What if Joba's or Linecum's career went like this... | thejobarules's Blog

Two rookie pitchers who performed very well in this 2007 season were Tim Linecum of the San Francisco Giants and Joba Chamberlain of the New York Yankees. Both youngsters were only a year removed from college (while facing those annoying aluminum bats), and, after both were called up to the major leagues in mid-season, were downright dominating at times. Linecum won 7 games as a starter, while Chamberlain filled a glaring Yankee need when switched from his customary starting role to set up man for Mariano Rivera. For the upcoming 2008 season, Chamberlain will likely return to the starting rotation in the Bronx.

Let's fantasize a little and plot out one of these young pitchers careers. We can choose either one in our "for instance", and since I am a Yankee fan, I will select Chamberlain. Remember, although I will reference only Chamberlain, these scenarios could also play out for Linecum.

For arguments sake let's say Chamberlain, who has three Grade A pitches (fastball, slider and curve), plus a very nice developing change up, does OK in 2008, winning 14 games, losing 9 while posting a decent ERA of 3.75. The following season he regresses to 9-7, is bothered by some arm issues, but comes back strong in 2010, winning 22 games, losing 5 with a stellar ERA of 2.54. His strikeouts pile up consistently during that 2010 season, and Joba finished with 267 whiffs. He will, of course, win his first Cy Young award.

Over the next six seasons (while hitting his prime), Joba racks up totals of 20, 18, 17, 21 (another Cy award), 18 and 18 wins. American League hitters are oftentimes in awe and state "Chamberlain throws so effortlessly...," and "his pinpoint control and movement on his pitchers sometimes make him impossible to hit." After a devastating 19 strikeout performance against the cross town New York Mets in the summer of 2013, a Sports Illustrated writer quotes the home plate umpire as saying, " that was the best pitched game I have ever umpired." Remember that Linecum is putting up equally gaudy number in the National League. Because of these two phenoms, the draft of 2006 is now being considered one of the best drafts of all time.

After those 7 great seasons, Joba runs into some unforeseen difficulties and elbow problems, posting only 31 wins over the next 4 seasons. But, in 2021 he bounces back, making 34 starts and going 21-7 with a 2.30 ERA and 295 strikeouts. A third Cy Young award takes its rightful place in his trophy case (just missed his fourth in 2011, placing second to Fausto Carmona of the Cleveland Indians). But, late in this 2021 season Chamberlain has a recurrence of the elbow problems which had plagued him over the prior four seasons. Joba decides to take the Sandy Koufax route and retires gracefully from the game, and as George Costanzo would likely approve, he exits on a high note.

His career numbers are exceptional with a record of 213-118, an ERA of 2.97, with 2882 strikeouts recorded in slightly more than 3000 innings. He won the four CY Young awards and helped lead his team to at least one World Series title. Remember it could be Linecum that has this career.

After that type of career, do you think Chamberlain or Linecum would be a Hall of Famer?

Absolutely they would!

So why then is there any debate at all about Roger Clemens' chances for Hall of Fame induction five years from now? Those "fantasy numbers" presented above are exactly Clemens' career totals AFTER the 1997 season in Toronto. This was the season BEFORE he has been named by his trainer Brain McNamee of being on the receiving end of "performance enhancing steroids" and human growth hormone (HGH).

Early in Clemens' career, he had shoulder surgery and bounced back to go 24-4, slightly better than what Joba "did" above. But Clemens also won four Cy Young awards during this early period, before his ultra-competitive nature purportedly pushed him into the forbidden zone of performance enhancers.

About 99% of the baseball public has already persecuted Clemens, and an informal survey of 80 probable Hall of Fame voters, taken the day after the Mitchell Report came out, witnessed 28 saying they would vote YES for Clemens, 21 voting NO, with 31 UNDECIDED. Hillary Clinton almost has better numbers with likely Republican voters!

The source of Clemens' involvement was his long time trainer, Brian McNamee, who said he personally injected Clemens with steroids and HGH during the 1998, 2000 and 2001 seasons. Most people who have an opinion believe McNamee, but remember what McNamee said was under direct pressure from the federal government to "tell the truth" or face deep prosecution for distributing controlled substances. While Greg Anderson kept his secrets regarding Barry Bonds, McNamee felt compelled to tell what he knew. And like I mentioned earlier, mostly everyone believes him. But for the powers that be (the writers) to reduce Clemens' entire body of work to that of a common player is ridiculous.