Comments on: Phil Hughes struggles again as concerns about velocity mount

By: banksatdixie

banksatdixie — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 20:10:48 +0000

He is being sent down to AAA to work on his shit.

By: tsi4431

tsi4431 — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 19:52:25 +0000

Agreed the Mets overused and abused him.

By: psousa1

psousa1 — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 19:44:07 +0000

Shitcan the cutter. Josh Beckett finally got that through his head and after his first game and look how he pitched agains NY. Fastball, Curve, Change. That cutter was coming in big as softball at 89 mph.

By: spindervish

spindervish — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 19:11:14 +0000

A couple of things: I actually watch a fair amount of Yankees games, but I haven’t actually seen much of Hughes…well ever, really. Anyway, my understanding of the guy when he came up was that he had a decent fastball but an out-pitch curve and a great changeup with plus command. Then, when he started working that cutter in a couple years ago or whenever it was, I heard a lot of praise for it…and I actually do seem to remember seeing it look pretty awesome a couple times.

Now people are mocking his secondary stuff (at least around here) and you’re even suggesting his cutter sucks. I’d genuinely like to know: what is the deal? Was his secondary stuff overhyped in the minors, or has it fallen off? And are his struggles with the cutter a recent development, or perhaps a function of his decreased velocity? I mean I would think if you’ve got good movement on your cutter at 88-90, it could still be a solid pitch for you at 85-86.

And finally: Joba has four above-average pitches?? How do you figure? Nice fastball, dirty, dirty slider, his curve is ok to my eye…but last I checked he wasn’t even throwing a changeup.

By: ny6986

ny6986 — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 18:40:46 +0000

I imagine his dead arm is the Mets fault too!

By: proudlycanadian

proudlycanadian — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 17:25:36 +0000

Betty White doesn’t have a very good curve either.

By: seeingwhatsticks

seeingwhatsticks — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 16:38:24 +0000

Either he’s already injured or his mechanics are so far out of whack that he will soon be injured trying to compensate.

By: BC

BC — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 16:18:04 +0000

I think he’s channelling his inner Betty White.

By: proudlycanadian

proudlycanadian — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 16:06:46 +0000

The Yankees currently lead the AL East, but so far have only played 3 games (1 & 2) on the road. It will be interesting to see how they perform once they have a significant road trip.

By: Old Gator

Old Gator — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 15:49:35 +0000

You might say that concerns about his velocity are coming faster and faster.

By: sabathiawouldbegoodattheeighthtoo

sabathiawouldbegoodattheeighthtoo — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 15:39:00 +0000

Part of the problem is that he still seems to think his cutter is a good pitch. It is the pitch hitters have tattooed more than any other, but whenever he gets in trouble that is where he goes.

The bigger problem is that his secondary stuff sucks. Last year he came out strong throwing basically all fastballs. Once the league caught on, he had nothing else to show them and he got hit quite a bit. Not that he doesn’t even have the fastball, what’s left???

For the record, Joba still has 4 above average pitches…in the seventh inning.

By: Professor Longnose

Professor Longnose — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 15:19:36 +0000

There are other ways to look at the data. I read that his fastball topped out a little higher than previously this year (although I didn’t look at the data), but then collapsed after the first two innings. Also, he had good linear weights on his secondary pitches, although his cutter was getting creamed. I’d say overall, he was noticeably less rotten than in his first two starts.

Last year, he didn’t have any starts as early as this. I’d say give him a couple more outings before yanking him from the rotation.

By: yankeesfanlen

yankeesfanlen — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 15:17:37 +0000

Girardi insists that Phil has to “work through this”, and I don’t doubt his sincerity, but there is no way with two days off next week that he’ll pitch again before Easter.
It was Colon’s game last night, and he won it. LongRelievers”R”Us, at least for now.

By: proudlycanadian

proudlycanadian — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 14:55:54 +0000

Hughes was pulled from the game early even though he had only thrown about 70 pitches. If he continues to throw like Phyllis rather than Phil, the Yankees would be down to only 1 reliable starter.