Iwakuma 00740314

12/20/2007 5:15 PM ET
Short memory suits Chamberlain
Right-hander has already put October struggles behind him
By Anthony DiComo / MLB.com















NEW YORK -- October memories may still sting the Yankees, but Joba Chamberlain seems immune. The man who wore his pinstripes with apparent invincibility last summer still won't harp on the Yankee losses that prematurely ended his season.
In fact, he claims he's already forgotten.

"It took me about a day," Chamberlain said. "I've got a short memory. If that's the worst thing that happens in my entire life, I'm a lucky human being."

And that's precisely why he's so intent on helping those who have suffered through so much more.

Chamberlain was at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center's department of pediatrics on Thursday afternoon, making a trip into Manhattan to spread another dose of holiday cheer. And by the sound of the ovation -- patients, parents and nurses alike greeted Chamberlain with applause as soon as he popped into the room -- that wasn't too difficult to achieve.

Wearing his custom Santa hat -- Yankee blue, of course -- Chamberlain met with patients, signed balls and posed for pictures, even coaxing some parents to jump up on stage, too. Nearly an hour later, the room was empty, and the hospital a little brighter.

"The opportunities that I had when I was younger were few and far between," Chamberlain said. "I'm blessed to be put in this situation, and I wouldn't be here if it weren't for a lot of people. If I can help one or two people, that makes it all worth it."

Many of those people were clad in "Yankees Universe" T-shirts, showing their support for more than just the team. The shirts, which can be purchased at Yankees.com, support the New York Yankees Universe fund, which in turn helps finance pediatric cancer research and care at Memorial Sloan-Kettering.

And Chamberlain, of course, was wearing his shirt with pride.

"Your opportunity in this game is very, very short," he said. "So I try to take advantage."

That's just one reason why, as offseason rumors continue to swirl, Chamberlain resists temptation to fuss over the Hot Stove's every coal. Just as he apparently "forgot" what happened in October, Chamberlain also claims he "forgot how to read."

How convenient.

Yet all of that forgetfulness doesn't mean he's unaware. Chamberlain knows that Mariano Rivera is back, ensuring he'll begin next season as a starter. He knows that Jorge Posada is back, ensuring that he'll have a rock to throw to behind the plate. And he knows that Alex Rodriguez is back, ensuring that he won't have to strike him out and "make him look bad," as he suggested with a smirk.

He also knows that Roger Clemens isn't back, and probably won't be, either. And while the Yankees instructed Chamberlain to keep mum on the Mitchell Report, which last week linked Clemens with performance-enhancing substances, he wasn't shy about doling out praise for his former teammate.

"The man's been successful for so long," Chamberlain said. "He's obviously doing something right."

Nothing, however, seemed to work for Clemens in last October's playoffs, just as little worked for Chamberlain. Regardless of any individual success -- and Chamberlain had plenty -- the Yankees again fell short of their overall goal.

That sparked speculation, as it always seems to do, that the Yankees would be major players in the trade market this winter. No one was immune to the dealings that could land the Yankees an ace pitcher -- or so it seemed, until the team reportedly whisked Chamberlain off the table.

That showed just how much the Yankees think of their 22-year-old ace-in-training -- and that's why Chamberlain is determined to justify that move.

"I'm going to go out there every day," Chamberlain said, "and prove them right."

Anthony DiComo is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.