Joba Just Wants to Keep the Line Moving

From Brittany Ghiroli:

Momentum is an elusive, often fleeting thing.

The young right-hander will get the ball and -- for a few innings, at least -- be asked to follow the effort of some of the Yankees' most brilliant work on the hill.

Consider this -- in the first three games of their current 10-game homestand, the Yankees' starters are 1-0 with a 1.42 ERA in 19 innings, combining for 24 strikeouts against nine walks. The trio of CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Chad Gaudin held the Rays to just one run in each of their starts, a feat that has been done just twice this season, most recently from Aug. 7-9.

"You just feed off each other," Chamberlain said. "Everybody's throwing the ball great. Chad had a great outing [Tuesday] and the other two had great starts [Monday], so you've just got to continue to keep going and doing the things we've done to be successful starters."

If the Yankees continue to limit Chamberlain, with the intent of building him back up to potentially start in the postseason, it's likely he won't throw more than three innings again on Wednesday. While Chamberlain has made it no secret that as a competitor he wants to pitch every out of every game, he intends to make the most of what little time he has on the hill.

"It's really not anything different than what you prepare yourself for as a starter," Chamberlain said. "You just never doubt yourself, go out and get your work in and give it everything you've got."

...Chamberlain said he hasn't even thought about the possibility of pitching out of the bullpen in the postseason, a potential move about which Girardi has also stayed mum.

"We are going to finish the year, finish strong and I guess I'll probably be asked that question again in October," Chamberlain said.

Tyler Kepner has some more info on the possibilities of Joba moving to the pen in October. Yesterday, he had this from manager Joe Girardi:

The team with the best record in the American League decides which division series schedule it wants. One series includes a day off between Games 1 and 2, the other does not.

“There are two different division series,” Joe Girardi explained. “In one, you need three starters, and in one you need four. I’ll just leave it at that.”

If I'm the Yankees I take the series with the day off and worry about a fourth starter in the ALCS. Another reason why holding on to the best record is important.