Dr. James Andrews

You don't go to see him unless something is very, very wrong.

Asked why the Yankees sent Chamberlain to Birmingham, instead of simply sending the results of his magnetic resonance imaging test there, Cashman said it was standard procedure. But the need for an extra trip for Chamberlain — which was not announced — was a curious development.

“Generally, especially when one M.R.I.’s already been done, Andrews is looking at it for a second opinion,” said the YES broadcaster David Cone, who saw Andrews for shoulder problems during his pitching career. “But you don’t get a second opinion unless the first M.R.I. showed something, generally speaking. What you see on the M.R.I. is the key, and to shuffle it down to him must mean you see something on there. What, I don’t know.”

Asked if he knew whether his son has a major or minor shoulder problem, Harlan Chamberlain said he could not say.

“The only thing I can say is I have every confidence that he’ll be back,” he said. “I hope and pray that it’s nothing of a serious nature. Obviously, he’s going to have to do some rest. As for how long that rest is going to be, time will tell.”

Chamberlain added: “He’ll be back, there’s no doubt. He’s a strong kid and we’ve confronted adversarial things throughout his career, and we’ve been able to answer them each time. It’s not like this is insurmountable. It’s a temporary setback. That’s the only way you can look at it.”

Indeed.

But unless the Devil Rays implode or Fenway burns to the ground, the Yankees are not going to be playing professional baseball in October of 2008.

UPDATE: Can Brett Favre pitch?