…

I don’t think they’ll ever consider moving Joba back to the rotation but I think any plan that is relying on Pineda or Banuelos as depth in 2013 is not a good one.  They really should plan on assuming that neither one will be ready to assume a full time spot in the rotation.  So now your depth is what, Phelps?  I’d assume they’ll bring Pettitte back if he is healthy and effective, and I suppose I could see another one year deal with Kuroda if they needed it, but I fear Adam Warren’s going to be on the Anthony Claggett career path.

“the Anthony Claggett career path” 

I don’t know what that is, which I guess is the point.

[20] No I think it is likely that they bring one veteran back.  Probably not two, though that depends on Phelps a lot I think.  If he has a 2nd half like Nova’s a couple of years ago, I don’t see how you can NOT put him in the rotation, especially if they’re serious about 189.  So if they bring one back, then they have CC, Nova, Hughes, Phelps, Pettitte/Kuroda.  If Garcia is amenable to being a swing man they could bring him back as well.

But when it comes to Joba in the rotation, I think it is valid to bring up the questions of those other younger pitchers.  Because Pineda isn’t going to the pen.  If you put Joba over Phelps - assuming Phelps is successful in rotation - then you’re creating another controversy.  And if they have Joba as a starter in ST and then move him to the bullpen, then you have that controversy again.  Unless the Yankees truly BELIEVE in Joba as a #3 starter or better, I don’t think it makes any sense to put him back in the rotation…

[20] - I agree, but at the same time it’s hard to see them going into 2013 with no room for Pineda at all except in the pen/AAA.  What if he does surprise us and come back full strength?  I agree he most likely won’t so you can’t depend on him but I have no clue what they are going to do.  I could see the #5 being Phelps/Pineda’s spot to start the season with 1 additional SP (most likely either Pettitte/Kuroda/Hamels(still small hope)).

If he has a 2nd half like Nova’s a couple of years ago, I don’t see how you can NOT put him in the rotation, especially if they’re serious about 189. 

189 isn’t an issue until 2014, right? So in theory letting Phelps pitch a full season in the rotation in 2013 makes him more expensive sooner than he’d be if he was in more of a supporting role next year which makes it that much harder to have the payroll at the desired level in 2014,2015, etc.,.

I guess they’ll know more about Pineda before they have to start making these decisions since he’s supposed to start throwing in September.  That will probably dictate a lot of where they go next.

The Yankees can never have enough starting pitching.  Guys can always start the season in AAA in case a certain fan of Cap’n Crunch suddenly has an unexpected shoulder or elbow issue.  Pitching comes and goes. 

And if they do have a plethora of starting pitching and they’re all studs - well, the Yankees seem to have a few positional holes that need to be filled.

[24] Not to mention if Hughes has another nice season, like he is having this year, he’s going to cost more and he’ll be a free agent at the end of 2013(I think).

[26] This is a money season foe Phil? Wow…..... Being average sure pays in MLB nowadays.

Being average is worth $8-10 million/year.

For Chick Corea aficionados, the post title just made me think, “Return To Never”.