MINNEAPOLIS — The Yankees were exacerbated by Joba Chamberlain’s inconsistency, and a faction of the organization wanted him sent to Triple-A in August, The Post has learned.
But they had nowhere to turn for alternatives. They just thought it was too dangerous to have Chad Gaudin and Sergio Mitre in the rotation. Alfredo Aceves, Phil Coke and Phil Hughes had helped make the bullpen an asset, and manager Joe Girardi did not want to disrupt a strength. Ian Kennedy still was recuperating from aneurysm surgery.
Nevertheless, many organizational decision-makers felt Chamberlain was too comfortable, that he was not even feeling the threat of the minors and, perhaps, that was leading to regression as a starter.
After Chamberlain blew up in Seattle on Sept. 20, Girardi and pitching coach Dave Eiland brought him in for a stern lecture. Girardi and Eiland have downplayed it, but I have been told my multiple members of the organization that Girardi directly told Joba his playoff roster spot was in peril if he did not pitch better. Because the minor league season was complete, the Yankees saw challenging Chamberlain to earn his postseason spot as their only shock treatment vehicle.
Chamberlain responded with a strong start against Boston, which temporarily quelled the issue. But he followed that up with a poor outing against the Royals before pitching out of the bullpen in the final game to prep for the playoffs.
As I reported in Friday’s Post, Chamberlain almost certainly will not start if the Yankees advance to the ALCS, and they take a two-games-to-none Division Series lead into tonight’s Game 3. If the Yankees decide to go with four starters, Chad Gaudin likely will go in ALCS Game 4. Chamberlain already has been used in relief in both Yankees victories over Minnesota, and the Yankees like the power game he brings to the late innings.
But the Yankees also believe Gaudin outpitched Chamberlain down the stretch as a starter. Eiland tinkered with the righty’s mechanics so that Gaudin stays over the rubber a little longer to accentuate throwing downhill, a must for a pitcher such as Gaudin who is not very tall. And feeling optimistic about Gaudin plays into not just how the Yankees see their rotation for the postseason, but maybe next season, as well.
The 2010 rotation again will be fronted by CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett. Will tonight’s starter, Andy Pettitte, want to return and — if so — will he accept what is almost certain to again be an undervalued contract? With or without Pettitte, the Yankees probably will hunt for a starter in the offseason. Plus, they also will work to deepen back-end options and force someone such as Chamberlain to be shaken from comfort and earn his way into the 2010 rotation.
The Yankees’ current intentions are to have Chamberlain and Hughes show up in spring training ready to start. They also may ask Aceves to come prepared to be stretched out. Kennedy also is expected to be ready in full, and the Yankees think farmhands Ivan Nova and Zach McAllister are close to major league ready.
In addition, I have been told the Yankees almost certainly will pick up the $1.25 million option on Sergio Mitre and tender a contract to Gaudin, who is not a free agent until after the 2011 season.
They will honor the cliché that there is no such thing as enough pitching. The Yankees do not see Mitre or Gaudin as much more than inexpensive, back-end options or, perhaps, pieces to complete a trade. A team such as, say, Milwaukee has a desire to contend next year, a limited budget and major pitching needs up and down the rotation.
For now, the Yankees are feeling better than ever about their rotation decisions from last offseason. Sabathia and Burnett have combined to allow Minnesota three runs (two earned) in 122⁄3 innings this ALDS. Meanwhile, Chamberlain has returned to being a valuable late-inning option.
Joba’s role for 2010 is cloudier, not just starter vs. relief, but if he does not mature and become more consistent, perhaps even major leaguers vs. minors.