Joba surprised about his night off

As the phone kept ringing in the Yankees’ bullpen on Wednesday night, Joba Chamberlain kept wondering why nobody was asking him to warm up.

Chamberlain is healthy, and had thrown only nine pitches in a scintillating and perfect eighth inning on Tuesday. Fastball in the high 90s, nasty slider, two strikeouts. Like the Joba of 1997.

Only manager Joe Girardi decided he wasn’t going to use Chamberlain on Wednesday night no matter what because the righthander had pitched three times in the previous four days. Never mind that those appearances were all one inning and that Chamberlain had thrown a total of 39 pitches over four days. And that the Yankees were off Monday.

No, Girardi wasn’t going to use Chamberlain even if it cost the Yankees the game. Even though Rafael Soriano was out with a sore elbow. Even with a one-run lead in the eighth inning, a lead that David Robertson gave up. Even though Girardi had to use Buddy Carlyle in the 10th inning and Luis Ayala in the 11th.

It was surprising to not see Chamberlain get up – especially to the pitcher, who said after the Yankees’ 4-3, 11-inning loss to the Royals that he was never informed he wasn’t going to be used.

“I didn’t know,” Chamberlain said. “I just found out from you guys.”

He seemed annoyed. He wants to pitch. Aren’t the Joba Rules long behind him?

Asked if he felt OK physically, Chamberlain said: “How do I feel? What do you mean? I feel fine.”

Girardi was willing to possibly sacrifice last night’s game. He admitted as much after it was over when he said Chamberlain was “unavailable.”

“It’s just he’s worked a lot lately and we’re going to need him the whole season,” Girardi said.

Before the game, Brian Cashman was also faced with a tough choice: Which one of his righthanded relievers with a 0.00 ERA – Carlyle or Lance Pendleton? -- should he send down to Triple-A to make room for veteran Ayala, who returned from the disabled list?

According to multiple sources, the Yankees general manager scoured scouting reports, met with advisors, consulted a Ouija board and flipped a coin 27 times – one for each World Series title -- before deciding to keep Carlyle.

OK, we kid. Cashman does have to make a lot of tough decisions, but this wasn’t one of them. In fact, he didn’t even make it himself.

Cashman, via e-mail, told us last night he left this one up to Girardi and pitching coach Larry Rothschild.

For one night at least, it didn’t look as if they made the right choice. Maybe it was the fact that Carlyle had only thrown one inning since April 30, but he was all over the place on Wednesday night. He walked the first batter he faced in the 10th, Melky Cabrera, and threw a pair of wild pitches. When Jeff Francoeur stroked a two-out double to right-center, the Royals had a 3-2 lead.

But the Yankees were able to tie the game in the bottom of the 10th on Curtis Granderson’s two-out RBI single, only their second hit in 16 chances with runners in scoring position on what was a frustrating night for the offense.

So Carlyle went out for the 11th, but he once again walked the leadoff man, this time No. 8 batter Chris Getz.

“What really killed us tonight was walks,” said Girardi, who watched his pitchers give up 11 of them.

Girardi removed Carlyle and brought on Ayala. A sacrifice bunt and infield single moved Getz to third. After an intentional walk, Eric Hosmer’s sacrifice fly to center gave the Royals the lead for good.
Carlyle was charged with the run and the loss. His ERA went from 0.00 to 3.38.

Pendleton’s stayed at 0.00 as he headed to join Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Chamberlain’s didn’t change either. He needed the rest more than the Yankees needed the win, apparently.