Trading Post: Joba the Hunted?
Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
According to a report published today in the New York Post, the Braves have scouted Joba Chamberlain as a possible trade target to support their bullpen for the stretch drive. The Giants are also interested – and were checking in on him as well (though there is conflicting information about that). In an earlier edition of the Trading Post, I opined that the Yankees and Braves could be a mutually useful trading partners with a bullpen deal involving Joey Terdoslavich from our side. However, I wasn’t actually thinking about the beleaguered Chamberlain in such a deal.
Reports are that the once untouchable Joba may actually be healthy now. He missed virtually all of May due to an oblique strain, and has had a smattering of appearances so far in 2013, with mixed results. Basically, when he “on”, he’s really good. When he’s “off”, he’s really, really bad.
Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Joba’s control took a little while to dial in this year – walking 2 in each of his first three appearances this year. Since then he has walked only four in the following 18 appearances. His last two outings have been good: 7 batters, 1 walk, 1 K, no other damage. Still, his WHIP in June added up to 1.96, which basically underscores my concerns.
I’d rather have Boone Logan. He’s under team control for another year and actually had been in the Braves organization for a year – until we traded him with Javier Vazquez to the Yankees in 2009. He is affordable, and would serve as a nice gap-filler since Eric O’Flaherty and Jonny Venters will be out for most of next year – if not all. Logan has also out-pitched Chamberlain in every respect… and he’s been injury free.
So yes: even if it would take Terdoslavich and somebody else… I’d go for Boone Logan. If the Yankees would be willing.
NEW INFO: One quick update from beat writer Dave O’Brien, via twitter just now, in answer to a follower’s comment:
"I don’t get sense he’s at [the] top [of] #Braves list. RT @stevenwiener: @ajcbraves @trentoncole31 I would rather face Joba than have him a #Braves"