Ian Kennedy's injury could mean Joba Chamberlain might start sooner
BY MARK FEINSAND
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Wednesday, May 28th 2008, 4:00 AM
BALTIMORE - Joba Chamberlain will take his next step toward the starting rotation Wednesday, and it might not be too long before the hard-throwing 22-year-old finds himself starting for the Yankees.
That's because Ian Kennedy's strained right lat muscle might open the door for the Yankees to hand Chamberlain his first big-league start as soon as Tuesday.
Kennedy left Tuesday night's game after three innings with the same injury that sidelined Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada for a few days during spring training.
Kennedy will be placed on the disabled list Wednesday, so the Yankees will need a fifth starter Tuesday at home against the Blue Jays.
Chamberlain is scheduled to throw 50-55 pitches tonight in relief of Andy Pettitte, a total which could increase to the 65-70 range in his next outing assuming the Yankees bump him the normal 10-15 pitches.
Girardi would not say whether Chamberlain could get the start on Tuesday, saying that he needed to consult with Brian Cashman.
"We'll have to have discussions, make some decisions and talk about some moves," Girardi said. "I'm not saying it's definitely an option because I don't know what's going to happen tonight."
Before last night's game, Girardi said he and his coaches haven't discussed using a six-man rotation, but the manager wouldn't rule out the possibility. Kennedy's injury would alter that plan if he were forced to miss significant time, as Phil Hughes isn't expected to return from the disabled list until July.
Once Chamberlain is on a five-day routine, he'll be able to throw full between-start bullpen sessions, something he hasn't done the past few outings because he has been pitching on two or three days of rest. Those bullpen sessions will allow him to work more on his curveball and changeup, which will be crucial to his success as a starter.
"They've been with me all year, more so the curveball than the changeup," Chamberlain said. "They're coming, you just have to continue to play catch with them and get a feel for them. That's the way they're going to come along."
Chamberlain knows that those two pitches will be important for him, but he also has no plans to abandon the fastball-slider combination that made him successful.
"You can't go away from what got you there, but instead of seeing guys once, you'll see them three or four times," Chamberlain said. "It has to be a situation that calls for it. That's when you do it. You don't go in thinking you have to throw a certain amount of curveballs or changeups."
Joba Chamberlain to start soon...
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