Joba Chamberlain's first start...

[HoustonGM]

I mean, it WAS mostly ESPN that hyped Joba up... what do you expect? The E comes before the S.

It was mostly the New York media, as always.

[gRYFYN1]

I mean, it WAS mostly ESPN that hyped Joba up... what do you expect? The E comes before the S.

Yet we have two threads discussing his 1st start here ... were just sheeping along .

[koolzach1]

Yet we have two threads discussing his 1st start here ... were just sheeping along .

We only have 2 threads here, because Joba is the next big thing.

I really do believe that he will be a very good pitcher, but he just needs time to build up his stamina.

[YEAH DAAAAWG]

He was a starter in the minors, so its not his stamina thats the issue.

Its the fact that hes probably still going out there and trying to throw 100MPH and not pacing himself throughout the games. Plus hes probably gonna struggle the second and third times through the order, and I still don't think the league has a great scouting report on him yet since hes been a reliever, we'll see how he does when all that happens.

I agree that he'll be very good, he'll be better than Hughes (who I think is a poor man's Verlander) and Kennedy (who I've always thought of as a #4 at best), but will he be better than Homer Bailey and Clay Buchholz, who are really the only other two young pitchers in his class right now?

[HoustonGM]

Bailey's dropped out of that class, I think. Kershaw is up there. I think Kershaw's ahead of both Buchholz and Joba.

[YEAH DAAAAWG]

Thats true, I forgot about him. Probably because he doesn't get New York hype and I don't follow the Dodgers like I follow the Red Sox, with the Red Sox being my hometown team and all. I'd agree that Kershaw is ahead of both of them. Cueto could jump up their with them and I'm not sure if Lincecum would rank ahead of them either.

[HoustonGM]

Honestly, I'd put Lincecum above all of them. I think Lincecum's going to be really great...well, he's BEEN really great, and that's why I think he should rank higher than them if discussing good young pitchers. He's got 223 innings under his belt, striking out over a batter an inning, keeping the ball in the park, and limiting hits. He's got control issues still, but not bad enough to downgrade him, and I think he'll improve upon that. I think he's really going to be special.

[YEAH DAAAAWG]

I haven't really seen a whole lot of him so I can't comment on him that much, I know he supposedly has a ton of talent though. I have been impressed with what I have seen of him, however. I'm just not sure if hes one of those slightly above-average pitching prospects that gets a lot of hype like hes gonna be a true #1 for 10 or 15 years, when hes more of a good #2 for 5-10 years because I don't know a whole lot about him.

[HoustonGM]

He's got a strange delivery, that i think he benefits from greatly...a plus fastball, a great curve...plus he posted video game numbers in the minor leagues...13 starts, 62.2 innings, 104 strikeouts, 23 walks, and 26 strikeouts. In the majors so far, he's already pitched at a well above-average level, and he's only getting better. He was a top prospect on draft day, and with good reason.

[dickay]

I really have no idea why Kershaw would be ranked above Joba????

No doubt Lincecom is, I'd also say Hamels is..here's more were valid arguments can be made;

- King Felix
- Justin Verlander
- Fausta Carmona
- Scott Kazmir
- Francisco Liriano
- Matt Cain
- Matt Garza

All these pitchers have one thing in common........they've proved they can have success as starters. Joba......not yet. I think he will be a very good if not great starter myself, but he has to prove it. I think he has more talent than Carmona, Cain, and maybe Felix on this list above....but I'm in no way convinced of that and the others may in fact be more talented.

[dickay]

I haven't really seen a whole lot of him so I can't comment on him that much, I know he supposedly has a ton of talent though. I have been impressed with what I have seen of him, however. I'm just not sure if hes one of those slightly above-average pitching prospects that gets a lot of hype like hes gonna be a true #1 for 10 or 15 years, when hes more of a good #2 for 5-10 years because I don't know a whole lot about him.

So you don't know about Lincecom but do know about Joba????????

[HoustonGM]

I really have no idea why Kershaw would be ranked above Joba????

He's got a mid-90s fastball, a ridiculous curveball, an improving changeup...all as a lefty. It's close, obviously, but I just think Kershaw's going to be better. Could I be wrong? Easily.

[YEAH DAAAAWG]

Uh, yeah, basically. Lincecum doesn't get the hype Joba does from playing in New York, or on the east coast in general really. Plus it doesn't help that Lincecum plays on a god awful team.

[dickay]

He's got a mid-90s fastball, a ridiculous curveball, an improving changeup...all as a lefty. It's close, obviously, but I just think Kershaw's going to be better. Could I be wrong? Easily.

They are both very very good prospects which is fair to say. I've seen much more of Joba at the pro level which is why i'd rank him above Kershaw right now........but yes Kershaw may in fact be better long run.

I just get a kick out of the homers who show gross inconsistent while creaming over their prospects. There is no legitimate rationale for saying that you have not seen enough of Lincecom to know if he's going to be an ace type or a solid #2 type, after saying that you HAVE seen enough of Joba to know he's going to be an ace type. Yet, we see stuff like that all the time with these prospects.

I for one believe Lester should be on that list I put above, but won't put him up there because he hasn't really shown enough consistency at the pro level. I see his ability to work out of jams however, and that really impresses me. With maturity and health I feel he won't put himself in those jams and will be a top flight pitcher. But I feel that without any real statistics to prove my 'opinion' that overvaluing him for discussion sake is pretty stupid.

Although i'm not sure how old he is...edison volquez has been pretty **** impressive as well.

[dickay]

Uh, yeah, basically. Lincecum doesn't get the hype Joba does from playing in New York, or on the east coast in general really. Plus it doesn't help that Lincecum plays on a god awful team.

Yeah...i guess i should apologize to you as you haven't been grotesquely overrating Joba like others have. For some reason I thought you were....