Jaba Chamberlain
When Joba was one, his parents divorced, and his father, Harlan, took custody of Joba and his older sister, Tasha, who was five. Joba served as a ball boy and bat boy for Lincoln Northeast High School's state championship baseball team, and eventually graduated from Northeast.
He did not jump straight to college; to help pay the bills, Joba briefly worked for the city of Lincoln's maintenance department.
Chamberlain's father was born on a reservation for the Winnebago American Indian Tribe, but had to leave to be treated for polio. Harlan spent his childhood in hospitals and foster homes and now uses a motor scooter (which he has named "Humphrey") to get around. Now retired from his job as a supervisor at the state penitentiary, he works as a substitute teacher and takes tickets at University of Nebraska Cornhuskers' games.
Chamberlain still has family living on American Indian reservations.
When Joba (then Justin) was a little boy, his two-year-old cousin was unable to pronounce her brother (Joba's other cousin) Joshua's name correctly, pronouncing it as Joba instead. Harlan Chamberlain heard this and liked the nickname, so began referring to Justin (instead of cousin Joshua) as Joba.
Harlan said the name was "dynamic." Joba agreed, and eventually had his name legally changed.
College baseball
Chamberlain played for the University of Nebraska-Kearney Lopers, leading the team in ERA (2.23), opponents batting average (.250), strikeouts (49), and complete games (4), before transferring to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He helped the Cornhuskers reach the 2005 College World Series and helped Nebraska with the team's first-ever College World Series win, going 10–2 with a 2.81 ERA for the year; his 2005 stats included 5 double-digit strikeout games.
Chamberlain did not pitch in the organized minors during the 2006 season, but dominated the winter league in Hawaii, posting a 2.63 ERA for the West Oahu CaneFires.
Before the 2007 season, Baseball America ranked Chamberlain as the 4th-best prospect in the pitching-rich Yankee organization, and the 75th-best prospect in Major League Baseball, and ranked his fastball as the best in the Yankee farm system.
He spent the first part of his 2007 season on the A-Advanced Tampa Yankees in the Florida State League. He went 4–0 with a 2.03 ERA in 7 games, and had 51 strikeouts and 11 walks.
He was then promoted to the AA Trenton Thunder in the Eastern League, where he was 4–2 in 7 games with a 3.43 ERA and 64 strikeouts. Team in the 2007 All-Star Futures Game July 8 at AT&T Park.
Chamberlain pitched the third inning, striking out one, walking one, and allowing a hit and an earned run. On July 24, 2007, Chamberlain was promoted to AAA Scranton-Wilkes Barre, and made his first start the next day, striking out 10 in 5 innings and earning his first AAA victory.
While the Yankees still saw him as a starter in the future, the team announced on July 29, 2007, that Chamberlain would be moved to the Scranton-Wilkes Barre bullpen, and he made his first appearance the next day, striking out the side in 1 inning pitched and hitting 100 on the radar gun three times. On August 1st, Joba went back to Trenton to make a relief appearance, striking out 2 batters in a 1-2-3 8th inning.
To make room on their roster, the Yankees designated Miguel Cairo for assignment, and sent down Brian Bruney (coinciding with the activation of Jason Giambi) In his debut, a Yankees victory over the Toronto Blue Jays, Chamberlain struck out the first batter he faced and went on to pitch two scoreless innings, striking out two. Chamberlain was subsequently ejected for the first time in his baseball career.
After a sacrifice bunt, Sizemore moved up to third base and, after another wild pitch by Chamberlain, Sizemore scored the tying run. Manager Joe Girardi stated that Chamberlain would be used 'without restrictions' but that the team's use of Chamberlain would be guided by common sense.
Chamberlain was granted a leave of absence on April 13, 2008, when he received news that his father, Harlan, was in the hospital after collapsing at his home in Lincoln, Nebraska. At the time of his leave, Joba had a record of 1–0, with a 0.00 ERA and six strikeouts, and has 3 holds in 4 games and 5 1/3 innings pitched.
Chamberlain returned from bereavement in time for the 2nd game against the Baltimore Orioles on April 19, 2008. This was the first time he had given up a run at Yankee Stadium in over 15 innings in the regular season.
On May 21, Chamberlain threw two scoreless innings and 35 pitches in an 8-0 victory against the Orioles.
The Yankees won the game 1-0.
On August 4, Chamberlain injured his shoulder in a game against the Texas Rangers and was only expected to miss one start, but he was placed on the 15-day disabled list two days later after visiting orthopedic surgeon James Andrews, with rotator cuff tendinitis. Chamberlain said that he expected to return to the rotation before the end of the month, but he was sidelined until September 2, when he returned in a game against the Tampa Bay Rays pitching 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief.
Scouting Report
When pitching out of the bullpen, his fastball is known to sit in the upper 90's while occasionally topping 101mph with tailing action. It represents his Native American Roots, his dad, him, and his son, Karter.
The reason why Joba wears #62 is in memory of his late friend, Nate.