Hail Joba!

Digging Up The Prospect Profile
Joba Chamberlain was drafted by the Yankees this year and went to the Hawaii League to confirm his talent. Here's a Prospect Profile on the big man.

Year ERA W-L IP ER BB K BAA
2005 2.81 10-2 118.2 37 22 130 0.218
2006 3.93 6-5 89.1 39 34 102 0.255

What really sticks out is Chamberlain’s phenomenal 4/1 strikeout to walk ratio. He’s also has a large frame that – despite the concerns with arm injuries – could log 180-200 innings a season.

Chamberlain does not have problems with his stuff. He uses great arm action and a fluid drive towards the plate to hit 98, and sits with a plus control fastball at 93-95 on the gun. He likes to mix in an average to above-average changeup of 80-83 and has found success with the pitch at lower levels. His changeup will have to learn more fade to survive against top-tier hitters.

Chamberlain’s out pitch is his 10-to-4 plus slider that stays low and tempts hitters. Some reports from Hawaiian Winter Baseball have noted that the slider was declining into a loose slurve. He also throws an average curve that does more to change pace than change plain. He excels with the command of his pitches spotting them where he needs.

While many organizations decided against sending top-shelf pitching prospects to the island, there is little argument Chamberlain was the most dominate and ready player of the group in Hawaii. There he continued to display the characteristics scouts love, an uncanny ability to make hitters miss. He struck out 46 and walked only three.

You know, this guy is what scouts call a player to dream upon. Looking at the numbers, they seem to confirm their dreams. This guy is projected to be a No2.-3 type like Pettitte, but he may jusst turn out to be a No.1. He probably won't turn into Roger Clemens (who does?), but he could turn into better than C.C. Sabathia.

What's even more cool is this little tidbit of rivia:

Others: Joba is a member of the Winnebago Tribe, and could be one of two Native Americans playing in the Major Leagues when/if he makes it up (the other is Bobby Madritsch).

Now that's sort of interesting. With the arrival of Wang, the coming emergence of Philip Hughes, and the likely emergence of Joba Chamberlain, adding in names such as Ian Kennedy, Humberto Sanchez, Dellin Betances, by 2009, the Yankee rotation is going to look decidedly young, homegrown, and that's really exciting.