Gary Thorne is the play-by-play announcer for the Baltimore Orioles. If you have Extra Innings or MLB.tv (like me), then you can understand why I’m very happy this three game series is over.

Here are some of Thorne’s comments on Yankees RHP Joba Chamberlain from Wednesday’s game:

Joba has not started a game in the minors or the majors.

Really? According to baseball-reference, Joba started 15 games in 2007. Do they have the internet in Baltimore yet, Gary? Are they getting ESPN soon?

Seriously, though, how is Thorne in any position to comment on the Joba situation if he is following it so sparingly that he didn’t even know that Joba was a starter in the minors last year?

The Yankees do not have a replacement for Joba in the 8th inning. Kyle Farnsworth will get the job, but…

From this comment, it looks like he has been following the situation. Still, every baseball media member says Kyle Farnsworth can’t even sit in the bullpen without blowing the lead, maybe it’s just in Thorne’s DNA.

He doesn’t look consistent in his mechanics AT ALL.

This is the one that does it for me. Look, Gary, why even bother saying something like this? We know you don’t have the first clue about pitching mechanics and so do you. Gary, your a play-by-play guy, I understand it isn’t your job to be a former pitching coach. But, I’ll call you out on it if you decide to pretend to know what your talking about when you knock Joba’s mechanics.

Here is an excerpt from an article on The Hardball Times  (By: Carlos Gomez) comparing Chamberlain and Phil Hughes on mechanics from last year (it never mentions anything about Joba not being able to repeat his delivery):

Assuming that Joba can keep his weight under control (it looks like he’s in better shape), right now, from a mechanical efficiency point-of-view, the choice is clear. Give me the quick tempo, momentum-building, aggressive pitcher who struck out almost 14 batters per nine innings in the minors this year. Joba Chamberlain is my pick.

I’m not one that likes to tout people on the internet writing about pitching mechanics, but Gomez is infinitly more credible on mechanics than Thorne.