The Joba Rules

Can someone explain the logic of the "Joba Rules" to me? I mean, I knew that todays young pitchers were being coddled but this is borderline ridiculous. He can't be pitched on back to back days or come into the middle of an inning? Is he allowed to wipe his ass with his right hand or does he have to use his left for precautionary reasons? First of all I honestly do not think that this is going to effect his development and second of all I think his presense on the Yankees this season will hurt them almost as much as help them as a result of this nonsense.

How will it hurt them? Easy. On the day after he pitches Torre is forced to manage the game with one pitcher short in the bullpen. In addtion, the opposing manager has one less thing that he has to guard against when coming up with match-ups late in ballgames in the middle of innings and on days when Joba is held out. Lets just go back for a second to the logic of this. So you are telling me that the Yankees are paying Torre eight or 10 millions dollars a year (whatever it is), but don't trust him enough to handle this young pitchers development properly? We all know Torre's bullpen management issues, but I have to believe that if the front office told Torre to treat this kid carefully he would do the right thing. Instead they have not just said be careful, but told him exactly how he needs to treat him. I mean, Joba pitched one inning (10 pitches) on Friday night. On Saturday it was Wang vs Bonderman. While the Yankees ran away with it, going into the game it looked like this could be a pitchers duel late. If that was the case Joba would have been a potentially valuable piece to the Yankee chances. Instead, we knew he was not going to pitch. To me, that is a major problem.

As far as pitcher development goes, it is such an inexact science. We all know that the great pitchers of the past were never bothered with anything close to this kind of treatment. There are guy in the big leagues now who have been brought up carefully and as a result can now not pitch deep into ball games because they have never been allowed to build up the stamina by doing it before. At the same time some have gotten injured regardless. It is just so tough to judge, and the Yankees are treating this in what I feel is an overly cautious way. I'm not saying pitch the kid consistantly on back to backs or ever in three straight games, but after 10 pitches, I think he can get you something the next day and not hurt his future.

I just feel that the development of pitchers is possibly the most random science in sports. You really never can tell how is going to hold up physically or mentally to it. Everyone said Mark Prior was the perfect build and fluid motion, while everyone allso said Pedro Martinez was too small and put too much torque on his body. You just really do not know. One thing the Yankees do know right now though is that Joba is dominating at the Major League level. Let him loose a little. They are holding him back for a future that is full of potential, but also full of mystery.