It was a stronger start by Joba Chamberlain, but the Royals seemed to have more shrugs than raves.
“Nothing like we haven’t faced before,” leadoff man David DeJesus said after Chamberlain threw 41/3 innings and allowed three runs (two earned) in the Yankees’ 6-3 win.
DeJesus called Chamberlain “all right,” saying, “Just a guy throwing hard.” DeJesus, who went 1-for-2 with a double and a walk off Chamberlain, said that when he faced the flamethrowing righty, he was missing his location with his off-speed pitches.
Kansas City right fielder Mark Teahen praised Chamberlain’s pitches but said that he was “more or less the same as he was as a reliever,” adding, “Nothing special.”
Chamberlain’s former college teammate at Nebraska, Royals third baseman Alex Gordon, faced Chamberlain once as a reliever before going 1-for-2 against him yesterday as a starter.
Said Gordon, “He looked the same.”