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With pitchers and catchers reporting to camp, the Detroit Tigers will have relief pitcher Joba Chamberlain reporting to camp soon after coming to an agreement on a one-year deal. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that Chamberlain was spotted at Tigers' Spring Training camp.
Joba Chamberlain spotted in #Tigers’ camp. In agreement with club on one-year, major-league deal, pending physical, per source.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 24, 2015
The base salary of the contract will be $1 million. In addition, Chamberlain can earn up to $500,000 in incentives. The incentives would take effect on 35, 40, 45, 50 and 55 appearances over the course of the season.
Chamberlain, 29, has had an eight-year career with a majority of his time in the major league spent as a relief pitcher. After seven years with the New York Yankees, the team that drafted him in 2006, Chamberlain spent last year with the Detroit Tigers.
In his first year with the Tigers, Chamberlain pitched in 63.0 innings over 69 games to a 3.57 ERA. He had a K/9 of 8.4 while seeing significant improvements in his H/9 (10.1 to 8.1), BB/9 (5.6 to 3.4) and HR/9 (1.7 to 0.4) from his previous year. The sharp decline in home runs surrendered could be due to his change in home stadiums from hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium to pitcher-friendly Comerica Park. Chamberlain also had a 53.2% ground ball rate which is very impressive.
Despite his success, the Tigers bullpen, headlined by closer Joe Nathan, struggled for the American League Central Champions. Chamberlain will rejoin a bullpen that has not seen much change for the upcoming season but will need to change for the Tigers to succeed.
