With Joba Chamberlain likely out for the year, the New York Yankees called up 27-year-old Kevin Whelan from triple-A to take his spot in the bullpen. Well, not Joba's exact spot, but rather the back-end of the bullpen, which will push everyone up a rung.
Kevin Whelan Called Up To Take Joba Chamberlain’s Spot
The Times-Tribune broke the story, noting that Whelan was the closer for Scranton Wilkes-Barre, where he was performing quite well:
| Year | Age | Tm | Lg | Lev | W | L | G | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 27 | Scranton/Wilkes-Barre | IL | AAA | 1 | 1 | .500 | 1.67 | 25 | 18 | 27.0 | 17 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 30 |
Whelan was drafted by the Tigers in 2005, and traded to the Yankees in the Gary Sheffield deal in 2007. He's pitched well enough in the minors, though he's always fought control problems. Last season was his worst as a professional, as he walked 31 in 49-1/3 innings, with a combined ERA of 6.02 between AA and AAA. His control has been much better this year, though, so he was rewarded with a long-awaited call-up.
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