Joba Chamberlain was once one of the brightest stars in pinstripes. When he came up in 2007, hurling 100 mile per hour fastballs past overmatched Major Leaguers, he looked like the heir apparent to Mariano Rivera as Yankees closer.
As the years went by though, injuries befell Chamberlain, followed by ineffectiveness. Last season Chamberlain was 2-1 with a 4.93 ERA, striking out 38 batters in 42 innings while also walking 26 hitters. At season's end he was allowed to walk by the Yanks, and he signed on with the Tigers in Detroit. With his career possibly hinging on his performance this year, it looks as if Joba has a renewed determination to succeed.
A recent Twitter photo hit the internet showing a slimmed down Chamberlain rocking glasses and a very full beard-a no-no in the Bronx. "You gotta understand what you put in your body is going to fuel your body," Chamberlain told the Detroit Free Press at Tiger Fest in Comerica Park.
"Obviously, I've had some injuries here and there. You know, it gets frustrating because you feel like you're doing everything you can but there's always a little more you can do.
"I feel great. The scale is one thing. It's how you feel. I just feel healthier. Clothes fit a little bit better. You don't mind taking them off, looking in the mirror. It's something you have to take serious."
Joba was listed at 250 lbs. last season, which could have contributed to his career high 1.738 WHIP. He credited a switch to a fish-heavy diet for a good deal of the weight loss. Before this past offseason he claimed to have eaten fish only a handful of times. "I'm from Nebraska," he said. "We don't have fish in Nebraska."
Chamberlain figures to flourish without New York's harsh spotlight trained on him. There will be no pressure to close with the Tigers, who just signed Joe Nathan to fill that role, and have second-year pitcher Bruce Rondon as well as fellow ex-Yankee Phil Coke behind him.
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