Joba Chamberlain Won’t Apologize For Being A Dad

Joba Chamberlain feels bad about letting his team down, but he’s not going to apologize for being a father. The New York Yankees pitcher was recently released from the hospital after suffering a gruesome ankle injury while jumping on a trampoline with his son.

Chamberlain insists that he wasn’t being reckless and said that there is a certain amount of risk in all everyday activities. Chamberlain said:

“I’m never going to look at anything I do with my son as reckless… Obviously I’m not going to skydive with my son, but when it comes along these lines, you could look at anything — throwing him around in the pool, just little things you’ve done. There’s a certain element of accidents in everyday life.”

But that doesn’t mean that Chamberlain isn’t upset about letting his team down. The pitcher was already recovering from Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery and the ankle injury will keep him away from the field even longer.

Chamberlain said:

“I feel like I let my team down to be perfectly honest with you, and that’s the most frustrating part… But when I look back and realize what was going on, I will never question being a father.”

Fox Sports reports that Chamberlain will be in a cast for another six weeks. He’ll then be put into a walking boot. Chamberlain’s shoulder surgery would have kept the pitcher out until June or July. The pitcher was optimistic that he would be able to return to the mound this year, even with the ankle injury, but General manager Brian Cashman wasn’t so sure.

Cashman didn’t accuse Chamberlain of being reckless, but he wasn’t all too happy with the fact that his pitcher broke his ankle on a trampoline. Cashman said:

“Should better judgment put yourself in a position to avoid that? I don’t want to deal with that at this stage. Doesn’t mean our rights aren’t what our rights are. I’m not waiving those. But I’m choosing not to pile on to someone who’s dealing with a great deal right now. That’s all.”

Joba, on the other hand, is trying to look on the bright side. Chamberlain said:

“It’s going to give me more time to rehab. It’s going to allow me to continue my shoulder strengthening and everything that goes along with that.”

Do you think Joba Chamberlain was being reckless? Bloomberg reports that the pitcher will be paid $1.7 million this year. Does that type of money require you to avoid trampolines even if you’re just being a dad?