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Post by David Goodman on Jun 18, 2007 20:56:13 GMT -5
He's still pretty young. I think they'll have one hired gun. I really think Santana is going to be a Yankee. If we trade for him, I will be disgusted. I'm thinking free agency. |
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Post by philinla on Jun 18, 2007 21:22:45 GMT -5
If we trade for him, I will be disgusted. I'm thinking free agency. we'll see. That's two years away and I think by then the Yanks will have a hard time justifying salaries for over 30 pitchers when they are getting dominance from the homegrowns. |
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Post by philinla on Jun 21, 2007 13:09:14 GMT -5
Joba was chosen for the futures game.
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Post by HomerSimpson on Jun 22, 2007 19:15:46 GMT -5
Joba's pitching through hard luck. He's getting squeezed and a swinging bunt just rolled through the pathetic Trenton defense.
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Post by philinla on Jun 22, 2007 19:19:43 GMT -5
He needs to bear down and K these guys.
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Post by HomerSimpson on Jun 22, 2007 19:20:54 GMT -5
The Trenton announcer seems genuinely displeased with some of the calls.
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Post by HomerSimpson on Jun 22, 2007 19:22:24 GMT -5
97!!
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Post by philinla on Jun 22, 2007 19:24:33 GMT -5
They can be displeased all they want, but Joba can't walk guys and throw wild pitches.
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Post by HomerSimpson on Jun 22, 2007 19:26:15 GMT -5
Ugh...he gave up a 3-run bomb...
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Post by philinla on Jun 22, 2007 19:27:03 GMT -5
Not his night. All of our pitchers have sucked today up and down the system.
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Post by philinla on Jun 22, 2007 19:45:50 GMT -5
Jackson fucking Melian hit the shot off Joba.
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Post by HomerSimpson on Jun 22, 2007 19:45:59 GMT -5
Not his night. All of our pitchers have sucked today up and down the system. Not a good omen for the varsity tonight... |
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Post by philinla on Jun 22, 2007 20:01:10 GMT -5
Not his night. All of our pitchers have sucked today up and down the system. Not a good omen for the varsity tonight... Meaningless to the Varsity. The Yanks should go off. |
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Post by HomerSimpson on Jun 22, 2007 20:23:35 GMT -5
Joba 5.2 IP, 5H, 5R, 9K, 3BB
One bad pitch.
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Post by shockman on Jun 22, 2007 21:57:08 GMT -5
who has better stuff. joba or hughes? From the reports (I have never seen him pitch). It sounds like joba has more plus pitches and a better fastball but hughes has a little bit better command..
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Post by David Goodman on Jun 22, 2007 23:05:48 GMT -5
who has better stuff. joba or hughes? From the reports (I have never seen him pitch). It sounds like joba has more plus pitches and a better fastball but hughes has a little bit better command.. Joba throws harder, but I think Hughes' other pitches are better. |
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Post by philinla on Jun 23, 2007 8:03:54 GMT -5
Joba throws a bit harder (though end of last year Hughes was throwing about as hard as Joba is throwing now). Joba has a better slider. Hughes has a better curveball and changeup. Hughes is gonna bring his slider back at some point, or that's what he keeps saying.
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Post by philinla on Jun 24, 2007 11:37:15 GMT -5
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Post by HomerSimpson on Jun 26, 2007 18:37:55 GMT -5
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Post by HomerSimpson on Jun 27, 2007 16:48:13 GMT -5
He throws tonight!
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Post by sinctybldh on Jun 29, 2007 15:40:54 GMT -5
Q: Tom Cusano from Charlotte, NC asks:
Chris, The Yankees have one representative Joba Chamberlin at the futures game where does he rank in the Yankees system behind Phil Hughes and what's the long term outlook for him as well. Does he have a shot at the ML roster next year or will he need a year at AAA. Thanks.
A: Chris Kline: Chamberlain misses a ton of bats, but his fastball command can sometimes be a weakness. That's why he's hittable. A lot of people think Kennedy's upside is less than Joba's, and there's no question Kennedy's stuff is a step behind. But I truly think Kennedy could wind up being the better starter. I would bet on Chamberlain struggling more at Triple-A than Kennedy, and I also worry about Chambelain's medical.
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Post by philinla on Jun 29, 2007 23:20:33 GMT -5
If you're unfamiliar with the names Ian Kennedy and Joba Chamberlain, get to know them very well.
Kennedy and Chamberlain are the two latest pitching prospects who have taken the Double-A level by storm. Many people within the baseball world consider the Trenton Thunder to have the best rotation in all of the minor leagues, and the duo have seamlessly fit after being seperately moved up from Single-A Tampa during the season. Through June 28th, they owned a combined record of 5-2 with a 3.02 ERA with 66 strikeouts over 47.2 IP.
"I was definitely ready to move (up)," Kennedy said in a recent interview with Jed Weisberger on trentonthunder.com. "Yet...I have a lot to learn about pitching to these hitters. I know I (need) to read the hitters and their swings. I did some of that in college, but in Class-A, most of the guys are free-swingers."
Even though Kennedy attributes some of his success to hitters' aggressive nature in A-ball, that alone was not enough to get him promoted. The 22-year-old right hander made 11 appearances in Tampa, going 6-1 with a 1.29 ERA. He was able to dominate in the Florida State League thanks to a repertoire consisting of a low 90s fastball that he can effectively locate, an above average slider, a curveball in development, and a sinking changeup - currently his best pitch.
"Ninety-nine out of 100 times, I'll put the changeup just where I want to,'' Kennedy said to Weisberger. "I have confidence I almost always will get it (there). It's a good pitch for me.''
The Yankees' decision to select Kennedy in the first round of the 2006 amateur draft raised eyebrows with some fans who might have preferred to see the club select a pitcher who throws a bit harder, but circumstances appear to have gone the team's way. Kennedy fell to them at the 21st pick because he did not live up to hype that surrounded him entering his junior campaign at USC. A preseason All-America pick, he went just 5 and 7 with a 3.90 ERA.
"I guess my problem at Southern Cal last year was 'junior-itis' or I was thinking about the draft," Kennedy told Weisberger. "But I'm back to my normal self now and (I'm dealing) with the challenges here."
Like Kennedy, Chamberlain also slipped in the draft following his junior year. He had been projected as a potential top 10-15 selection, but medical concerns caused him to drop all the way to the Yankees at 41st overall, where they used their first supplemental pick. With his weight hovering in the 220-230 range, teams were worried about his conditioning, and he dealt with a bout of triceps tendonitis that raised red flags. However, the Yankees saw the numbers he posted in two seasons at Nebraska and believed they had a bargain. Included in those stats were a 3.29 ERA in 32 starts there and a strikeout-to-walk ratio that was better than 6-to-1.
"I found that there is time to have fun, but you also have to discipline yourself if you want to succeed in this,'' said Chamberlain to Weisberger. "The rewards may not come right away, but they will come if you continue to work. I know I still have a lot of work to do, to become more consistent.''
Chamberlain's work includes watching some of his teammates at Trenton like fellow pitcher Jeff Marquez. Those two, along with Kennedy, serve as members of the highly regarded Thunder rotation. Even though Joba has not been part of that crew all season, he fit in perfectly following his promotion, just as Kennedy did before him.
"We have tremendous (pitching) depth in our system,'' said Scott Aldred, Trenton's Pitching Coach, to Weisberger. "...what's good is we have that depth at every level. It means that guys will get pushed at every level. Competition among these young pitchers is good.''
As one of the newest prospects to emerge in the Yankees' system, Chamberlain's name has started to generate some serious buzz throughout the baseball world. Published reports have stated that at least the White Sox and Rangers have been keeping their eyes on him. Perhaps those clubs have been taken aback by his arsenal of pitches, which includes a fastball that can get into the high 90s and a slider that could immediately make him an effective pitcher in the majors.
"My fastball and slider are my two best pitches right now,'' Chamberlain said to Weisberger. "I can throw my change and curve for strikes as well, but I really want to work on my change.
Kennedy and Chamberlain's names will probably see a lot of press as the July 31st trade deadline draws closer and other clubs attempt to extract them from the Yankees in potential trades. However, thanks to the Yanks' commitment to cultivating young talent, odds are strong that neither of them will go anywhere.
"We have a lot of young arms, talented guys under 25,'' said Chamberlain to Weisberger. "It's awesome to be in the Yankees system right now.''
Aldred knows that Kennedy and Chamberlain make the group that much better.
"Ian and Joba...they belong."
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Post by philinla on Jul 3, 2007 19:54:00 GMT -5
Chamberlain 6.0 4 0 0 1 12 0 2.60
5/1 gb/fb rate and most of the hits were bs.
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Post by HomerSimpson on Jul 3, 2007 22:38:06 GMT -5
Don't even step. This kid is sick!!! Okay. So I got to Trenton and got in the ballpark. On my way in, I got to chat with Jeff Kennard and his parents, who were discussing dinner plans for tomorrow. I positioned myself at the catcher's end of the bullpen. Joba chose to not go through the dugout, and walked about 5 feet away from me on his way out to the pen. I didn't have my camera ready, unfortunately. First of all, we're dealing with a big boy here. The first thing that struck me (just like Hughes did last year in Trenton) was that he was a big dude. Not someone I'd be anxious stepping in the box against. His warmup was pretty standard fare. Seemed to be focusing real hard on staying on top of the ball...he did these strange wrist warmups, where he basically flicked his wrist while throwing the ball...short distance. I thought it was interesting. Obviously, dude throws hard. He was poppin' the mitt like crazy. I was pretty obviously stalking him, and I think he noticed, because I had the camera on him the whole time. While he was walking back to the dugout, I gave him a "Go get 'em, Joba!" and he looked my way and tipped his cap. I went to my seat, which was 2nd row just to the 3rd base side of homeplate. A perfect view of his pitches. The national anthem was butchered by a girl with a beautiful voice. She skipped the whole 2nd verse! Whatever...on with the game. I started trying to chart his pitches, but between keeping score, taking pictures, taking video and trying to chart, I gave up after the first inning. Overall, obviously, he was nasty as fuck. His fastball is for real, 110% legit. A true major league pitch. His slider is devastating (see the video). The scary thing is that when he got ahead with the fastball, he was working on his offspeed pitches, and guys weren't close, especially on the slider. He throws both the slide and fastball with the same arm motion. The bottom just falls out of the slider. I need to take a moment and talk about command, because it was impeccable. He was spotting all his pitches with relative ease. He had one or two three ball counts the whole night. He allowed one walk, and the walk was on a full count *and* he got the batter to swing at "ball 4." In minor league games, there's only 3 umpires. The homeplate, the 1B and a roving infield umpire. When the homeplate umpire appealed, the roving infield umpire was standing near 2nd because there was a guy on 1st base. That umpire said that Fulse didn't swing, which is horseshit, because I had a great view of it. So even the walk was a bunch of bullshit. There was one ball hit in the air all night, a fly to right field in the 5th inning. It was not struck well. In fact, there was not one single hard hit ball off Chamberlain tonight. Of the 12 strikeouts, 6 were swinging and 6 were looking. He gave up 4 hits, and all of them were bullshit. The first hit should have been an error on Baldiris. He butchered a grounder hit right to him. The official scorer gave Dee Brown a hit, but I would have called it an E-5. The other 3 hits were worm burning grounders that eithe Gonzalez or Gabe Lopez couldn't get to. None of the 3 were well hit. Overall, I'm not really sure what else to say. He was utterly dominant. I saw Hughes a few times in Trenton last season, and he was every bit as dominant as Phil was back then. I can't really even tell you how foolish he was making the hitters look. It was comical, and there was never a point in time where you thought he was in trouble. Offensively, Juan Miranda hit a fucking bomb to Right Center. It was a shot. He's got some pretty tremendous power, and he's not a particularly big dude. Here's Joba walking from the Pen to the dugout before the 1st inning of work:  Here's Joba on the hill:  Warming up, pre 3rd inning.  Here's my scoresheet. I bailed before the 8th inning to see what was going on with the real Yankees.  I have real nice video of Joba striking some dudes out, but I'm having a little trouble uploading them to YouTube. I'll figure it out, and then pass on the links! |
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Post by HomerSimpson on Jul 3, 2007 23:07:47 GMT -5
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yatqb
New Member
Posts: 44
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Post by yatqb on Jul 4, 2007 7:14:58 GMT -5
Great read, Homer. Thanks! Now get stabilization on that video camera, chop-quick like! ;-)
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Post by italirican on Jul 5, 2007 20:04:34 GMT -5
thanks homer!
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Post by philinla on Jul 7, 2007 21:43:51 GMT -5
www.trentonthunder.com/HTML/Display_HTML.asp?Page=97BaseLines For July 6 By JED WEISBERGER www.trentonthunder.comTRENTON – Following his 12-strikeout, six-inning scoreless effort in a 2-0 Thunder win over Harrisburg Tuesday night at Waterfront Park, pitcher Joba Chamberlain got to his cell phone in the clubhouse. As usual, there were a few text messages waiting, including one from former Thunder star pitcher Phil Hughes. “Phil was congratulating me on my selection to the (All-Star) Futures Game,’’ said the 21-year-old native of Lincoln, Neb. “He told me, “Have a good time, good luck and to do better than he did last year.’ ’’ Chamberlain, who, along with Thunder manager Tony Franklin, will appear in Sunday’s ninth edition of the Futures Game at AT&T Park in San Francisco. The seven-inning contest, with a first pitch at 4 p.m., will be televised by ESPN2. Hughes, of course, is hoping Chamberlain improves upon his three-run, four-hit stint in Pittsburgh last summer, a game in which the United States players rallied to top their World counterparts, 8-5. “It’s awesome to be selected, to represent the Yankees and, really, all the guys in our clubhouse and others who really deserve to go,’’ said Chamberlain, who is 3-1, 2.60 with 48 strikeouts in 27.2 innings with the Thunder and 7-1, 2.26 with 99 strikeouts in 67.2 innings overall. “Pitching is the same everywhere, and all I want to do is go out there, throw the best I can and hope it doesn’t come right back at me.’’ There’s a good chance Chamberlain and fellow Eastern League stars Clay Bucholz (Portland), Chuck Lofgren (Akron), Kevin Mulvey (Binghamton) and Colin Balester (Harrisburg) will appear in the contest. Each pitcher is limited to one inning. Every big-league organization has at least one player in the game. It’s a chance for Chamberlain and the others to soak up the trappings of a unique atmosphere. “On the field during the season, these guys are your enemies and you want to beat them,’’ said Chamberlain. “With this, you get to be friends for a few days, get to know these guys and build relationships. “That’s what’s really fun about all this and what baseball’s all about. Somebody obviously thinks we’re all doing some good things to be selected for this game.’’ Several players have used the Futures Game as a harbinger for big-league success. Alfonso Soriano, then a Yankees farmhand, was the first MVP in 1999. Mets shortstop Jose Reyes earned the honor in 2002, with Cleveland outfielder Grady Sizemore taking home the trophy in 2003 and Toronto infielder Aaron Hill in 2004. For many, it’s a first appearance on a big stage, with not only a national TV audience watching, but also every talent evaluator who is anyone in every big-league organization. “Not only are you representing yourself and your organization, but, with your name on the back of your uniform, your family as well,’’ said Chamberlain. “You want to do your best.’’ Hall of Famer Dave Winfield will manage the United States club. Franklin, along with Nashville manager Frank Kremblas, Nashville pitching coach Stan Kyles, Richmond manager Dave Brundage, Huntsville skipper Don Money and Midland pilot Todd Stevenson, will serve as a coach for the team. He also feels the honor is one than ought to be spread around. “I told our guys (53-31 entering weekend play) that I’m getting to go to San Francisco because of their accomplishments,’’ Franklin said. “This selection doesn’t come unless you have a special group to work with. “What our team has done is what brought me quite an honor.’’ Hall of Fame Juan Marichal will lead the World team, with Frisco manager Dave Anderson, Akron manager Tim Bogar, Sacramento skipper Tony DeFrancesco, Indianapolis pilot Trent Jewett, Jacksonville manager John Shoemaker and Richmond pitching coach Guy Hansen completing the staff. “It’s just fun to be part of the whole atmosphere,’’ said Franklin, a Los Angeles resident. “My wife (Haiba) will be there and it will be good to see her. It’ll be a quick trip then back to work for the second half. “I get to be part of a program that includes the best in the minors, then the major-leaguers will start coming in. I’m just glad to be there. I’ll serve on Dave Winfield’s staff for a day any time.’’ Another familiar face on the U.S. team belongs to Altoona first baseman Steven Pearce, who has 22 homers and 75 RBIs in 81 games with Class A Advanced Lynchburg and the Curve. The World team includes New Hampshire catcher Robinzon Diaz. Binghamton outfielder Fernando Martinez was also selected, but will miss the game with an injury. *********** A GOOD FIRST HALF: Franklin feels his club not only had a strong first half in the win column, but also learned how to handle adversity. “It hasn’t all been easy,’’ he said. “We’ve had our share of bumps in the road, but I also think we’ve withstood them well.’’ Franklin and his squad have had to navigate the usual list of promotions, roster changes, injuries and the like. “Just the normal things you deal with, but this group has done what it has to and I appreciate all their efforts,’’ he said. Franklin and his players enjoyed watching reliever Edwar Ramirez, who started with the Thunder this season, recording three early wins, make a successful debut with the Yankees last Tuesday. “We had Chase (Wright) get a chance and now Edwar,’’ said Franklin. “I have a feeling we’ll see some more guys get a shot before the season is over.’’ ************ FROM MAINE TO OHIO: Thunder pitcher Brett Smith’s five-inning no-hitter vs. Altoona Wednesday night brought him recognition as Minor League Baseball’s top performer on several Web sites. “Any game in which a pitcher holds a team without a hit is special,’’ said Franklin. “It just doesn’t happen that much. Also, Brett has come close twice before (taking no-hitters into the seventh inning). Smith also deserves credit for some outstanding pitching in very tough conditions that night … Preparations continue for the 2007 Eastern League All-Star Game, which will be played July 11 in Norwich’s Thomas Dodd Memorial Stadium. Pitchers Alan Horne and Jeff Marquez and outfielder Matt Carson will represent the Thunder on the North squad. The game, which begins at 7 p.m., will be available on both CN8 and SportsNet New York in the Trenton area … The Phillies have promoted former Thunder slugger Randy Ruiz from Reading to Ottawa, where he is hitting .182 (6-for-33) with a home run in nine games. BaseLines appears weekly on www.trentonthunder.com. Comments and suggestions are welcomed and encouraged at jedleyq1@verizon.net.
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Post by philinla on Jul 8, 2007 19:49:00 GMT -5
Prospect proving them wrong
Chamberlain uses Futures Game as showcase of talents
By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com
SAN FRANCISCO -- Joba Chamberlain grinned through much of his first All-Star Futures Game experience, squinting through his first looks at California sunshine while explaining how honored he felt to be here.
But Chamberlain, a 21-year-old right-hander in the Yankees' system, still carries a pretty large chip on his 6-foot-3, 230-pound frame. His presence at San Francisco's AT&T Park was just further validation, he said, for all those who doubted him.
"Everything happens for a reason, and I truly believe that," Chamberlain said. "There were a lot of people that said I couldn't do it. Keep saying I can't do it, because that's exactly what I'm going to do -- prove you wrong, day in and day out.
"I'm going to work hard. I'm not going to be outworked. I may not be the best guy out there and I may not have the best arm, but I'm going to do everything I can to get to the big leagues and show all the people who said I couldn't do it that I can do it."
A supplemental first-round pick of the Yankees in the 2006 First-Year Player Draft, Chamberlain fell in the process due to a bout with right triceps tendinitis at the University of Nebraska. He said the experience has only made him stronger, teaching him the value of listening to his body while fueling his ongoing progress.
Just last year, Chamberlain recalled sitting in his living room in Lincoln, Neb., watching Royals prospect and former University of Nebraska teammate Alex Gordon take part in the Futures Game at Pittsburgh's PNC Park. A year later, Gordon is a mainstay in Kansas City's lineup and Chamberlain was able to create his own experience, allowing a run-scoring single to the Dodgers' Chin-Lung Hu in the third inning of Sunday's contest.
It was a rare blemish in a campaign that has been most impressive; Chamberlain was selected for his first All-Star experience after going 4-0 in seven starts at Class A Tampa and 3-1 with a 2.60 ERA in five starts for Double-A Trenton.
"It was very well-publicized about the things that he can do," said Tony Franklin, Chamberlain's manager at Trenton and a coach for the U.S. Team on Sunday. "Everybody talks about his fastball and he certainly displayed the ability to throw a good fastball consistently. He's done quite well commanding his pitches in the strike zone and getting ahead of hitters. He's done a good job for us."
Chamberlain -- the second-highest Native American ever selected in the Draft, behind Red Sox infield prospect Jacoby Ellsbury -- said that he has been trying to balance some of his recent honors and hype.
"You've got to start back and put it in perspective to what got you there," Chamberlain said. "It's been fun, but it's one of those things where you're on a good roll. Let's keep it going and add a couple more chapters."
The emergence has prompted general manager Brian Cashman to insist that, though his Major League roster might receive reinforcements at some point before the July 31 trade deadline, the Yankees' chips to trade do not include pitchers like Chamberlain, Ian Kennedy or Phil Hughes.
Chamberlain said that Cashman's comments, which he has made on multiple occasions as the Yankees face the prospect of their first playoff miss since 1993, have filtered back to the young right-hander.
"You've got to be honored by that, because he obviously has a lot of faith in you to be successful and contribute to the Major League team," Chamberlain said. "It's one of those things where you also have to realize that this is a business, too. He's doing everything that he can do to win. To be considered to be around to contribute to winning in the future is an unbelievable accomplishment. It's an honor."
Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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Post by philinla on Jul 8, 2007 20:42:31 GMT -5
Chamberlain on a rapid rise
By Steve Henson, Yahoo! Sports
July 8, 2007
SAN FRANCISCO – It was the United States vs. the World at the Futures Game on Sunday, and no player represented America as genuinely as Joba Chamberlain.
Chamberlain, a New York Yankees Double-A power pitcher, is a member of the Winnebago Tribe, which populated the area that is now Wisconsin more than 1,500 years ago. His father was born on the Winnebago Indian Reservation in the far reaches of northeast Nebraska, where Chamberlain frequently visits.
At 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, Chamberlain is known to teammates as "Joba the Hutt" both because of his size and the pronunciation of his name, which is the same as the immense "Star Wars" alien.
Chamberlain, who allowed one run in one inning, was just one in a parade of touted pitchers and hitters in the Futures Game, an annual showcase of baseball's top minor league talent played as a prelude to the All-Star Game in front of a swarm of national media and MLB executives.
The World won the seven-inning exhibition 7-2 behind early damage from the Taiwanese Chin-Lung Hu (Dodgers) and late home runs from Canadians Joey Votto (Reds) and James Van Ostrand (Astros).
For the record, the U.S. still holds a 5-4 advantage in the series, though the game is really about evaluating the best prospects and projecting who will be the next Futures Game alumnus to graduate to the All-Star Game.
Thirty-one players have made the jump already, from Miguel Cabrera and Jose Reyes of the World to Chase Utley and C.C. Sabathia of the U.S.
No wonder Chamberlain discreetly pulled the U.S. team's lineup card off the clubhouse wall after the game, folded it neatly and placed it in his bag. By tomorrow, it could be unveiled in the Village of Winnebago, home to tribal leaders and Chamberlain's extended family.
"I'm going home for a couple of days to see my family," he said. "I get a lot of support back home. I'm proud to represent myself and my culture, and they are proud of that too."
Should he make it to Yankee Stadium, the New York media will be clamoring for his story.
Chamberlain, 21, was somewhat unknown because of his obscure upbringing, and wasn't drafted until the supplementary portion of the first round in 2006, 41st overall. He didn't go straight to college after graduating from Lincoln (Neb.) Northeast High in 2003 because he had to earn money to help his family. His father, Harlan, has had serious health problems most of his life, yet put in 60-hour work weeks at a state prison and as a bar bouncer.
Chamberlain didn't start pitching until his senior year in high school, and a professional career seemed as likely as the Winnebagos taking back Wisconsin. He found employment in the city maintenance department, ballooned to 250 pounds, then enrolled at Division II Nebraska-Kearney in the spring of 2004. He went 3-6 with a 5.23 earned-run average, but lost weight and gained enough of a fastball to transfer to Nebraska, where he was seen by scouts who were attending Cornhuskers games to watch third baseman Alex Gordon.
Now he has one of the best fastballs in the minors, regularly touching 97 mph. He was named the best prospect in the Hawaiian Winter League and is 7-1 with 99 strikeouts in 67 2/3 innings at two levels this season.
"He's rapidly reaching the top echelon of pitching prospects," said a scout for an opposing team. "He has the strength to develop as a starter, or he could become a power arm out of the bullpen."
First things first. On his way back to Double-A Trenton (N.J.), Chamberlain will stop in Nebraska to see his father, who contracted polio as a child and recently recovered from a ruptured appendix.
"My dad hasn't been able to travel, and he hadn't seen me pitch all year until watching today on TV," he said. "He's an inspiration to me because with all his health problems, he raised me. He never asked why. He just got up every day, worked hard, cared for his family and respected our heritage.
"I'm just trying to live up to that."
Futures Game Notes
• Hu's on first … OK. There. Never again. The Taiwanese middle infielder was all over the bases, hitting a double, a single, driving in two runs and scoring one to earn MVP honors. Hu scored on a sacrifice fly despite a laser-like throw from U.S. center fielder Justin Upton (Diamondbacks), perhaps the highest-regarded prospect of all.
• Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers), at 19 the youngest player on the U.S. team, got a taste of the San Francisco Giants-Los Angeles Dodgers rivalry when he warmed up in the bullpen.
"They must have seen my Dodger cap because I was getting yelled at and booed," he said. "I feel like a Dodger already."
• World manager Juan Marichal somehow got nine pitchers into the seven-inning game, and U.S. manager Dave Winfield squeezed in eight. Every U.S. pitcher who lasted more than one-third of an inning allowed at least one hit except Luke Hochever (Royals), who retired the side in order in the fifth.
"It was good experience playing against the best hitters in the minors," Hochevar said. "It was just fun being around these guys, and we all hope to run into each other later on in the big leagues."
Steve Henson is the MLB editor for Yahoo! Sports. Send Steve a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast
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