Joba to start season in pen?

From Anthony McCaron of the NY Daily News:

The Yankees envision Joba Chamberlain as a starter and they are eager to see what his blazing fastball and electric slider can do as part of their rotation. But the Bombers also are concerned about how many innings the 22-year-old will throw next season, so Chamberlain may start the year in the bullpen.

"We're going to prepare him as a starter and we see him as a starter," Yankee GM Brian Cashman said yesterday. "But we have an innings limit that he won't exceed. How we manage the innings limit remains to be seen. The plan is to have him start, but there are a number of scenarios that we'll review."

"We'll manage innings limits on everyone who's got them."

And from Peter Caldera of The Record:

Appearing on the YES Network yesterday, Cashman said that due to an unspecified innings limit on Chamberlain in 2008, the 22-year-old right-hander might start the season in the bullpen and be "transferred into the rotation later on."

I'm not a big fan of the idea of Joba starting the season in the bullpen. The only way they should do that, is if he's going to stay there all season. As I said in an earlier post, I would have him start the year in the starting rotation, stay there until the end of July, and then I would move him into the bullpen for the stretch run. He already went through the same thing this season so he should problem have no problem making the adjustment from starter to reliever.

Having Joba start in the pen, and then becoming a starter can potentially cause a lot of problems. Let's say he's in the pen until mid July, then the Yankees decide it's time to make his a starter, and he immediately struggles. Do you then move him back into the bullpen, or do you give him time to feel his way through the early struggles, and work out the kinks during a very crucial part of the season, when every game is important? This is not a problem the Yankees want to have when they are in a pennant race.

Another issue that could arise is who will fill the role of set-up man after Joba is moved into the starting rotation? As soon as Kyle Farnsworth blows a 3-run lead to the Orioles there will be a massive public out-cry for Joba to return to the pen.

The best-bet is for Joba to go from starter from April-July, to setup guy for the remainder of the year. This will benefit the Yankees, and Joba Chamberlain. Then in 2009 with his innings cap higher, Joba can be a starter for the entire season.