Comments on: Once more unto the Phil Hughes breach http://riveraveblues.com/2008/04/09/once-more-unto-the-phil-hughes-breact-2522/ A New York Yankees Blog Fri, 22 Aug 2008 00:03:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Frankie Piliere http://riveraveblues.com/2008/04/09/once-more-unto-the-phil-hughes-breact-2522/#comment-64543 Frankie Piliere Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:24:50 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/?p=2522#comment-64543 Hey guys...glad you like the article. I wanted to jump in here and clarify something on the article that just said on our site. Here's what I said: I should have specified this and glad you brought this up. My analysis is represented by these short video clips but they aren’t the sample size I’m working off of. I saw a ton of Hughes live and in person behind the plate when he was in Trenton and a game in the GCL. And, I’ve watched most of his big league starts. Despite the fact that this is the only video available, I assure you that this is based mostly off what I’ve seen. The video is simply what was available to illustrate this. I try to steer clear of evaluating guys I’ve only see video of. I can’t agree more with you about sample size. You CANNOT evaluate on short clips. That’s what I mean when i say these were my illustrations, not my references that I based the analysis on. I'm really very against the idea that people all over the web think it's possible to fully analyze a pitcher based on short video clips. You need much more...the clips are just to illustrate to the readers. Also, to clear up something that i read a lot on the web today. Phil Hughes throwing 95-96 MPH in regular season starts is no myth. I clocked him at that personally, on a standard stalker gun. The velocity decrease is real. Frankie Piliere Hey guys…glad you like the article. I wanted to jump in here and clarify something on the article that just said on our site. Here’s what I said:

I should have specified this and glad you brought this up. My analysis is represented by these short video clips but they aren’t the sample size I’m working off of. I saw a ton of Hughes live and in person behind the plate when he was in Trenton and a game in the GCL. And, I’ve watched most of his big league starts.

Despite the fact that this is the only video available, I assure you that this is based mostly off what I’ve seen. The video is simply what was available to illustrate this.

I try to steer clear of evaluating guys I’ve only see video of. I can’t agree more with you about sample size. You CANNOT evaluate on short clips. That’s what I mean when i say these were my illustrations, not my references that I based the analysis on. I’m really very against the idea that people all over the web think it’s possible to fully analyze a pitcher based on short video clips. You need much more…the clips are just to illustrate to the readers.

Also, to clear up something that i read a lot on the web today. Phil Hughes throwing 95-96 MPH in regular season starts is no myth. I clocked him at that personally, on a standard stalker gun. The velocity decrease is real.

Frankie Piliere

]]> By: Anthony http://riveraveblues.com/2008/04/09/once-more-unto-the-phil-hughes-breact-2522/#comment-64478 Anthony Wed, 09 Apr 2008 23:20:26 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/?p=2522#comment-64478 I read this earlier in the morning while I was at work and wanted to check Hughes' pitching speeds from last year's no-hitter. I watched every pitch and although the announcer's noted a problem with the radar gun for a few innings hughes consistently hit 92-93 and ranged from 90-95. In certain situations where Hughes wanted more consistency than speed, his fastball was typically 90-91. He only hit 95 one time in the game, and dialed up 94 three or four times. This game was May 1 last year in Texas, so consider that the weather was probably 70-80 (?). I really don't think we have anything to worry about as far as his pitching speed. I think in warmer weather Hughes will hover in that 91-93 range. He consistently hit 91 in the game yesterday in 40 degree weather. If he was good enough for 6 innings of a no-hitter hitting 92-93 I'm sure a couple of games throwing 91 will be alright. Calm down. I read this earlier in the morning while I was at work and wanted to check Hughes’ pitching speeds from last year’s no-hitter.

I watched every pitch and although the announcer’s noted a problem with the radar gun for a few innings hughes consistently hit 92-93 and ranged from 90-95.

In certain situations where Hughes wanted more consistency than speed, his fastball was typically 90-91. He only hit 95 one time in the game, and dialed up 94 three or four times.

This game was May 1 last year in Texas, so consider that the weather was probably 70-80 (?).

I really don’t think we have anything to worry about as far as his pitching speed. I think in warmer weather Hughes will hover in that 91-93 range.

He consistently hit 91 in the game yesterday in 40 degree weather.

If he was good enough for 6 innings of a no-hitter hitting 92-93 I’m sure a couple of games throwing 91 will be alright.

Calm down.

]]> By: Ben K. http://riveraveblues.com/2008/04/09/once-more-unto-the-phil-hughes-breact-2522/#comment-64473 Ben K. Wed, 09 Apr 2008 22:58:43 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/?p=2522#comment-64473 Well played, Sir. Well played. Well played, Sir. Well played.

]]> By: zack http://riveraveblues.com/2008/04/09/once-more-unto-the-phil-hughes-breact-2522/#comment-64471 zack Wed, 09 Apr 2008 22:56:20 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/?p=2522#comment-64471 No, you're all missing the point. Hughes "is a 90-91 guy" and thats all there is to it. I can see that with complete confidence based on what I have seen already and can project that down the road it will be virtually impossible for him to be a #1, whatever that might be. Whatever it is though, because as of right now he doesn't throw two MPH faster consistently, he won't reach that. The weather obviously doesn't play a factor because other pitchers were able to throw harder than he was in the same weather, and they were all older so shouldn't be throwing as hard, since at 21 he's throwing as hard as he ever will. He was over-hyped and he is what he is. Period. Don't you get it??/????//??? No, you’re all missing the point. Hughes “is a 90-91 guy” and thats all there is to it. I can see that with complete confidence based on what I have seen already and can project that down the road it will be virtually impossible for him to be a #1, whatever that might be. Whatever it is though, because as of right now he doesn’t throw two MPH faster consistently, he won’t reach that. The weather obviously doesn’t play a factor because other pitchers were able to throw harder than he was in the same weather, and they were all older so shouldn’t be throwing as hard, since at 21 he’s throwing as hard as he ever will. He was over-hyped and he is what he is. Period.

Don’t you get it??/????//???

]]> By: CB http://riveraveblues.com/2008/04/09/once-more-unto-the-phil-hughes-breact-2522/#comment-64470 CB Wed, 09 Apr 2008 22:52:00 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/?p=2522#comment-64470 People talk about small sample size all the time on the baseball blogosphere. It amazes me that people are willing to draw such definitive conclusions about Hughes mechanics and changes in those mechanics based on a few minutes of video tape that they have available to them. They look at a couple of minutes of video tape from the minors - video tape that may amount to no more than 10 - 20 pitches - all of which are limited to the centerfield camera shot - and then feel confident in their ability to make global statements about what his mechanics were and how they’ve changed now? How can they even be confident that the mechanics Hughes is using in the tape they have from his time in the minors is an accurate assessment of his baseline mechanics? He threw thousands of pitches - they have 20 or so to look at. How can you know the 20 you happened to look at are in fact the “true” mechanics he used. Maybe he was just off mechanically that day. This is what Carlos Gomez did in that first video scouting piece from the hard ball times that got everyone in a panic about Hughes “change in mechanics.” The guy like half an inning of video tape to watch but had some how figured out flaws in hughes’ mechanics that Nardi Contrereas, Gil Paterson, and Dave Eiland never saw. That’s just genius. Saber scouting is a fun read but even with them - they had Hughes video from the futures game- he threw poorly that day. How do you know his mechanics just didn’t happen to be out of whack that day? If there is some change in his mechanics I’m sure Nardi and Eiland know about it and are working on it. It strains believability to think that somehow all of the pitching coaches and instructors in the yankees organization are just missing something that some guy on the internet can figure out after looking at some video tape. People talk about small sample size all the time on the baseball blogosphere.

It amazes me that people are willing to draw such definitive conclusions about Hughes mechanics and changes in those mechanics based on a few minutes of video tape that they have available to them.

They look at a couple of minutes of video tape from the minors - video tape that may amount to no more than 10 - 20 pitches - all of which are limited to the centerfield camera shot - and then feel confident in their ability to make global statements about what his mechanics were and how they’ve changed now?

How can they even be confident that the mechanics Hughes is using in the tape they have from his time in the minors is an accurate assessment of his baseline mechanics? He threw thousands of pitches - they have 20 or so to look at. How can you know the 20 you happened to look at are in fact the “true” mechanics he used.

Maybe he was just off mechanically that day. This is what Carlos Gomez did in that first video scouting piece from the hard ball times that got everyone in a panic about Hughes “change in mechanics.” The guy like half an inning of video tape to watch but had some how figured out flaws in hughes’ mechanics that Nardi Contrereas, Gil Paterson, and Dave Eiland never saw. That’s just genius.

Saber scouting is a fun read but even with them - they had Hughes video from the futures game- he threw poorly that day. How do you know his mechanics just didn’t happen to be out of whack that day?

If there is some change in his mechanics I’m sure Nardi and Eiland know about it and are working on it.

It strains believability to think that somehow all of the pitching coaches and instructors in the yankees organization are just missing something that some guy on the internet can figure out after looking at some video tape.

]]> By: Jake http://riveraveblues.com/2008/04/09/once-more-unto-the-phil-hughes-breact-2522/#comment-64467 Jake Wed, 09 Apr 2008 22:49:50 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/?p=2522#comment-64467 I live in KC. It was terrible yesterday. It was cold and wet. I didn't want to go out and I had a coat on, it couldn't be good conditions to pitch. I would also like to note that Joe G had 2 great calls on pitchouts that if Jose had been behind the plate Joey G would have been out. That changes the whole game right there, less pitches for Hughes and probably gets him some confidence. I live in KC. It was terrible yesterday. It was cold and wet. I didn’t want to go out and I had a coat on, it couldn’t be good conditions to pitch. I would also like to note that Joe G had 2 great calls on pitchouts that if Jose had been behind the plate Joey G would have been out. That changes the whole game right there, less pitches for Hughes and probably gets him some confidence.

]]> By: Jamal G. http://riveraveblues.com/2008/04/09/once-more-unto-the-phil-hughes-breact-2522/#comment-64458 Jamal G. Wed, 09 Apr 2008 22:01:02 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/?p=2522#comment-64458 It worked in Seattle with Felix Hernandez and their former pitching coach, Rafael Chaves, who was handed a letter written by the folks at U.S.S. Mariner on the flaws on Felix Hernandez. http://ussmariner.com/2007/06/27/an-open-letter-to-rafael-chaves/ Alex if you're serious you should put the word out to the Yankees blogosphere and if enough interest is there maybe something can come of it. It would be great. It worked in Seattle with Felix Hernandez and their former pitching coach, Rafael Chaves, who was handed a letter written by the folks at U.S.S. Mariner on the flaws on Felix Hernandez.

http://ussmariner.com/2007/06/.....el-chaves/

Alex if you’re serious you should put the word out to the Yankees blogosphere and if enough interest is there maybe something can come of it. It would be great.

]]> By: Ivan http://riveraveblues.com/2008/04/09/once-more-unto-the-phil-hughes-breact-2522/#comment-64454 Ivan Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:13:39 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/?p=2522#comment-64454 Plus, his velocity problems are just a small sample. While his other velocity readings were much larger samples. Leave him alone, he will improve trust me. besides he still has that nasty curve anyway. Plus, his velocity problems are just a small sample. While his other velocity readings were much larger samples.

Leave him alone, he will improve trust me.

besides he still has that nasty curve anyway.

]]> By: Ivan http://riveraveblues.com/2008/04/09/once-more-unto-the-phil-hughes-breact-2522/#comment-64452 Ivan Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:10:42 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/?p=2522#comment-64452 Im not worried. I think the Velocity will pick up sooner, if not later. The guy will be okay trust me. Im not worried. I think the Velocity will pick up sooner, if not later. The guy will be okay trust me.

]]> By: Alex http://riveraveblues.com/2008/04/09/once-more-unto-the-phil-hughes-breact-2522/#comment-64448 Alex Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:57:12 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/?p=2522#comment-64448 Does someone have Dave Eiland's email? I imagine he knows Phil's '06 mechanics quite well, and I recognize that suggesting someone email the pitching coach of the New York Yankees borders on lunacy/fanaticism. But maybe this kind of analysis/attention to detail isn't possible for a man who manages a major league pitching staff. Then again, maybe its absolutely crucial and has already been done by Eiland. The desire to see Phil succeed is absolutely overwhelming, to such an extent that I feel like informed fans have a responsibility to help produce quality outcomes for Phil, as if those outcomes are in our realm of control to begin with. Is this what having a kid is like? Does someone have Dave Eiland’s email? I imagine he knows Phil’s ‘06 mechanics quite well, and I recognize that suggesting someone email the pitching coach of the New York Yankees borders on lunacy/fanaticism. But maybe this kind of analysis/attention to detail isn’t possible for a man who manages a major league pitching staff. Then again, maybe its absolutely crucial and has already been done by Eiland.

The desire to see Phil succeed is absolutely overwhelming, to such an extent that I feel like informed fans have a responsibility to help produce quality outcomes for Phil, as if those outcomes are in our realm of control to begin with. Is this what having a kid is like?

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