Joba Chamberlain hasn’t thrown a pitch in a decade — however he nonetheless has some warmth left for a longtime Crimson Sox nemesis.
Throughout a latest look on “The Eddie Mata Present,” the previous Yankees flamethrower didn’t hesitate when requested which participant he disliked most throughout his 10-year profession.
“Kevin Youkilis,” Chamberlain replied, with out blinking.
Youkilis responded on X with three crying-laughing emojis. “Honored to nonetheless get below your pores and skin@Joba_44,” he wrote. “Time to let it go…”
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.
That breakout run got here with drama — particularly, with the then–Crimson Sox first baseman.
The proper-hander fired two fastballs over Youkilis’ head on Aug. 30, 2007, incomes an ejection, a $1,000 tremendous and a two-game suspension over his “inappropriate actions.”
Then-Yankees skipper Joe Torre and Chamberlain insisted he wasn’t attempting to hit Youkilis, with the rookie saying the pitches “slipped” out of his hand.
The strain carried into the next 12 months when Youkilis collided with Chamberlain at house plate on a wild pitch on July 8, 2008.
Weeks later, Chamberlain despatched one other heater up close to his head — this time clipping Youkilis’ bat.
“So technically, he hasn’t hit him, however he’s gone up and in on [Youkilis] method too many instances for it to be a coincidence,” Yankees announcer Michael Kay stated throughout an August 20, 2012, YES Community broadcast replaying their previous points — moments after Chamberlain truly hit Youkilis, who was then with the White Sox, within the again.
“I simply didn’t like him,” Chamberlain stated. “Clearly, [it started] when he was with the Crimson Sox, he by no means got here and obtained me.”
For his profession, Chamberlain struggled in opposition to Youkillis, with the three-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner hitting .333/.565/.900 with a house run and 4 RBIs in opposition to the righty in 23 plate appearances.
In any case their private drama, the pair turned teammates when the Yankees signed Youkilis as a free agent forward of the 2013 season within the wake of an Alex Rodriguez damage.
On the time, Chamberlain tried to downplay their historical past, telling reporters their run-ins had been overblown and that there was “nothing” between them.
“It’s a kind of issues the place individuals made it a much bigger deal than it was,” Chamberlain stated, per the Related Press.
“There’s nothing to it. There’s nothing between us. I’m glad to have him on our facet. We’re two grown males. We’re enjoying on the identical crew. Our one objective is to win.”
Regardless of his public reward, Chamberlain stated that Youkillis’ silence after he initially reached out didn’t sit effectively.
“Then he was my teammate and I used to be like, ‘Dude, it’s baseball. Between the traces, it’s what it’s however you’re my teammate,” Chamberlain informed Mata. “I known as him proper when he signed and he ignored me, ignored me ignored me. He will get to spring coaching after which he needs to be all buddy-buddy.”
Their stint as teammates was short-lived, nonetheless, as a recurring again damage restricted Youkillis to simply 28 video games earlier than he underwent season-ending surgical procedure.
Youkilis, who signed a one-year, $12 million contract with the Yankees, hit simply .219 with 2 homers and eight RBIs in what ended up as his remaining 12 months within the majors.
“Then he breaks his again and doesn’t do something for us,” Chamberlain stated.
“In order that man can go fly a kite.”
