Joba Chamberlain hasn’t thrown a pitch in a decade — but he still has some warmth left for a longtime Red Sox nemesis.
During a current look on “The Eddie Mata Show,” the former Yankees flamethrower didn’t hesitate when requested which player he disliked most during his 10-year profession.
“Kevin Youkilis,” Chamberlain replied, with out blinking.
Chamberlain, 40, burst onto the scene with the Yankees in 2007, overwhelming hitters with a 100 mph fastball and a 0.38 ERA in 19 video games.
During a current look on The Eddie Mata Show, former Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain revealed which player he disliked the most during his profession. Eddie Mata/X
Chamberlain did not hesitate in naming longtime Red Sox nemesis Kevin Youkilis. Eddie Mata/X
That breakout run came with drama — particularly, with the then–Red Sox first baseman.
The right-hander fired two fastballs over Youkilis’ head on Aug. 30, 2007, incomes an ejection, a $1,000 wonderful and a two-game suspension over his “inappropriate actions.”
Then-Yankees skipper Joe Torre and Chamberlain insisted he wasn’t making an attempt to hit Youkilis, with the rookie saying the pitches “slipped” out of his hand.
The pressure carried into the following 12 months when Youkilis collided with Chamberlain at home plate on a wild pitch on July 8, 2008.
Chamberlain and Youkilis had a sequence of on-field run-ins, including this home plate collision on July 8, 2008. Anthony J. Causi
On July 25, 2008, Chamberlain threw a fastball close to Youkilis’ head, but the pitch hit his bat instead. EPA
Weeks later, Chamberlain despatched another heater up close to his head — this time clipping Youkilis’ bat.
“So technically, he hasn’t hit him, but he’s gone up and in on [Youkilis] way too many times for it to be a coincidence,” Yankees announcer Michael Kay said during an August 20, 2012, YES Network broadcast replaying their previous points — moments after Chamberlain truly hit Youkilis, who was then with the White Sox, in the back.
“I just didn’t like him,” Chamberlain said. “Obviously, [it started] when he was with the Red Sox, he never came and got me.”
For his profession, Chamberlain struggled against Youkillis, with the three-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner hitting .333/.565/.900 with a home run and 4 RBIs against the righty in 23 plate appearances.
After all their private drama, the pair turned teammates when the Yankees signed Youkilis as a free agent forward of the 2013 season in the wake of an Alex Rodriguez damage.
Youkillis dominated Chamberlain during their careers, slashing .333/.565/.900 with a home run and 4 RBIs against the righty in 23 plate appearances. Charles Wenzelberg
At the time, Chamberlain tried to downplay their historical past, telling reporters their run-ins were overblown and that there was “nothing” between them.
“It’s one of those things where people made it a bigger deal than it was,” Chamberlain said, per the Associated Press.
“There’s nothing to it. There’s nothing between us. I’m glad to have him on our side. We’re two grown men. We’re playing on the same team. Our one goal is to win.”
Youkilis signed a one-year, $12 million pact with the Yankees for 2013, but appeared in just 28 video games due to season-ending back surgical procedure. Anthony J Causi
Despite his public reward, Chamberlain said that Youkillis’ silence after he initially reached out did not sit properly.
“Then he was my teammate and I was like, ‘Dude, it’s baseball. Between the lines, it is what it is but you’re my teammate,” Chamberlain informed Mata. “I called him right when he signed and he ignored me, ignored me ignored me. He gets to spring training and then he wants to be all buddy-buddy.”
Their stint as teammates was short-lived, however, as a recurring back damage restricted Youkillis to just 28 video games before he underwent season-ending surgical procedure.
Youkilis, who signed a one-year, $12 million contract with the Yankees, hit just .219 with 2 homers and eight RBIs in what ended up as his remaining 12 months in the majors.
“Then he breaks his back and doesn’t do anything for us,” Chamberlain said.
“So that guy can go fly a kite.”
Source hyperlink
