Bill Schenley
2008-04-15 02:29:33 UTC
Joba Chamberlain Leaves Yankees To Be With Ailing Father
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FROM: The Associated Press ~
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.
Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain left the team after his
father collapsed at home in Nebraska, and the pitcher was
placed on the bereavement list.
Harlan Chamberlain was hospitalized Monday at St. Elizabeth
Regional Medical Center in Lincoln. Hospital spokeswoman
Jo Miller said the family requested no further information be
released.
"He is currently in critical but stable condition,"
Joba Chamberlain said in a statement released by the team.
"I also want to thank my teammates and my manager for giving
me so much support when I have needed it most. Their actions
are the reason I was able to reach my father's side as quickly as
I did."
Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Joba Chamberlain's sister
called and left the pitcher a phone message during New York's
8-5 loss at Boston on Sunday night. The Daily News said the
reliever spoke with his sister after the game and broke into tears,
and Girardi tried to console him.
"I talked to him last night and this morning," Girardi said before
Monday night's game against Tampa Bay. "His father is still
going through tests. "I don't think they'll know everything they
need to know for a couple days."
Girardi doesn't expect Chamberlain to rejoin the team for at least
a few days.
"Family comes first," Girardi said.
Chamberlain, the Yankees' primary setup man, traveled with the
team to Florida, where New York started a series against the
Rays Monday. Chamberlain then left for Nebraska, teammate
Phil Hughes said.
"He was a little shaken up at first," Hughes said. "When we got
here, he was fine."
Harlan Chamberlain had polio when he was 9 months old and uses
a motorized scooter. He is deaf in one ear and without full use of
his left arm.
Harlan Chamberlain raised Joba as a single dad. He attended
New York's season opener this month and was at last week's
series in Kansas City.
"You can see the pleasure they get from each other being around
each other," Girardi said. "It's a great story."
In a flurry of moves, the Yankees recalled right-hander Jonathan
Albaladejo from Scranton-Wilkes-Barre of the International
League, purchased the contract of catcher Chad Moeller from
Scranton and placed infielder Wilson Betemit on the 15-day
disabled list with conjunctivitis. Pitcher Humberto Sanchez,
coming back from elbow ligament replacement surgery, was
transferred from the 15- to the 60-day disabled list to make room
on the 40-man roster for Moeller.
With Jorge Posada's shoulder bothering him and backup Jose
Molina sidelined by an injured hamstring, the Yankees had been
without a healthy catcher on their 25-man roster.
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Photo:
Loading Image...
FROM: The Associated Press ~
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.
Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain left the team after his
father collapsed at home in Nebraska, and the pitcher was
placed on the bereavement list.
Harlan Chamberlain was hospitalized Monday at St. Elizabeth
Regional Medical Center in Lincoln. Hospital spokeswoman
Jo Miller said the family requested no further information be
released.
"He is currently in critical but stable condition,"
Joba Chamberlain said in a statement released by the team.
"I also want to thank my teammates and my manager for giving
me so much support when I have needed it most. Their actions
are the reason I was able to reach my father's side as quickly as
I did."
Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Joba Chamberlain's sister
called and left the pitcher a phone message during New York's
8-5 loss at Boston on Sunday night. The Daily News said the
reliever spoke with his sister after the game and broke into tears,
and Girardi tried to console him.
"I talked to him last night and this morning," Girardi said before
Monday night's game against Tampa Bay. "His father is still
going through tests. "I don't think they'll know everything they
need to know for a couple days."
Girardi doesn't expect Chamberlain to rejoin the team for at least
a few days.
"Family comes first," Girardi said.
Chamberlain, the Yankees' primary setup man, traveled with the
team to Florida, where New York started a series against the
Rays Monday. Chamberlain then left for Nebraska, teammate
Phil Hughes said.
"He was a little shaken up at first," Hughes said. "When we got
here, he was fine."
Harlan Chamberlain had polio when he was 9 months old and uses
a motorized scooter. He is deaf in one ear and without full use of
his left arm.
Harlan Chamberlain raised Joba as a single dad. He attended
New York's season opener this month and was at last week's
series in Kansas City.
"You can see the pleasure they get from each other being around
each other," Girardi said. "It's a great story."
In a flurry of moves, the Yankees recalled right-hander Jonathan
Albaladejo from Scranton-Wilkes-Barre of the International
League, purchased the contract of catcher Chad Moeller from
Scranton and placed infielder Wilson Betemit on the 15-day
disabled list with conjunctivitis. Pitcher Humberto Sanchez,
coming back from elbow ligament replacement surgery, was
transferred from the 15- to the 60-day disabled list to make room
on the 40-man roster for Moeller.
With Jorge Posada's shoulder bothering him and backup Jose
Molina sidelined by an injured hamstring, the Yankees had been
without a healthy catcher on their 25-man roster.
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