Rolling Through Philly

After Boston's 11-9 loss to New York, people were writing off the Sox. All the pink-hats were bailing, trying to sell off their tickets because Boston has the audacity to not be in first place. Sports pundits were talking about who the Sox should trade for prospects. All before two months of the season were finished.

Bigger Than A Win

In a few months, and we hope a few years, when the details of Friday's 10-3 New York Yankees' victory over the Boston Red Sox at Fenway back fades into the recesses of our memories, it will be remembered vividly by one special kid.

Earlier in the day Nick Swisher visiting the Boston Children's Hospital -- a place that can be described only as special, as Dave can attest to. Swisher told YES' Kim Jones on the postgame show that he was there to brighten the day of a young fan.

Swept Away

It didn't look good at the beginning of yesterday's 11-6 win over the Angels. Daisuke had gotten the pattern exactly backwards, having his worst inning right off the bat. Putting the Sox in 4-0 hole to start the game...I thought he was done. But then, somehow, the old Daisuke reasserted itself and that led to Boston improbably sweeping the Angels in a four-game set and laying the stage for a huge weekend series with the Yankees.

Phil Hughes Growing Up

Phil Hughes entered the season as the Yankees' No. 5 starter.

He's pitched like anything but.

Robinson's Day

There's something about Jackie Robinson Day that brings out the best in Robinson Cano.

A year ago, Cano went 2-for-4 with a double, homer and two RBI against the Rays.

Thursday he took it a step further.

Stop Messing With Joba

The Yankees made it official Thursday, naming Phil Hughes as the fifth starter -- a move that has been expected for several days.

Unfortunately, the brass just won't give up the ghost about Joba Chamberlain being a starter.

Shortly after the decision was announced, Brian Cashman told Newsday:

“He’s a starter in the bullpen. He can do both. He’s a starter who was just beaten out in the competition. That’s what we honestly believe, but we only had one spot.
"If someone wrote a story 'Joba is a failed starter’ -- that’s just not true. Bottom line, he’s a major-league starting pitcher.”

For the good of the team, for the good of Hughes and for the good of Joba, it's time to give up the dream. Move Joba to the bullpen and leave him there. Declare him a reliever and end this circus.

Associated Press

Hughes has come a long way this spring, developing a changeup to give him four quality pitches. But that doesn't mean he's going to go out and suddenly blossom into a dominant pitcher. He's still young and he's going to have ups and downs. And unless the Yankees do something, when Hughes runs into a rough patch, there will be calls for Joba to replace him in the rotation.

That's the last thing Hughes and the Yankees need.

Hughes needs to go out there every fifth day confident that a bad start or two or even three is not going to cost him his spot in the rotation. He shouldn't be looking over his shoulder.

Further, the Yankees need to give Hughes a legitimate opportunity to prove himself. The only way to do that is to let him start in the majors, experience growing pains and learn what it takes to be successful in the majors. Developing quality starters doesn't happen overnight and very few come up from the minors and have long, sustained success immediately. It can take two or three years.

And Joba also needs his future with the team defined. Does Joba have the talent and ability to be a dependable major league starter? Yes, but the Yankees have not handled his development in the most efficient -- or sane -- manner. And clearly bouncing between the different mentalities between starting and relieving has not been an easy adjustment for the 24-year-old righty.

Associated Press

Another team -- one that doesn't have the expectation the Yankees have -- might have been more successful making Joba a starter, but it's not going to happen in the Bronx. Not now.

If Andy Pettitte, as expected, does retire after this season, the free agent class this coming offseason appears as if it will so strong, that it's hard to believe Joba will even get another shot at the rotation next spring. Think the Yankees will pass up on the likes of Cliff Lee, Jeremy Bonderman or Josh Beckett if they hit the open market?

Joba -- unless Yankees do something crazy like send him Triple-A -- is going to be in the bullpen this season. Leave him there. Stop this madness.

No One To Blame But Joba

There was one issue for the New York Yankees headed to Tampa, Fla., for spring training: Who would be the No. 5 starter?

Yes, Joe Girardi has had to deal with whether to start Curtis Granderson in center or left and how reconstruct the lineup after the departures of Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui and Melky Cabrera and additions of Granderson and Nick Johnson in the offseason. But those were relatively minor issues. The Yankees' lineup is still formidable and the defense is improved no matter how Girardi puts it all together.

With CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Andy Pettitte and Javier Vazquez solidifying the first four spots in the rotation, the Yankees and Girardi had one big question to figure out: Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes?

Yes, Alfredo Aceves, Chad Gaudin and Sergio Mitre were included in the "competition," but did anyone believe they were legitimate candidates? I certainly didn't, and I would be shocked if one of them ended up in the rotation, despite their strong springs.

This was about Joba vs. Hughes ... and Joba seemed to be the guy with the leg up entering the training camp.

The 27-time World Champions (I'm going to love tying that all season -- if for no reason other than to annoy Dave) spent the last two years babying Chamberlain, adhering strict to pitch counts, setting innings limits. It was all done to protected the prize, fire-balling righthander while carefully building his arm strength.

All of it was done to get to this point. This was supposed to be Joba's year to prove the Yankees' scouts right. All the limits, the Joba Rules were out the window. Joba was free.

All along in the Great Joba Debate, I've said we need to wait and see what Chamberlain is. Yes, we knew he could be a great reliever, but that didn't preclude him from also being a great starter. Joba needed to be developed and then he needed to go out and get the job done.

This was the spring Joba was supposed to show us what he's got.

Instead, he hasn't shown us much of anything.

Chamberlain has thrown the ball better of late, but by all accounts, Hughes has been better, taking control in the battle for the fifth spot, according to the Daily News' Mark Feinsand.

Hughes has spent the spring working on his changeup, giving him four major-league caliber pitches. And while Hughes did serve up three homers in Monday's outing, both he and Girardi were pleased with the way he was throwing.

Girardi is nearing the point when he's going to have to make decision, possibly as early as Thursday. For now, the manager is not ruling anything out, including sending both Hughes and Joba to the bullpen or even sending one to the minors.

But if Girardi does not go with Joba, then Joba will have only himself to blame. Given the opportunity to prove that he deserves to be in the rotation, Joba has thrown to a 16.20 ERA -- bloated even by spring training standards to say the least. He has failed to seize the prize before him. There are no more excuses.

It's looking likely that Joba's future is destined for the bullpen. It's time to end the debate.