Thursday, March 6, 2008

J-(uh-oh)-ba: What if he sucks?

Wherever you live, quick: Go outside. Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane!

No. It's the ball that got hit yesterday off Joba Chamberlain.

Same with the married man, Ian P. Kennedy.

Official answer: They are shaking off rust. Getting into shape. Working on things.

Unofficial question: What if they suck?

Consider this; The emerging stars of spring 2007 were Sean Henn, Chase Wright, Bronson Sardinha and Josh Phelps. (Maybe Shelley Duncan needs a couple 0-4s, rather than wasting a hot streak.) In other words, doing well now means nothing.

Still, what if they suck?

Official answer: Cashman gets traded to the Mets for Johan Santana's poolboy.

Consider this: In recent years, the fallback starters turned into a Kris Wilson or Matt DeSalvo, guys nearer to 30 than 20. This year, we have a wave of young arms. Horne, then Marquez, Jones, Jackson, Smith and somebody — Betances? — who this moment might be tweaking a curve that for the next 20 years will turn batters’ knees into the New York State Fair Butter Sculpture.

If Joba sucks, there is Melancon, then Humberto, Cox, Whelan, Robertson, Patterson -- and a host of others.

We don't need to dwell on Joba, Ian or Hughes. We need to view the entire group with the understanding that one or two will emerge.

Right now, we don’t need to know their names.

Nor do we need to worry.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Even more concerning was that after he gave up the home run, he drilled the next batter with a fastball in the leg. What kind of a personality are the Yankees banking their future on? He throws back to back pitches over Youk's head and then drills a hitter in a Spring Training game and he's not even a rookie yet.

Anonymous said...

Never fear. We have Kyle!

Anonymous said...

It's Youk's bathtub brush of a beard that got him drilled. Whenever he's hopping up and down in the batting zone, I myself feel like throwing something at him.

I'm Bill White said...

Mmm, butter sculpture.