Joba: The day after

So Joba Chamberlain's debut last night wasn't what you or any Yankees fan was hoping for.

Hoss was nervous, that much was evident. The first inning butterflies got the best of him against a patient Blue Jays offense, but I think we should be careful to link that with a lack of composure or any other negative tendency. We have to remember this is a 22-year-old baby that happens to be the most hyped pitching prospect in New York since a kid in Flushing named Doc nearly 25 years ago.

Let's allow him to get stretched out so he can throw 100+ pitches a game. Then we can begin to judge his progress as a rookie starter. Right now, Joba 2.0 is still very much in its embryonic stage. Yankees fans need to be patient. It's a trait that George Steinbrenner robbed from us long ago and we're going to need to take it back if we want to enjoy the fruits of our development labor.

Chamberlain could be a key figure in championship flag No. 27 ... and yes, he may ultimately get a helping hand of two guys named Hughes and Kennedy. It may seem overcast right now, but the future is still very bright indeed.

Around The Horn: As expected, the Yankees bullpen brought the suck after Chamberlain's exit in the third inning ... 6 2/3 IP, 7 R, 7 ER, 4 K, 6 BB. Can we just have someone please deliver these daily relief statistics to Brian Cashman? You know, just in case. ... Elias Sports Bureau said that Jason Giambi's RBI single to left field Tuesday was the first time the slugger has hit the ball the opposite way since joining the Yankees. This includes batting practice. ... Johnny Damon banged out three hits Tuesday, pushing his average to .301. ... Major League Baseball is rolling out the red carpet for the legends at Yankee Stadium's All-Star Game festivities.