By Marc Carig
TAMPA, Fla. -- Already, the Yankees are benefiting from a little bit of competition. Take for instance, Tuesday night, when Joba Chamberlain bounced back from two brutal outings and looked like his old self against the Cincinnati Reds.
Chamberlain, 23, entered camp penciled in as the fifth starter. But two rough spring training outings brought about some whispers that the Yankees might change that plan. But as he said after the game on Tuesday night, Chamberlain responded with urgency. The pitcher, according to George King of the Post, also got a bit of
prodding.
Such a thing would have been impossible last season, when Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy were essentially assured spots in the rotation, with nobody really pushing behind them. This season, Hughes, still viewed by many as a top-flight prospect, has impressed enough in spring training to push for the job if Chamberlain were to flop.
So, perhaps the most important point made by Joba's mini crisis is that when it comes to the rotation, things are going to be different this time around.
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And finally, after this story has been covered from so many different angles, somebody cuts to the heart of the real implications of the Alex Rodriguez hip saga. Fantasy players shouldn't miss this article from the folks at The Hardball TImes.
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