Yankees pitcher Chamberlain learns from mistakes

A reliever needs a memory like a goldfish.

Sometimes, it's more like an elephant.

Sometimes, that's a good thing.

Joba Chamberlain yesterday recalled the three-run homer he surrendered to Indians pinch-hitter David Dellucci in the eighth inning . . . more than 17 months before.

Chamberlain remembered what teammate Mariano Rivera, baseball's best reliever, told him after Chamberlain delivered Dellucci's bomb in May 2008:

"Just forget about it. I mean, you've got to make your next pitch and get out of the inning and get your guys off the field."

In Game 4 of the World Series on Sunday, Rivera's words rang in Chamberlain's ears. He had Pedro Feliz down, 1-2, with two out and a one-run lead. He missed with a pair of sliders, fired a 95-mph fastball down the gut, and Feliz, looking for it, clobbered it.

That tied the game.

That brought up Carlos Ruiz, the Phillies' Senor Octubre, a No. 8 hitter who hits like John Buck in the regular season, then turns into Johnny Bench come autumn.

Chamberlain struck out Ruiz on four tight and wicked pitches.

The Yankees proceeded to score three runs in the ninth and win. They only needed one, but they might have needed more.

"To get that out afterwards - I know we could have let things unravel," Chamberlain said yesterday. "I give up the home run to tie the game, but I also knew Ruiz was coming up, and he's had a great postseason, with big at-bats."

Chamberlain's postseason been comparable, after 2 years of indeterminate performances.

He exploded onto the scene as a rookie reliever in 2007, when, with less than a full year in the minors and only 18 professional games, he allowed one earned run in 19 late-inning appearances down the stretch.

Chamberlain has since been the Yankee whose role is surrounded by the most intrigue.

Before the 2008 season, an organizational decision was made to put him in a starter's role. He began starting in June 2008 and went 3-1 with a 2.76 earned run average, but shoulder tendinitis shut him down in August, and he returned in September as a reliever.

He entered 2009 as a starter, with the franchise closely monitoring his innings. In 31 starts, he logged 156 1/3. He was 1-3 with an 8.19 ERA in eight starts down the stretch, which cost him any shot at a postseason starter's slot.

Entering last night, he had been strong in nine playoff appearances this season, with six strikeouts, no walks and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. He had been dominant, and sometimes unhittable, if predictable; his fastball-slider combination can be ungodly, but erratic.

He doesn't let that bother him much anymore.

And, while he once lobbied to be a part of the Yankees' rotation - he said again last night that was his preference - he was less insistent.

He appears to have regained the setup job from similarly talented, similarly unpolished, fellow first-round pick Phil Hughes, who, of course, is a starter candidate, too.

"It'll be another offseason full of questions," Chamberlain allowed, "but, like I've said, it's something I've wanted to do for a long time."

It isn't something he needs.

He "snaked" it, but he got the win in Game 4.

He earned it as much by allowing the Phillies to tie the game as limiting the damage against a fearsome lineup. For that, he is proud.

"It's hard to look back a year ago and [predict] what would have happened," Chamberlain said. "I think my focus would have been a little different."

Centerfielder Melky Cabrera, who left Game 4 in the ninth inning with a hamstring strain, was replaced on the roster for the remainder of the Series by infielder Ramiro Pena. Brett Gardner replaced Cabrera in centerfield and batted seventh, which would have been Cabrera's slot. Gardner was 2-for-5 in nine postseason games, all as a substitute, and was 2-for-5 against Phils starter Cliff Lee this season. Cabrera finished the postseason hitting .271 and was 0-for-3 against Lee in Game 1 . . . Yankees manager Joe Girardi declined to name Andy Pettitte his Game 6 starter, though it appeared to be certain. Pettitte, Girardi said, would throw his scheduled light side session last night and be evaluated during today's off day, if necessary . . . Girardi also said that, with a 3-1 Series lead, the club did not consider current No. 4 starter Chad Gaudin instead of A.J. Burnett in Game 5 last night. Burnett started on 3 days' rest instead of his usual 4 days, as did CC Sabathia in Game 4. Girardi cited Gaudin's probable rustiness, since Gaudin has not started since Sept. 28. Starting Gaudin would have let Burnett and Pettitte pitch Games 6 and 7 on full rest, but it would have meant CC Sabathia probably would not start Game 7 on 3 days' rest. *