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Originally Published: June 3, 2009

BP Daily: Solving the Joba dilemma

Chamberlain-to-bullpen argument is based on flawed assumptions

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By Jay Jaffe
Baseball Prospectus
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Editor's note: Shortly after Jay Jaffe filed this piece explaining why the Yankees should keep Joba Chamberlain in the rotation and move Phil Hughes to the bullpen, the team announced its plan to do just that. Coincidence? You decide.

Baseball lifers always say, "You can't have too much pitching," and the evidence -- starting with a staff ERA of 4.88, 12th in the 14-team American League -- suggests that the Yankees don't, despite their $200 million payroll and supposed angst about fitting six starters into five spots. The most-discussed solution has been to return Joba Chamberlain to the bullpen, clearing the rotation logjam while fortifying the Yanks' shaky relief corps with a top-flight set-up man.

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