Phil Hughes is ready for the big time

February 8, 2008 by Mike Axisa 34 Comments

But you already knew that.

Alan

And yet, still no word on his number change. I tried to order Hughes with Henn’s #34 since that seems to be what its going to be, but the MLB Shop wouldn’t allow it. I’m guessing it’ll be sorted out in Spring Training.
Bo

I’m wearing my Hughes #65 even if he changes it. Such a cool number especially since him and Joba are in the 60’s.
TurnTwo

this is from Gammons today:

“From a former Yankees coach: “Hughes had a reputation for being a little lazy, but A-Rod was great with him. He really pushed Hughes in the weight room and helped him the way he helped Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera. Alex relishes that role and his relationship with the young players, and they know no one outworks Alex.”
- steve (different one)
  
  A-Rod is such a bum.
- Geno
  
  Unnamed sources in journalism are really out of control. Why couldn’t Gammons name the source for this? Ridiculous.
- http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.
  
  Did Gammons also write about how Craig Hansen found his mechanics and got back the slider that made him so devastating in college? It’s been almost 4 months since he lost wrote that, so he’s long overdue.
  - TurnTwo
    
    ha! i think he did mention that Justin Masterson was ready to play a big role with the Saux come mid-season.
- http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.
  
  “Justin Masterson could be in the rotation mix by July, and Daniel Bard and Craig Hansen could be bullpen parts. And on the immediate horizon are outfielders Brandon Moss and Ryan Kalish as well as first baseman Lars Anderson, who already has a park in Brookline, Mass. named after him. ”
  
  Huh? Dan Bard had a 47-78 K/BB ratio with 27 wild pitches in A Ball last year. If the Sox go to him for relief help in 2008, that means they’re in gigantic trouble. Ryan Kalish hasn’t even played in full season ball yet, and Lars Anderson has 35 career at-bats above Low-A. On what planet can you consider these guys “on the immediate horizon.” Wave those pom-poms Gammons.
  - Zack
    
    Here is what Gammons wrote, translated into Yankee terms:
    
    “Alan Horne could be in the rotation mix by July, and Zach McAllister and Steven Jackson could be bullpen parts. And on the immediate horizon are outfielders Jose Tabata and Colin Curtis as well as first baseman Cody Ehlers, who already has [insert stupid unimportant and hokey factoid here about how scrappy, beloved, or stand-upish he is]. ”
    
    What an absolutely ridiculous statement. can you imagine anyone else making such an unfounded and implausible statement and getting away with it?
    - dan
      
      Except that McAllister is Greg Maddux compared to Bard.
    - http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.
      
      Not even. Replace Tabata with Abe Almonte, and Ehlers with like, Jesus Montero, and then it’s a bit closer. That’s how far away those kids are.
      
      Ryan Kalish on the immediate horizon? Of what, Low-A Greenville?
      - Zack
        
        Yeah, I knew I was being generous, and its STILL insane! I wanted to at least give him the benefit of the doubt and the Sox hype machine and go with prospects better than who he listed. it goes to show you just how far he’s fallen…
- Dimaggio5
  
  why doesn’t gammons just accept a full time job with the sux already? instead of this part time work he does for them under the guise of sports journalism
marc

so a scout saw phil hit 100mph on a radar gone.. oh where oh where has my velocity gone.. oh where oh where can it be….
marc

gun, not gone*
http://www.riveraveblues.com Ben K.

One day, marc, we will understand how Phil Hughes personally insulted you. How else can we explain this vendetta you seem to harbor against him?
- Zack
  
  Clearly marc is codename for Steve Lombardi…
  - marc
    
    hey! i did not compare King Phil to Andy Benes…
- marc
  
  Ben i have nothing against Mr. Hughes and i loveee RAB but you guys should have a Phil Hughes section called Why we love Phil Hughes because you guys loveee Phil Hughes, i give Mike A. a pass because for 3 years since i was reading IGWT he has had a man-crush on Phil, but someone hasta taint the kid a little bit. plus im jealous that hes 23 and an SP for the Yanks and im 25 and work at a bank lol
  - Nefarious Jackson
    
    marc=troll with no life bank boy
    - marc
      
      i am not a troll. i spend part of everyday reading yankee blogs, specifically this one… plus my hughes fun-making has been going on for a while. i do it now because its fun.
    - Realist
      
      Lmao! That was funny and made my endless , long , miserable day a little brighter :-)
  - dan
    
    People love him because he’s an awesome pitching prospect who has absolutely dominated everything in his path when healthy.
  - http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.
    
    My man-crush on Hughes isn’t necessarily for the kid himself, but for what he represents. I’ve been following the minor leagues and the farm system in depth for 8-9 years now, and Phil Hughes is the first truly great prospect that I’ve witnessed the Yanks draft, develop, and plug into their big league squad.
  - http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.
    
    Oh, and I’m 26. Phil is FOUR years younger than me. How the hell did that happen?!?
    - Zack
      
      What scares the bejesus outta me is that I’m 27 and have noticed myself starting to really look at these guys as “kids” and feel a distinctly different kind of pull. Long gone is the youthful Don Mattingly idolizing, and gone even is the High School/College Derek Jeter respect and admiration, and suddenly I am “pulling for these kids” and “proud of them” and “excited to see them develop.” Good Lord, i am turning into an adult!
      - http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.
        
        Dude, that’s not even funny. A few years ago I used to see high school kids on the street and think “wow, was I ever that young and immature?” Now I see college kids on the street and think the same thing!
        
        Granted, there’s certain things in life you can only enjoy as an adult, but I’d have no problem rewinding the clock back to say, 1986. For chrissakes, Carlos Triunfel of the Mariners – one of the very best prospects in baseball – was born in 1990!
        
        http://www.riveraveblues.com Ben K.
        
        They should probably get off your lawn too while they’re at it.
        
        marc
        
        lol… we’re all a bunch old farts by comparison.
        
        Zack
        
        I still remember the day when I noticed that CC Sabathia was only a month older than me and when I looked at the (Devil) Rays roster and noticed that half their players were younger than me. Heck, I’m having trouble facing the fact that I’m in my PRIME right now and its all down hill from here (in baseball terms!) :-)
Back Bay Yankee

Man, I love this kid. I don’t care if that article’s a media hagiography and a total fan-pander, I’m really excited that we kept the kids. I don’t have any quantitative evidence for this, but I felt like the Yankees played much better ball (not just in terms of W-L, but also energy and attitude) with the kids in the mix.

I tend to think it’s because they’re still playing with a young man’s love of baseball, and aren’t yet jaded by their multi-million dollar salaries. I think that energy’s contagious, and I think that they’ll help the team play better together, while benefitting from the experience and poise of the Yankee elder statesmen.
Old Ranger

You young guys are funny. I use to look at the guys sent to me(over seas) and think; these kids are babys yet!
Think what ever you wish, I like the influx of children. Some of the guys on the team (I think) like it also. When you have a young guy out there flying around the field trying to take your job, what do you do? When I played ball, it made me angry to think this guy was going try and take my job. Did he not know any better than that? So, I picked my game up and played better.
Back in the ’50s this is what you did to keep your job. Let’s face it guys, when I hear a player say; “I was lucky to get that pitch by him'” I think…what a crock! To be good, you need confidence in yourself and your ability.
The hope is, everyone of these kids fought their way to the big show, now they have to fight to stay here. One can’t rely on god given talent anymore. 27/08.
Realist

Well said my friend…alot of you guys could learn alot from Old Ranger. Listen up as alot of what he has to say is priceless wisdom , that one day you can pass along and learn from :-)
The Fallen Phoenix

Someone mentioned Hughes throwing 100mph, and asking where the velocity went…

I think I recall reading something E.J. wrote over at Pending Pinstripes over a year ago about Phil Hughes, that he could reach back and throw in the upper-90s if he wanted, but that Phil wouldn’t know where that pitch was going.

That is, almost all pitchers will sacrifice a few miles off their fastball for the ability to locate it wherever they want. Especially if the fastball that’s left still sits in the mid-90s, and through the month of September, Phil’s fastball was getting back there.