Josh McCown’s season likely over
December 1, 2015Buckeyes demolish Michigan: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
December 1, 2015The Cleveland Indians announced they have signed reliever Joba Chamberlain to a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training in Goodyear, Arizona on Tuesday.
Chamberlain spent the 2015 season struggling for two different AL Central teams in the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals. He ended with a semi-respectable 4.09 ERA (5.54 FIP) in 22 IP over 30 appearances for the Tigers, but had a horrific 7.94 ERA (4.72 FIP) in 5.2 IP over six appearances for the eventual World Series champion Royals.
We have signed Joba Chamberlain (@Joba_44) to a minor-league deal with an invitation to big-league Spring camp. pic.twitter.com/jam57oSJSa
— Cleveland Indians (@Indians) December 1, 2015
The 29 year old has struggled to find his bearing over the past several seasons as he has ended three of the last four seasons with an ERA over four in relief.
The Indians are likely hoping he can capture his 2014 magic when he gave the Tigers 63 innings of solid relief work (3.57 ERA, 3.16 FIP, 59 SO, 24 BB, 1.286 WHIP), but are doing so only under the umbrella of the no-risk minor league deal provision. Chamberlain will not effect the 40-man roster nor will it harm the Indians payroll accounting for 2016.
Of course, Indians fans most remember for Chamberlain self-destructing in the 2007 playoffs as a swarm of midges descended upon Jacob’s Field while the Indians took on the New York Yankees in the AL Divisional Round. The Indians had knowledge the midges would be attracted to the bug spray the Yankees were generously applying. None felt the effects more than the then 21 year old rookie Chamberlain who would have a blown save registered as his first postseason statistic.
At the time, it was thought Chamberlain would be the Yankees version of CC Sabathia as a somewhat hefty fireballer. Instead, the 2006 first round draft pick out of the University of Nebraska has had a disappointing career though he has been able to remain on MLB rosters the past nine years. If Chamberlain wants to make it to double digits in MLB, then he is going to have to earn his place in the bullpen of the Indians in 2016.
Update: Here is the official press release from the Indians.
INDIANS INVITE RHP JOBA CHAMBERLAIN
TO MAJOR LEAGUE CAMPCLEVELAND, OH – The Cleveland Indians today announced the club has signed free agent RHP JOBA CHAMBERLAIN to a Minor League contract with a non-roster invitation to Major League spring training camp.
Chamberlain, 30, owns a career Major League record of 25-21 with 7 saves over 365 outings/43 starts since debuting with the New York Yankees in 2007 (535.1IP, 528H, 230ER, 528SO). He split the 2015 campaign between the Detroit and Toronto organizations before wrapping up the season with the Kansas City Royals. He was the 41st overall pick in the 2006 First-Year Player Draft by the Yankees out of the University of Nebraska.
6 Comments
hi MG … good luck with joba. i imagine he’ll be nothing more than middle/long relief for the indians.
In Columbus 🙂
Nooooooooooooooo!!!!
*sigh* Joba was the only fun part about facing the Tigers, because you knew you had a chance.
Cannot stand this guy the fact he got a ring last year is a complete joke. I hope he doesn’t pitch 0.1 innings for the Indians, honestly.
you’d better hope so …
I really don’t like Joba as a pitcher. I agree that he always gave us hope when he came out of the Tigers’ pen. But I might just have to get his jersey if he does make the big club.