CENTER FIELD :: Joba + Clay = 4 Eva

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Joba + Clay = 4 Eva

Joba Chamberlain (retch) is this month's coverboy on ESPN the Magazine (double retch), and the accompanying story online by Buster Olney contains a series of text messages sent by Joba to Buster. Boy howdy does Joba love him some exclamation points, to wit:

I text A LOT. About 100-200 a day!

It was awesome!

It's just so complex in all areas of training!

I've thought about it!

Sounds good. I will be ready!

Once you get past the plethora of exclamation points, there are a couple of interesting tidbits. First, Buster asked Joba which big league hitter had the best swings against him last season. His answer? "Mike Lowell was the toughest hitter for me. Sliders and fastballs. I couldn't get him out!" (note the exclamation point)

Then, Buster asked Joba about the rumor that he texted Clay Buchholz the night of Clay's no-hitter back in September. Reportedly, Joba and Clay struck up a friendship at the Futures Game over the summer, and have been texting buddies ever since. So what did Joba tell Clay that night? "I texted Clay that day! Before the game, actually. I just wished him good luck. Then after the game I wrote, "glad u got that out of your system."" (exclamation point)

OK, even I have to admit that's kind of cute.

I still don't like you, though, Joba, no matter how nice you are to Stickbug.

Comments (7)

[ Liza ] says:
on December 7, 2007 4:43 PM

Joba is actually a big sweetie. With an exclamation point!

I still hate him though. (With an exclamation point.)

[ Texas Gal ] says:
on December 7, 2007 4:44 PM

Could not have said it better myself, Liza.

[ Meg ] says:
on December 7, 2007 5:19 PM

Ya know, I think he is one Yankee that the "You only hate him cause he's on the Yankees and would love him if he were on the Sox" accusation is true about. Even with the head throwing thing. I know if Papelbon did that against the Yanks and then did an interview saying it "slipped" I'd think it was great (although somewhat stupid). But he's not on the Sox, so I hate him and that was a classless and unsportsman-like thing to do.

The texts are adorable though...I remember Ellsbury talked about them texting one another too. And that is probably the last nice thing I will say about Joba.

[ Twinkie ] says:
on December 8, 2007 12:45 AM

IDK, my BFF Clay?

And I can't figure out what the last comment has to do with this post. I hate people who do that.

[ Texas Gal ] says:
on December 8, 2007 6:22 AM

Yeah- that comment is gone. It was stupid to begin with, and had nothing to do with the post. Bye-bye!

[ Tim ] says:
on January 22, 2008 9:58 PM

That makes a lot of sense, hating on a 22-year old kid whose just happy to be playing ball. Hating on the wrong people ladies.

[ Texas Gal ] says:
on January 22, 2008 10:01 PM

Tim - Dude. You gotta get a sense of humor. You're a Yankees fan living in Brooklyn- you're going to tell me you've only ever had 100% perfectly nice things to say about Red Sox players? That you're all sunshine and roses and unicorns when talking about Buchholz or Ellsbury or Pedroia? You really need to lighten up.

And lose the misogyny overtones, too, bub.

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