Joba Chamberlain hasn't heard anything on role for 2010
Photo credit: John Dunn | Joba Chamberlain talks to the media on Oct. 27, 2009, at Yankee Stadium.
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Less than two weeks after winning the World Series, Joba Chamberlain could only smile while answering the question.
"I haven't heard anything," he said with a smile when asked if he was preparing to go to spring training as a starter or reliever.
Chamberlain was at Madison Square Garden as part of Wrap to Rap, an event put on by New Yorkers for Children, a charity that helps children in foster care. Chamberlain's father, Harlan, was in foster care growing up.
Chamberlain did hear what general manager Brian Cashman said at least week's GM meetings, saying of Chamberlain and Phil Hughes, "I look at them as starters that can relieve."
Cashman tagged the above with, "I would anticipate going to spring training with as much starting depth as possible," but the mere hint of equivocation was enough to spark phone calls and texts to Chamberlain.
"Obviously, we're probably going to have to sit down and see what we're going to do and go from there," he said. "I didn't hear anything about it until somebody actually said something to me about Cash saying something whenever it was. So we'll probably sit down and talk about it and go from there."
He called the '09 season, even with the remaking of the Joba Rules and his up-and-down performance, "a great year all around . . . At the end of the day, we got a lot accomplished. As a competitor, it gets frustrating at times but you also know it's for the best and you're definitely going to learn from it."
Chamberlain said he pays some attention to the Hot Stove talk, even the speculation that has him as possible bait in a trade, an unlikely but not impossible scenario.
"It's just going to be one of those things where you pay attention, [then] go about your business and get prepared [for next season]," he said.
He is, however, paying close attention to Andy Pettitte's possible return by trying to convince one of his closest friends to come back. The two talk fairly often, and when asked if he politicks Pettitte, Chamberlain said: "It's always worth a shot. Andy's become one of my best friends and we pull no punches with each other . . . I always throw a jab in there every once in a while. I always tell him I'll keep him young no matter what."
Notes and quotes. The Yankees declined their $1.25-million option on RHP Sergio Mitre, who went 3-3 with a 6.79 ERA in nine starts and three relief appearances. The Yankees still control the rights to Mitre, who is arbitration eligible.
