Joba Chamberlain's ERA rose to 4.34 on Tuesday evening when he gave up seven earned runs on nine hits in four innings of work. He now has an 8.55 ERA for the month of August and another blight on his home record, which seems to follow a common thread; high pitch count, high strikeout rate, high walk rate. Chamberlain's home/road splits are staggering and it goes beyond merely how small Yankee Stadium plays for hitters. He has given up 10 homers in 70.2 home innings, compared to six homers in 60.0 road innings, but when accounted for the difference in plate appearances it is one for every 32.4 at home and 43.0 on the road. For a frame of reference, the Yankees have collectively allowed one homer for every 30.4 plate appearances at home and 35.5 on the road. The real difference in comparing Chamberlain's splits is how he still holds that shutdown, strikeout reliever's mentality when pitching at home. When he is at home, he's still looking to strike everyone out and consequently lets his walks and pitch count increase. He has struck out 70 batters in 70.2 innings at home, but he has also walked 43 batters, which works out to be about 5.5 walks per nine innings, an inexcusably high rate. On the road, Chamberlain pitches to contact with greater frequency. He has struck out just 44 batters in 60 innings, while maintaining a walk rate of 3.3 per nine innings. Even though the difference between batting average at home and the road is just nine points, the OBP allowed is +41 at home. Chamberlain allows an .817 OPS at Yankee Stadium, which is the equivalent of facing Ian Kinsler in every at bat. From everything I've read and heard about Chamberlain, maturity is something he could use more of and taking a more conservative approach at home will have to be part of that process.