Joba Chamberlain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Joba Chamberlain |
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Chamberlain with the New York Yankees in 2009
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: September 23, 1985 Lincoln, Nebraska, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| August 7, 2007, for the New York Yankees | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| July 3, 2016, for the Cleveland Indians | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 25–21 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.81 | ||
| Strikeouts | 546 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Meet Joba Chamberlain, a former professional baseball pitcher! He was born on September 23, 1985. Joba played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for famous teams like the New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, and Cleveland Indians.
Joba played college baseball for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The New York Yankees picked him in the first round of the 2006 MLB draft. He quickly moved up through the minor leagues. Joba made his big league debut in 2007 as a relief pitcher. The Yankees had special rules for him, called the "Joba Rules," to carefully manage how much he pitched. In 2008, he became a starting pitcher, but got a shoulder injury. He went back to being a relief pitcher in 2009. Later, he played for the Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, and Cleveland Indians.
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Joba's Early Life
Joba Chamberlain was born Justin Louis Heath on September 23, 1985. He grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. His parents, Harlan Chamberlain and Jackie Standley, separated when Joba was very young. Joba lived with his mom for a while, but his last name was later changed to Chamberlain.
Joba's father was born on the Winnebago Indian Reservation. Joba still has family living on Native American reservations. He was one of only a few active Native American players in Major League Baseball.
When Joba was a little boy, his two-year-old cousin couldn't say her brother Joshua's name correctly. She said "Joba" instead, and that became his nickname!
Joba helped out at Lincoln Northeast High School baseball games. He was a ball boy and a bat boy for their state championship team. He later graduated from that high school. Before college, Joba worked for the city of Lincoln to help pay bills.
Amateur Baseball Career
High School Baseball
Joba played American Legion Baseball in 2004. He had a great record, striking out 137 batters. He also hit very well, with a .505 batting average. He was named all-state for his amazing performance. In one game, he struck out 21 batters over 12 innings!
College Baseball
Joba started his college career at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. He was the team leader in several pitching stats. Then, he transferred to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He helped the Cornhuskers reach the 2005 College World Series. He even helped them win their first game in the College World Series!
In 2005, Joba had a 10–2 record with a 2.81 earned run average (ERA). He had five games where he struck out ten or more batters. In 2006, he had a muscle injury, but still pitched well.
Professional Baseball Career
New York Yankees (2006-2013)
The New York Yankees picked Joba Chamberlain in the 2006 Major League Baseball draft. He didn't play in the minor leagues that year. His first professional games were in the Hawaii Winter Baseball league.
Before the 2007 season, experts thought Joba was one of the best young pitchers. His fastball was considered the best in the Yankees' minor league system.
He started the 2007 season in Single-A Advanced with the Tampa Yankees. He had a 4–0 record with a 2.03 ERA. He then moved up to Double-A with the Trenton Thunder. He was even chosen for the U.S. Team in the 2007 All-Star Futures Game.
On July 24, 2007, Joba was promoted to Triple-A. He pitched very well in his first Triple-A start. The Yankees then decided to move him to the bullpen.
On August 7, 2007, Joba joined the major leagues for the first time! In his first game, he struck out the first batter he faced. He pitched two innings without giving up any runs. The Yankees had special rules for him, called the "Joba Rules." These rules limited how often he could pitch.
On August 30, 2007, Joba threw two pitches over the head of a batter from the Boston Red Sox. He was ejected from the game for the first time. He was later suspended for two games. Joba pitched 16 innings without giving up any earned runs to start his career.
In a playoff game in 2007, Joba was pitching when many small insects called midges swarmed the field. He had trouble pitching because of them. This led to the other team scoring a run.
Before the 2008 season, experts still thought Joba was one of the best young players. He started spring training as a starting pitcher. But the Yankees decided he would start the season in the bullpen. His manager said Joba would be used "without restrictions."
Joba took a break from the team in April 2008. His father had collapsed and was in the hospital. When he returned, the Yankees decided to move him into the starting pitcher role.
On June 3, Joba made his first start in MLB. On June 25, he earned his first win as a starter. He pitched over six innings without giving up any runs. On July 25, he pitched seven shutout innings against the Red Sox.
On August 4, Joba hurt his shoulder in a game. He was placed on the disabled list. The Yankees' General Manager later said this injury had a lasting effect on him. Joba finished the 2008 season with a 3–1 record.
For the 2009 season, Joba was expected to be a starting pitcher. On June 1, he pitched a career-high eight innings. This was a great win for the Yankees.
During the All-Star break, Joba went home to relax with his son. He wanted to get his confidence back. He pitched well in July. However, his performance dropped later in the season. The Yankees considered sending him to the minor leagues. But he stayed with the team as a relief pitcher. He pitched a lot out of the bullpen. The Yankees went on to win the 2009 World Series that year!
2010-2013 Seasons
Before the 2010 season, Joba competed for a spot in the Yankees' starting rotation. But another pitcher, Phil Hughes, won the spot. So, Joba went back to the bullpen.
Joba struggled for much of 2010. But he improved in August and September. He pitched well in low-pressure situations. He was on the team's playoff roster.
In 2011, the Yankees decided Joba would only be a relief pitcher. They believed his pitches were faster when he pitched in relief. He usually pitched the seventh inning. In June, Joba had an elbow injury. He needed surgery to fix a torn ligament. This ended his season.
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In 2012, Joba signed a new contract with the Yankees. In March, he injured his right leg while on a trampoline. He had a serious ankle injury. He also continued to recover from his elbow surgery.
He returned to play on August 1, 2012. He was mostly used in the seventh inning. He was on the team's playoff roster again. In one playoff game, he was hit on the elbow by a broken bat. The Yankees won that series.
Joba started 2013 well. But he was injured again in May. He had a muscle strain and was on the disabled list. He returned later that month. In September, Joba was ejected from a game for arguing with an umpire.
Detroit Tigers (2014-2015)
On December 13, 2013, Joba signed a contract with the Detroit Tigers. He lost weight by eating more fish. He had a tough start to the 2014 season. But he soon became the Tigers' main relief pitcher. He earned a save in April, which was only his sixth career save.
Joba grew a very large beard during the season! He finished 2014 with a 2–5 record and a 3.57 ERA. He was on the Tigers' playoff roster. But he struggled in the playoffs.
In 2015, the Tigers re-signed Joba. He pitched well through May. But his performance dropped in June. On July 1, he gave up three home runs in one inning. The Tigers released him on July 3.
Toronto Blue Jays (2015)
On July 21, 2015, Joba signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. He played for their minor league team, the Buffalo Bisons. He later chose to leave the team and become a free agent.
Kansas City Royals (2015)
On August 16, 2015, Joba signed a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals. After playing in eight games for their minor league team, the Royals called him up to the major leagues on September 7. He played in six games for the Royals.
He was not on the Royals' playoff roster at the end of the season. However, the Royals went on to win the 2015 World Series! Even though he played in only a few games, Joba received his second World Series ring.
Cleveland Indians (2015-2016)
On December 1, 2015, Joba signed a minor league deal with the Cleveland Indians. He made the opening day roster in 2016. In May, he was placed on the disabled list with a rib injury. He had a good ERA of 1.93 at that time. He returned in June. But on July 4, the Indians released him.
Milwaukee Brewers (2017)
On January 20, 2017, Joba signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers. He was released in March. He officially announced his retirement from baseball on October 4, 2017.
Pitching Style
Joba Chamberlain threw a four-seam fastball. Early in his career, this pitch was very fast, sometimes reaching 101 miles per hour! After his arm surgery, his fastball was still fast, around 93-94 mph. He also threw a slider, a curveball, and sometimes a changeup.
Joba's Life Outside Baseball
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Joba Chamberlain has one son named Karter. Joba appeared on an episode of the TV show Man v. Food. The episode was filmed in Brooklyn. Joba helped the host, Adam Richman, with an eating challenge.
Restaurant Business
In 2013, Joba became part of a group that opened a bar and restaurant in Manhattan called American Whiskey.
In 2018, Joba and a business partner opened a pub called Chamberlain's in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Awards and Honors
- 2005 3rd Team All-American
- 2005 1st Team All Big 12
- 2005 Big 12 Newcomer Pitcher of the Year
- 2005 2nd Team All Midwest Region
- 2005 Big 12 Pitcher of the Week (2005-03-01)
- 2005 National Pitcher of the Week (2005-01-03)
- 2005 Big 12 Pitcher of the Week (2005-04-25)
- 2006 1st Team Preseason All-American
- 2006 Hawaiian Winter Post-Season All-Star
- 2007 FSL Pitcher of the Week (2007-05-14)
- 2007 FSL Pitcher of the Week (2007-05-28)
- 2007 EL Pitcher of the Week (2007-06-18)
- 2009 World Series champion
