Joba Chamberlain May Need To Go Back To The Bullpen

Fresh off a dazzling two-hitter against the Oakland Athletics, Joba Chamberlain appears to have turned a bit of a corner as a starter—the A's weak lineup non withstanding. And now he's probably going back to the bullpen. Now, before I get slammed by people who accuse me of not knowing the value of a starter, please read on. This piece has nothing to do with ability and everything to do with conserving a pitcher's arm. Most organizations use a plus 40 rule when it comes to innings. What that means is, teams don't tend to pitch guys 40 innings over their total for the previous season, so as not to wear them out. This is not a rule set in stone, and yes there will be exceptions. But the Yankees have treated both Chamberlain and Hughes with kid gloves, and as such, they have a decision to make. Chamberlain threw 100 innings last season. He's currently at 102 innings this season. Chamberlain struggles to work deep into games yes, but even figuring him at a mere...