Melancon - this year's Joba?

I've seen this suggested in a few different articles this offseason, and there's another one today. The highlights:

As Joba Chamberlain blazed through the Yankees' minor league system and became a late-summer sensation in the Bronx, Mark Melancon quietly rehabbed his elbow and silently cheered.

Suddenly, it's not crazy to believe that a kid with a few innings and immense potential could join the 2008 pennant race by August.......

At 6 feet 2, 215 pounds, Melancon (pronounced muh-LAN-sen) already is in possession of an electric fastball out of a high, three-quarter delivery. But his plus-rated, big major league curveball sets him apart. "It's just a hammer," said Mark Newman, the Yankees' chief of baseball operations.

I like Melancon a lot and see him as a big part of the Yankee bullpen, but I'm trying to hold off from expecting too much from him on the big-league level this year. He's about to turn 23, has 7 2/3 minor league innings under his belt, and is in his first year back from Tommy John surgery. It's entirely possible that he'll prove himself ready to contribute to a contender, but it's also possible that he'll need the entire year to get his form back, even if he looks great right now. While I wouldn't bet on him helping the Yanks a whole lot this year, I definitely wouldn't count him out, especially with the raves about his mental makeup.