May 2, 2007
THE HIGH COST OF TRYING TO SAVE JOE'S JOB:
Hughes risk didn’t pay for the Yankees (Peter Abraham, 5/02/07, LoHud Yankees)
Here is my point on Phil Hughes:The Yankees said on Feb. 12 when spring training started that they had this carefully laid out plan for him and he wouldn’t be going to the majors. They said the same exact thing when they sent him down in March. This plan was based on months of research and evaluation.
Then a bunch of guys got hurt and – whoosh – there went the plan.
Which is fine. That is their right and pro ball is pro ball. Sometimes you have to make adjustments. But that doesn’t make it a good idea.
The kid was pitching one hell of a game tonight. He was eight outs away from never having to buy another drink in his life. There’s Mark Teixeira 0-2 and waiting for the changeup that struck him out in the first inning. So Hughes was going to throw him the best curveball he had ever thrown.
Hughes told us stepped too far in an attempt to really get on top of the pitch and throw it low. His momentum carried him downward, he got off balance and he tore his hamstring. Next time, and hopefully there is a next time, he will throw the pitch the right way.
Teams that make panic moves never serve their future well. Posted by Orrin Judd at May 2, 2007 10:06 AM
As Hughes demonstrated last night, he has nothing to learn in the minors. He should've been up last September.
Btw, speaking of young pitchers who actually have been abused, unlike Hughes, how's Papelbon's shoulder holding up?
By all accounts he could barely hit 90 on the gun last night.
Sounds like its going to be another long season at the Fens. I'd anticpitated the typical August collapse as the aging team breaks down and even mediocre lineups figure out Dice-blahs junk. But if Paps goes down the Sawx will be duking it out with the Rays for 3 place.
Posted by: Jim in Chicago at May 2, 2007 2:43 PMLast night actually offered a perfect illustration of why the two teams historic fortunes have been reversing this century. The two have near identical prospects in Hughes and Clay Buchholz (though teens tend not to develop as well as college players). While the Yanks were getting six no-hit innings from the kid their entire pitching future depends on, but overextending him so badly in the process that he hurt himself, the Sox got six perfect innings at AA from the guy who'll fit in as their 4th starter when he's fully prepared to succeed.
Posted by: oj at May 2, 2007 7:31 PM