Even More On Joba From Hank and Cash

First Hank (from the Daily News):

"It's all of our intention to try to get him back into the rotation by the end of the year," Steinbrenner told the Daily News by phone Monday afternoon. "I've addressed it many times, as did Joe (Girardi) and (GM Brian) Cashman. I'm just saying it would be nice to have him there right now. He's going to be great anywhere we have him but, my preference is as a starter and that's everybody else's preference, too.

"You see what a premium starting pitching is. The bullpen is important, but starting pitching is 70% of it. Your bullpen can't do you any good if you're down by five runs quickly every night. It's logical."

I can't disagree with the importance of starting pitching, but if everyone wanted him to start, he should have started the year in the rotation and been moved to the pen once his innings limit was being reached, but for some reason nobody listened to me.

And Cashman:

"Last year's bullpen did not impair his ability to start for us now. That work was instrumental in us getting to the playoffs and also for him in pushing his development even further - he knows he can pitch in the big leagues and get big-league hitters out. If he can do that as a starter has to be determined."

Cashman insisted there is no disconnect between owner and GM. "I think Hank and everybody, we're all on the same page," Cashman said. "These are things we discuss internally all the time and we'll continue to do so, it's as simple as that.

"I don't believe Hank wants Joba in the rotation yesterday. I think he wants what we all want. Joba is a starter, but the time and place for him right now is to be in the bullpen."

From what Hank is saying it does seem like he wants Joba in the rotation yesterday, but that's not really important. The most important thing is that this doesn't create problems between the two. Maybe that's why Hal is there, to keep these two from going at each others throats.

Here are a couple more quote from Peter Abraham:

“We’re on the same page, 110 percent,” Cashman told The Journal News a few minutes ago. “He understands the situation.”

Cashman was also asked about what happens if one of the current starters got hurt:

“If we need a pitcher or somebody gets hurt, we’ll go down below and get somebody,” Cashman said. “You can’t just suddenly put Joba in the rotation.”

As for Hank’s comments that it was a mistake for Joba to pitch in relief last season, Cashman said he explained to the co-chairperson that Joba was about to reach his innings limit when that move was made.

“Hank wasn’t involved last season and he didn’t understand what we were doing at that time,” Cashman said. “I explained it to him and he had no problems with it.”