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TAMPA, Fla. -- The Mickey Mouse-certified protective bar clamped around Joba Chamberlain's midsection, and a rush of excitement followed. Finally, after 22 years, the right-hander had strapped in for his first roller coaster ride.
Or so he thought -- those who watched the final two months of the Yankees' season knew better. Rocketing through 2007 with as many twists as the Space Mountain experience he braved, Chamberlain went from a virtual unknown to an indispensable part of the Yankees.
In a lot of ways, Chamberlain is still just a big kid at heart. After making New York his own Magic Kingdom for 24 brief, outstanding big league innings last season, what will he do for an encore? What can he? The Big Apple is ready to find out.
"I still don't understand what's going on in the magnitude of New York, per se," Chamberlain says now. "It's great, but I thought when things finally slowed down last offseason, I was able to look back and understand a little bit of what happened. To be accepted the way I was, you get an understanding of the deal."
As good as Chamberlain was during the last two months of the season, when he was transformed from a Minor League starter into a near-invincible setup man, the Yankees have even higher hopes for him. Still not far removed from college ball, Chamberlain projects as the type of big leaguer who could be the kind of frontline ace that Josh Beckett was for the Red Sox last year.
"People may have high expectations of me, but I have high expectations of myself," Chamberlain said. "That's the best way to look at it. Obviously, it's going to be hard to duplicate what I did last year in the short time that I was there. If I get more opportunities this year from the get-go, I think that's going to be the thing that keeps pushing me."
Though Chamberlain's personality can be characterized as loud and boisterous, he can hardly be considered immature. When he spent those six hours in Orlando last weekend, he was accompanied by a family of five from Lincoln, Neb., with the rookie footing the bill to reward a deserving elementary school student with a trip to Disney World.
"I just wanted to do something nice for someone," he said, almost sheepishly.
Chamberlain's upbringing plays a part in his generosity. His father, Harlan, worked at a prison for 27 years and raised two children without a wife. Not only did Chamberlain bypass roller coasters for his first two decades, but vacations in general were not realistic, the family scraping by on the dollars they could save. Throwing a baseball was young Joba's getaway.
No wonder the biggest question in Yankees camp -- whether Chamberlain will serve as a starter or a reliever in 2008 -- really doesn't pique the hurler's interest.
"I've had a lot of uncertainty in my life," he said. "I think that's led me to not look too much into it. At the end of the day, whether I'm starting or relieving, it's 60 feet and six inches. I just have to keep that mentality and get my work in. Come March 31, all of our questions will be answered."
Chamberlain's numbers, compiled last season while the Yankees enacted the mysterious and evolving "Joba Rules," remain staggering and forever frozen. Chamberlain compiled a 0.38 ERA in 19 appearances, allowing just 12 hits while walking six and striking out 34. He chuckles when it's mentioned that the statistics have created a "folk hero" following, but quickly dismisses the idea.
"You can't ever pat yourself on the back," he said. "I've still got a lot to prove to people. I want to keep proving people wrong.
"I'm sure some people are saying, 'It's a fluke. He can't do it again.' I came [in] in great shape, and it made me work even harder. The expectations are high, but I think I'm still young enough to not care, even though I'm smart enough to know that they're there."
For former manager Joe Torre, Chamberlain was as close to automatic as it gets, representing some sort of "Get Out of Inning Free" card to be drawn in a sticky situation -- the freakishness of the Cleveland "midges" aside.
But there is a new manager and a new set of demands in 2008. Joe Girardi has already stated that Chamberlain must incorporate his seldom-used curveball and changeup, since his future -- no matter what role he fills on Opening Day -- will be as a starting pitcher.
"The goal is to get him to be a complete pitcher," Girardi said. "We envision him as a starter and to be able to use all of those pitches. It just gives him more weapons, especially when you're going through a lineup the third and fourth time."
Barely able to sit still for long periods of time, Chamberlain has a youthful energy that is emblematic of a changing Yankees clubhouse. One recent morning, wearing a green Marvel Comics T-shirt, he swapped barbs with longtime closer Mariano Rivera, playfully arguing about the invisible line of demarcation between their lockers.
On another morning, he ribbed veteran Mike Mussina, asking him repeatedly to play video games after workouts. When Mussina ignored the requests, Chamberlain yelled through a full clubhouse, "Hey, is it true when you get old, the hearing is the first thing to go?"
Reminded of these clubhouse interactions, normally taboo for younger players, Chamberlain only chuckles. Much of the reason he feels so free and comfortable dates back to his big league debut, last August in Toronto, when he threw two scoreless innings and logged a victory.
Right there on the mound at Rogers Centre, Chamberlain began to come of age, exchanging handshakes and fist bumps with Torre, Alex Rodriguez and Roger Clemens. If this husky right-hander could help get the Yankees to the promised land, they were ready to accept him, rookie or not. Chamberlain received the message loud and clear.
"The biggest thing is earning the respect of your teammates before everything goes crazy," he said. "I'm going to sell myself out for those guys, and I know they're going to do the same thing. I think once I finally got the feeling of, 'Hey, I did earn their respect,' it was a little bit easier."
The Yankees opened their exhibition schedule with a game against the University of South Florida, and perhaps appropriately, given the competition, the fans at Legends Field experienced the unique opportunity to watch the college-age Chamberlain, Ian Kennedy and Phil Hughes all toe the rubber in the same game.
The three pitchers have grown to be more than just the future of the organization; they have developed bonds and friendships. After that Feb. 29 exhibition, Chamberlain spoke openly about how there are certain things he can learn from his rotation-mates. For example, he'd love to have Hughes' stoic demeanor, particularly on the days when things don't go as breezily as they did for the majority of last season.
A calmer, more refined Joba? Not likely. For those who fell in love with the wild fist pumps and stadium screams, Chamberlain assures that there is no reason to worry.
"I'm always going to be myself," he said. "I'm still going to wear it on my sleeve. If I'm not, it's not me, because I'd be selling my team short. I'm still going to be the same Joba that people have grown to like."
Or so he thought -- those who watched the final two months of the Yankees' season knew better. Rocketing through 2007 with as many twists as the Space Mountain experience he braved, Chamberlain went from a virtual unknown to an indispensable part of the Yankees.
In a lot of ways, Chamberlain is still just a big kid at heart. After making New York his own Magic Kingdom for 24 brief, outstanding big league innings last season, what will he do for an encore? What can he? The Big Apple is ready to find out.
"I still don't understand what's going on in the magnitude of New York, per se," Chamberlain says now. "It's great, but I thought when things finally slowed down last offseason, I was able to look back and understand a little bit of what happened. To be accepted the way I was, you get an understanding of the deal."
As good as Chamberlain was during the last two months of the season, when he was transformed from a Minor League starter into a near-invincible setup man, the Yankees have even higher hopes for him. Still not far removed from college ball, Chamberlain projects as the type of big leaguer who could be the kind of frontline ace that Josh Beckett was for the Red Sox last year.
"People may have high expectations of me, but I have high expectations of myself," Chamberlain said. "That's the best way to look at it. Obviously, it's going to be hard to duplicate what I did last year in the short time that I was there. If I get more opportunities this year from the get-go, I think that's going to be the thing that keeps pushing me."
Though Chamberlain's personality can be characterized as loud and boisterous, he can hardly be considered immature. When he spent those six hours in Orlando last weekend, he was accompanied by a family of five from Lincoln, Neb., with the rookie footing the bill to reward a deserving elementary school student with a trip to Disney World.
"I just wanted to do something nice for someone," he said, almost sheepishly.
Chamberlain's upbringing plays a part in his generosity. His father, Harlan, worked at a prison for 27 years and raised two children without a wife. Not only did Chamberlain bypass roller coasters for his first two decades, but vacations in general were not realistic, the family scraping by on the dollars they could save. Throwing a baseball was young Joba's getaway.
No wonder the biggest question in Yankees camp -- whether Chamberlain will serve as a starter or a reliever in 2008 -- really doesn't pique the hurler's interest.
"I've had a lot of uncertainty in my life," he said. "I think that's led me to not look too much into it. At the end of the day, whether I'm starting or relieving, it's 60 feet and six inches. I just have to keep that mentality and get my work in. Come March 31, all of our questions will be answered."
Chamberlain's numbers, compiled last season while the Yankees enacted the mysterious and evolving "Joba Rules," remain staggering and forever frozen. Chamberlain compiled a 0.38 ERA in 19 appearances, allowing just 12 hits while walking six and striking out 34. He chuckles when it's mentioned that the statistics have created a "folk hero" following, but quickly dismisses the idea.
"You can't ever pat yourself on the back," he said. "I've still got a lot to prove to people. I want to keep proving people wrong.
"I'm sure some people are saying, 'It's a fluke. He can't do it again.' I came [in] in great shape, and it made me work even harder. The expectations are high, but I think I'm still young enough to not care, even though I'm smart enough to know that they're there."
For former manager Joe Torre, Chamberlain was as close to automatic as it gets, representing some sort of "Get Out of Inning Free" card to be drawn in a sticky situation -- the freakishness of the Cleveland "midges" aside.
But there is a new manager and a new set of demands in 2008. Joe Girardi has already stated that Chamberlain must incorporate his seldom-used curveball and changeup, since his future -- no matter what role he fills on Opening Day -- will be as a starting pitcher.
"The goal is to get him to be a complete pitcher," Girardi said. "We envision him as a starter and to be able to use all of those pitches. It just gives him more weapons, especially when you're going through a lineup the third and fourth time."
Barely able to sit still for long periods of time, Chamberlain has a youthful energy that is emblematic of a changing Yankees clubhouse. One recent morning, wearing a green Marvel Comics T-shirt, he swapped barbs with longtime closer Mariano Rivera, playfully arguing about the invisible line of demarcation between their lockers.
On another morning, he ribbed veteran Mike Mussina, asking him repeatedly to play video games after workouts. When Mussina ignored the requests, Chamberlain yelled through a full clubhouse, "Hey, is it true when you get old, the hearing is the first thing to go?"
Reminded of these clubhouse interactions, normally taboo for younger players, Chamberlain only chuckles. Much of the reason he feels so free and comfortable dates back to his big league debut, last August in Toronto, when he threw two scoreless innings and logged a victory.
Right there on the mound at Rogers Centre, Chamberlain began to come of age, exchanging handshakes and fist bumps with Torre, Alex Rodriguez and Roger Clemens. If this husky right-hander could help get the Yankees to the promised land, they were ready to accept him, rookie or not. Chamberlain received the message loud and clear.
"The biggest thing is earning the respect of your teammates before everything goes crazy," he said. "I'm going to sell myself out for those guys, and I know they're going to do the same thing. I think once I finally got the feeling of, 'Hey, I did earn their respect,' it was a little bit easier."
The Yankees opened their exhibition schedule with a game against the University of South Florida, and perhaps appropriately, given the competition, the fans at Legends Field experienced the unique opportunity to watch the college-age Chamberlain, Ian Kennedy and Phil Hughes all toe the rubber in the same game.
The three pitchers have grown to be more than just the future of the organization; they have developed bonds and friendships. After that Feb. 29 exhibition, Chamberlain spoke openly about how there are certain things he can learn from his rotation-mates. For example, he'd love to have Hughes' stoic demeanor, particularly on the days when things don't go as breezily as they did for the majority of last season.
A calmer, more refined Joba? Not likely. For those who fell in love with the wild fist pumps and stadium screams, Chamberlain assures that there is no reason to worry.
"I'm always going to be myself," he said. "I'm still going to wear it on my sleeve. If I'm not, it's not me, because I'd be selling my team short. I'm still going to be the same Joba that people have grown to like."
