Spring Training Game 13: Yankees vs. Astros
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Mar 16, 2010 
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YANKEES
Derek Jeter SS
Nick Johnson DH
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Jorge Posada C
Curtis Granderson LF
Nick Swisher RF
Brett Gardner CF
RHP A.J. Burnett
ASTROS
Jason Bourgeois CF
Jeff Keppinger 2B
Hunter Pence, RF
Geoff Blum 1B
Pedro Feliz 3B
Jason Michaels LF
Jason Castro C
Edwin Maysonet SS
Brian Bogusevic DH
RHP Brian Moehler
TIME/TV: 7:05 p.m., as far as I know this game is not on TV.
WEATHER: Little colder than the past few days. Temperature in the low 60s, could drop into the 50s. Light breeze blowing out to right.
UMPIRES: HP Mark Carlson, 1B Eric Cooper, 2B Mark Wegner, 3B Marty Foster
ON THE LINE: Phil Hughes is scheduled for four innings, and the Yankees are starting to look much more closely at the results for their fifth starter candidates… Curtis Granderson is making his second start in left field as the Yankees try to determine their outfield alignment.
UPDATE, 7:15 p.m.: Paul Simon threw out the ceremonial first pitch. It was actually a nice throw from the mound to Jorge Posada. A few notes as the game gets underway:
• Damaso Marte was scheduled to pitch today but was bumped to tomorrow because they Yankees weren’t sure there would be enough innings. They hope to have Burnett and Phil Hughes pitch four innings each, with Mariano Rivera throwing an inning in between. Marte will pitch tomorrow and Chan Ho Park will make his debut on Thursday.
• Hughes joked that Rivera is his setup man for the day.
• Dave Robertson threw a sim game this afternoon. Joe Girardi said the Yankees will have to do things like that, and use the upcoming minor league games, to get their relievers work now that all of these starters are up to 65 pitches.
• Girardi on Joba Chamberlain’s outing tomorrow: “He’s got to pick it up. We’ve told him, you’ve got to pitch now. We gave you those couple of starts to get under your belt, now you’ve got to show us. You’ve got to pitch.”
• Girardi said all of the fifth starter candidates will make at least one more appearance before they start eliminating candidates. They hope to have a starter picked by the end of next week, and until then they might gradually rule out a starter or two at a time. “There are no rules,” Girardi said. “We’ll just do it as we feel it’s necessary to make moves.”
• Curtis Granderson starting in left field is not an indication of the Yankees outfield alignment on Opening Day. Girardi said he will spend “all of spring training” deciding who will open in left and who will open in center.
• As expected, Yankees individual game tickets will go on sale Friday. They will go on sale at noon.
UPDATE, 7:38 p.m.: His first 2010 at-bat as the Yankees No. 5 hitter, Robinson Cano grounded out to strand runners at first and second. Let the panic begin… now!
UPDATE, 7:54 p.m.: One out RBI double by Nick Swisher gives the Yankees a 1-0 lead here in the bottom of the second. A.J. Burnett has put some runners on base, but he left the bases loaded in the first inning and pitched around a walk in the second inning.
UPDATE, 8:09 p.m.: Burnett was a little wild and lasted only 2.1 innings. He’s out here in the third inning with the score 1-1. Zack Segovia is in to pitch with a runner at second.
UPDATE, 8:13 p.m.: By the way, I’m also in spring training mode. Last inning, Brett Gardner flied out to medium right field. I thought the ball was crushed off the bat. This is my version of “just seeing pitches” or “just trying to throw strikes.” Just trying to tell the difference between a routine fly ball and an epic home run into the next county.
UPDATE, 8:23 p.m.: Mark Teixeira, first pitch home run to right, his second homer of the spring.
UPDATE, 8:32 p.m.: Two-out double by Cano and an RBI single by Posada have made it 3-1 Yankees. Segovia still out there to pitch the top of the fourth.
UPDATE, 8:58 p.m.: Burnett said he felt strong, maybe too strong after his previous start was rained out. “I was overdoing it early,” he said. “I was probably overdoing it the whole time.”
UPDATE, 9:03 p.m.: Mariano Rivera said his arm felt “day and night” better tonight compared to how it felt at this time last year. “I walked a guy,” he said. “I got too excited.”
UPDATE, 9:32 p.m.: Colin Curtis continues his nice big league camp with a running catch in left field. By the way, every Yankees starter is out of he game except Swisher, Gardner, Jeter and Posada.
As far as I can tell, the game is not on TV nor is it available via mlb.com. bummer!
Anddddddddd good afternoon everybody!!! http://www.funnyordie.com/vide.....dog-parody
Marty Foster again? LOL
I don’t think he’s missed working a Yankee game all spring.
Gets the guys used to his horrible umpiring.
gameday anybody?
BryanHoch George Steinbrenner is in his private box for tonight’s game vs. Astros. His BMW with Florida plates is parked on the service level.
58 seconds ago
gameday link:
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday.....b_nyamlb_1
Wish we were able to watch this. Darn it.
Thanks for the gameday link m
I almost forgot there was a game tonight.
There was an interesting story in Toronto today about the Cuban shortstop Hechavarria:
“An executive said Monday that the “word in the scouting community” was that the New York Yankees’ offer was actually worth more. However, with Derek Jeter in the way in the Bronx and with Hechavarria’s desire to play shortstop in the majors quickly, the Jays became his choice.”
The Jays might just be floating that rumor to make their offer not look too outlandish but it does seem like the yanks weren’t being “cheap” when it came to this player. It seemed like the positional issues were a real factor in him signing with the Jays.
here’s the link (via MLBTR)
http://www.torontosun.com/spor.....39661.html
S.A.!
Wow. It’s been a long time. Hope you’re doing well.
No problem on the gameday link, I was just reading tex’s friend’s mind.
I thought there was audio, but I was wrong.
Carig and Feinsand had twitters going the last time we were blacked out.
http://twitter.com/Ledger_Yankees
I really ought to start paying more attention to Carig; after all, he writes for the paper that gets delivered to me every morning (when they don’t put the Feinsand article instead).
I’m doing good! Been lurking more and working more. gggrr. Hope all is well with you! Ready for the new season to start and another championship.
Apparently there is no audio for this game as well.
The game that time forgot.
Doreen,
You should pay attn to him today. Gameday’s not live. Carig is. AJ struck out Bourseuiousdoifd.
BryanHoch Tonight’s first pitch was thrown by Paul Simon. Who knew he was left-handed?
6 minutes ago
What the hell, MLB.com. What am I paying for??
Just updated with a bunch of pregame notes.
• Hughes joked that Rivera is his setup man for the day
***************************
LOL
No radio?
Girardi on Joba Chamberlain’s outing tomorrow: “He’s got to pick it up. We’ve told him, you’ve got to pitch now. We gave you those couple of starts to get under your belt, now you’ve got to show us. You’ve got to pitch.”
————————————————————-
I really want Phil to shine tonight because I think it’ll be interesting to see how Joba responds to the challenge.
Ledger_Yankees Yanks get out of it unscathed. Michaels skied the first pitch he saw to Cano, who had to adjust at the last second to reel it in. #nyylive
31 seconds ago
Ledger_Yankees Eiland and Posada check with AJ, who has thrown 28 pitches already. Bases loaded for Michaels. #nyylive
about 1 minute ago
Ledger_Yankees Grounder to Cano would have been a DP had he got it out of his glove clean. Now Feliz has a full count on AJ. #nyylive
2 minutes ago
Holden
March 16th, 2010 at 6:36 pm
Erica,
I don’t think anyone was “truly offended and bothered by the nickname of GTLU.” Rather, I think some posters suggested the name to be changed to correct the aberrant spelling. Was just an opinion of a few. Hopefully though, we all know that the baseball word ‘lineup’ is not spelled ‘line up.’
***********************
Wow. Thank you sooooo much for teaching me the proper spelling of the word “lineup”. And to think, I have survived 29 years on this planet and passed the CPA exam spelling the word “lineup” wrong this whole time.
Since we are being soooooo exact, why don’t I teach you the actual history of the GTLU abbreiviation.
When I started the little game, I always spelled it out. Every day I started a new round. I spelled it out “Guess the Line Up”. Personally, I like the way that looks. Eventually, other people started abbreviating it GTLU. I would use it on conversations about the game because ist easier. But everytime I actually started a round of “Guess the Line Up”, I spelled it out so newcomers would understand what it was and could play too.
Honestly, don’t you have more to worry about?
Ledger_Yankees For Burnett, 29 pitches, 14 strikes in the first inning. #nyylive
9 seconds ago
Girardi on Joba Chamberlain’s outing tomorrow: “He’s got to pick it up. We’ve told him, you’ve got to pitch now. We gave you those couple of starts to get under your belt, now you’ve got to show us. You’ve got to pitch.”
——
i actually like this…maybe im just naive but ive always been of the opinion that joba needs a kick in the pants to get him going…it was more than just once last year when eiland came up and woke him up…prove’em wrong joba! go out there and show what you got tomorrow!
Burnett = 29 pitches, 14 strikes in the 1st.
Ha allowed nada though
Erin
March 16th, 2010 at 7:15 pm
BryanHoch Tonight’s first pitch was thrown by Paul Simon. Who knew he was left-handed?
6 minutes ago
*************
I LOVE Paul Simon!!!!!!!!!
When I was little and saw the “Call Me Al” video, I totally thought Chevy Chase was Paul Simon and Paul Simon was the most talented guy on earth.
Well, I still think he is ridiculously talented but I know he’s not the guy in the Vacation movies
Not feeling that well and going home-
Bye for now!
From the previous thread:
CB
“That’s true. But I believe in those cases people generally continue to have persistent physical problems.”
No, sometimes cortisone shots, that are injected into the hot spot shown on the MRI, produce very good results. From what I am told the key is to place the injection as close to the problem area as possible, which is sometimes a hit or miss proposition.
“If Joba did have a small tear in his shoulder it would have likely continued to bother him and get worse as he threw more.”
Not necessarily. Small tears can be asymptomatic after rest and treatment.
IIRC, Wang pitched without symptoms with a small tear for years.
“I think he would have wound up back on the DL at some point or at least would have been complaining about pain/ looked less comfortable on the mound. Joba never looked like he was pitching in pain. There were no reports of him getting extra ice or additional precautions taken after games, etc.
But that’s just speculation on my part.
At the same time – if he does have a small tear or fraying in his shoulder then that’s really, really bad news. If that’s the case and it’s a tear that’s caused his loss of velocity then I wouldn’t count on him getting back to what he was before.”
The other possibility is that the inflammation caused a reduction in his arm strength, and it takes a while to get that back.
There are various explanations for his reduced velo: mechanical issues, out of shape, poor work habits, fear of re-injury.
Some or all may be responsible, but the more simple explanation is that he simply hasn’t been able to throw as hard because of a physical issue.
LOL Phil…
Chad, thanks!
Ouch, AJ may not be able to get through 4. Well, I assume he’s throwing mostly FB and change-ups. Last year he was very sharp in ST – this year, not so much.
Erica – always OPPC
March 16th, 2010 at 7:26 pm
Erin
March 16th, 2010 at 7:15 pm
BryanHoch Tonight’s first pitch was thrown by Paul Simon. Who knew he was left-handed?
6 minutes ago
*************
I LOVE Paul Simon!!!!!!!!!
When I was little and saw the “Call Me Al” video, I totally thought Chevy Chase was Paul Simon and Paul Simon was the most talented guy on earth.
Well, I still think he is ridiculously talented but I know he’s not the guy in the Vacation movies
************************
Me too! I love that video (and song). My dad’s name is Al, so he always says that’s his song. lol
Ledger_Yankees Teixeira gets hit in the back. Steve Donahue checked on him real quick. Teixeira stays in the game. #nyylive
47 seconds ago
Ledger_Yankees Jeter with a weak grounder to third. Johnson with a big swing and miss to strike out. Two down. #nyylive
3 minutes ago
Oy – thank god Tex is ok.
“Girardi on Joba Chamberlain’s outing tomorrow: “He’s got to pick it up. We’ve told him, you’ve got to pitch now. We gave you those couple of starts to get under your belt, now you’ve got to show us. You’ve got to pitch.”
——————————————————–
if this maintains, i would send Chamberlain to the rotation in scranton.
for a comination of factors. First of which, contrary to belief Joba was not impressive in the bullpen in the post-season.
secondly, as it stands NYY has enough guns in the bullpen (without Chamberlain) at this time. Let him learn/develop being a starter at AAA
personally, i wish to keep Aceves, Gaudin, and Mitre
“An executive said Monday that the “word in the scouting community” was that the New York Yankees’ offer was actually worth more…
If this is true, I was wrong, and the Yankees did what they could, but I think Hechavarria will regret his decision because I don’t think that Jeter will be the SS for more than two years.
Props to Cano for getting to a full count, but he has to be able to take ball 4 with runners in scoring position.
Ledger_Yankees AJ falls behind 2-0, Jorge visits him on the pound, pats AJ on the butt and gets back behind the plate. #nyylive
47 seconds ago
Ledger_Yankees Burnett bounces back, gets Maysonet to pop it up behind the plate. Bogusevic up with a runner on. @nyylive
47 seconds ago
There is also belief in the scouting community this kid may not end ip at SS.
His glove is not as good as Iglesias. He can swing the bat much better though.
When he fills out, he may project more as a corner OF.
Saw him play on the Cuban Jr. National Team a few years ago. Loved his bat.
Rich,
Like I said yesterday, Hal will spend money. He just won’t spend it foolishly.
I hold out faint hope Gourreal defects one day.
He’s far and away the best current position player in Cuba.
If he ever defected, he would break the bonus records by many millions of dollars.
Rich in NJ – very refreshing to read that someone here can actually admit to the possibility of being wrong about something. I want to thank you for your honesty. I actually do appreciate it.
As to what the deal on this kid actually was – we only know what we read, either in the papers or online somewhere.
I also very much wish the Yanks’ game was on TV tonight. I’m ready.
“Not necessarily. Small tears can be asymptomatic after rest and treatment.
IIRC, Wang pitched without symptoms with a small tear for years.”
Wang did. However, Wang was truly asymptomatic. And by asympotmatic I mean not only did he not have any subsequent pain but that he was able to due his job as he was at baseline.
Wang didn’t lose any velocity after that first tear. He could throw 94-95 free and easy.
According to the argument, Joba is symptomatic – the assumption is that his reduced velocity is due to a physical injury.
If Joba had a tear – even a small one – that caused him to lose 2-3 mph on his fastball then that wouldn’t be a benign tear. It wouldn’t be like what Wang first had. That’s a symptom.
Maybe we have a different definition of asympotmatic. To me loss of velocity for a professional pitcher is a real symptom.
And if that loss of velocity is in fact due to a tear that is a very bad sign because there’s a good chance that velocity isn’t coming back – if the tear were in fact the cause. He could have a tear that is benign – but then that wouldn’t be the cause of his loss of velocity.
I really hope he doesn’t have a tear.
I guess it’s possible that the tendinitis had long term consequences. But that might mean he was trying to pitch through chronic shoulder tendinitis for over a year. That’s not good either. That would be an unusual case of tendinitis but I suppose it’s possible.
I remember what Cone said. However, I was assuming he meant more serious cases on tendinitis – such as what John Maine had.
I think the simpler explanation is a change in his mechanics. His mechanics are visibly different. He’s just not nearly as consistent with his delivery anymore.
Ledger_Yankees Posada, Granderson, Swisher due up for Yanks in the second. #nyylive
48 seconds ago
Ledger_Yankees Indeedm, AJ is throwing all of his pitches, fastball, curveball, changeup. #nyylive
2 minutes ago
Ledger_Yankees Bugsevic gone looking on a fastball over the inside of the plate; Bourgeois flies to right. Inning over. #nyylive
3 minutes ago
SJ44 – Who is this Gourreal? Can you share any information?
Ledger_Yankees In that last inning, AJ threw 17 pitches, 9 for strikes. He’s at 46 overall. #nyylive
9 seconds ago
Gourreal would be tremendous. I assume that he couldn’t play SS full time in the majors (think he’s played there some in Cuba, IIRC). I’d guess he could learn to play LF.
He might not even need any time at all in the minors.
But it doesn’t look like he’ll ever defect.
Gourreal is a Cuban infielder. I think he mostly plays third but has played SS and 2b also I think. He’s a stud.
No way AJ is going 4 innings today. Hopefully Hughes can keep his pitch count down because that has been a big problem for our starters lately.
Erin, thanks! I like that he’s throwing all his pitches – I wonder what his pitch count will be tonight? He’s thrown a lot of pitches so far………..I can’t wait to hear about the change up.
AJ didn’t even really pitch last time -I don’t count throwing to Posada with no one at bat really pitching – so no wonder he’s wild. I hope he finds his FB command soon, though. One of the relievers will have to throw more than expected, I guess…
Swish is gonna have a huge year.
Ledger_Yankees After Granderson Ks looking, Swisher stings a hard double to the gap. 1-0 Yanks with Gardner up #nyylive
48 seconds ago
It does seem as if the Yankees aren’t getting any of these IFAs…for whatever reason
I think Swish has taken to his new swing; I wonder what his BA is this spring (and yes, I realize it’s just ST).
Ledger_Yankees Jeter grounds out. Keppinger, Pence, Blum due up. #nyylive
23 seconds ago
Ledger_Yankees Gardner golfed a flyout to right, advancing Swisher. Jeter up with two down. #nyylive
about 1 minute ago
CB and blake – thanks.
Carl
March 16th, 2010 at 7:54 pm
Swish is gonna have a huge year.
************************
I think so too
Betsy – Romine wasn’t built in a day
March 16th, 2010 at 7:51 pm
Erin, thanks!
***********************
You’re welcome
Erica
You seem to be obsessing about your GTL.
“I have survived 29 years on this planet and passed the CPA exam spelling the word “lineup” wrong this whole time.”
Glad you passed your exam. Glad you can spell.
Try to get over it and move on, eh?
Go Yankees!
Joe,
He’s a 2B/3B and probably the best Cuban position player since the immortal CF Lineras of the 90′s.
Great hitter, superlative athlete, very high baseball IQ.
Taught by his father, who is a manager in the Cuban Industrial League.
His favorite players are Jeter and Arod.
At the last 2 WBC’s he took tons of photos with them and became friendly with both guys.
He would be an all star in the States. He’s that good.
Sadly, he and his dad are true believers in Castro.
They live an oppulent life, comparatively speaking, in Cuba.
If he ever did defect, he would get a blank check from the Yankees.
At the WBC last year, a rumor spread he was defecting.
Let’s just say the Yankees were ready if that took place. It ended up being a bogus rumor.
As a player, he’s a more athleic Evan Longoria. Best way I can describe him.
I have to check my notes. I think he’s only 25 right. Still very young.
Ledger_Yankees AJ issues his third walk of the night, second to leadoff an inning. #nyylive
39 seconds ago
Betsy Swish was hitting .294 coming into today.
Holden
March 16th, 2010 at 7:59 pm
Try to get over it and move on, eh?
***********************
Holden, I think you should take your own advice
Thanks, Carl!
Ouch – I hope the Yankees brought extra relievers; it sounds like AJ is completely out of whack……
Ledger_Yankees Hunter Pence smokes 3-2 fastball to left. All tied 1-1. AJ has consistently fallen behind guys tonight. #nyylive
56 seconds ago
Ledger_Yankees My apologies all: We are doing much more play-by-play than usual only because this game isn’t on anywhere.Won’t be like this during season.
about 1 minute ago
SJ – thanks. He sounds like a heckuva player, but, if he’s a true believer, and leads an opulent lifestyle….I wouldn’t hold my breath either.
Ledger_Yankees Blum pops to short, but only after a full count. And that’s it for AJ who has surely reached his pitch count. #nyylive
11 seconds ago =
I’m glad this game isn’t on tv, lol
So he only got through 2 innings? Wow………
Segovia in with one down in the third. AJ finishes up with 65 pitches, 32 for strikes (thanks @AndyMcCullough) #nyylive
3 minutes ago via TweetDeck
AJ will NEVER be the pitcher that people think he can be. He is what he is.
bill March 16th, 2010 at 8:10 pm
AJ will NEVER be the pitcher that people think he can be. He is what he is.
This spring training start solidified it.
Ledger_Yankees A-Rod makes a nice play to his left, smoothly handling a long hop, holding Pence at second and throwing across to get Feliz. #nyylive
26 seconds ago =
=
Who is this Segovia? I know nothing about him.
Wow Bill, all that over a ST appearance? Impressive.
bill,
agree. he is what he is at this point. just another guy who doesn’t pitch up to his stuff
on another note, swish looks great so far
Nice to see Alex moving well – I can’t wait to see what he does over the course of a full year, with that post-season behind him and his health returned to normal.
Well, this spring training start and his career of inconsistency. However, even with his inconsistencies he is by no means a bad pitcher. He is a very frustrating pitcher to watch because you know just how good he can be, so when he does not do well it is quite annoying.
Betsy – Romine wasn’t built in a day March 16th, 2010 at 8:16 pm
Nice to see Alex moving well – I can’t wait to see what he does over the course of a full year, with that post-season behind him and his health returned to normal.
100 hrs 400 rbi.
“Ledger_Yankees A-Rod makes a nice play to his left, smoothly handling a long hop,”
Obviously didn’t see it but I have seen him make a play to his left that he wasn’t making last season.
I can’t wait to see the reaction of some in here when the Yankees lose a regular season game.
Believe it or not, that will happen this year.
If folks come unhindged over a ST game, they will be suicidal in the regular season.
Carl, all in one inning, too, lol
I am not to be lumped in with bill and co., lol. I admit I don’t like seeing AJ do so poorly, especially since he was walking the ballpark, but that’s just me. I’m slightly concerned, I admit, but I still have a great deal of faith in him and I believe the change up will work for him.
atta boy Tex
Betsy – Romine wasn’t built in a day March 16th, 2010 at 8:18 pm
Carl, all in one inning, too, lol
lol
SJ44 March 16th, 2010 at 8:18 pm
I can’t wait to see the reaction of some in here when the Yankees lose a regular season game.
Believe it or not, that will happen this year.
If folks come unhindged over a ST game, they will be suicidal in the regular season.
==================================================
Gonna need to keep this handy
http://tinyurl.com/yhthcdt
Glad to see Tex is having no ill effects from being hit in the back…
A “tad” early to worry or make declarative statements on players or the season.
One would hope that lesson was learned last year when they started 0-8 against and some declared the season “over” in May.
S. A. – that’s me right now, lol. If Phil has a bad game, someone’s going to have to keep me away from sharp objects.
Just my $0.02 on what the Yankees should do with pitchers (following on earlier discussions). Part of the logjam was caused by the Park signing and it made no sense to me. I think people that are pushing Mitre out forget that he was coming back from reconstructive surgery last year and it’s possible that his mostly hot spring is a sign that he is back to the pitcher that the Yanks originally had hoped for. In contrast, Gaudin hasn’t looked good and was mediocre outside of some late season starts for the Yankees. I’m just saying that we don’t want to undervalue Mitre based on his poor outings last year (when he most mostly truly awful).
Cano a bases empty double. Does anyone keep track of batting average with runners not in scoring position? Cano might be active leader in the all-important BA with RNISP.
GJ Posada
LOL Deep breaths Betsy. It’ll be alright.
I don’t think anybody with any baseball intellect keeps track of any ST stats because they are meaningless. So, whatever Cano does between now and April 3 means nothing.
S.A. – My brain is trying to tell my heart not to worry, but something is getting in the way, lol
The Yankees scored a run because of Robbie’s RNISP double though. He can hit, and given enough AB’s he’ll hit with runners wherever you wanna put them.
UPDATE, 8:13 p.m.: By the way, I’m also in spring training mode. Last inning, Brett Gardner flied out to medium right field. I thought the ball was crushed off the bat. This is my version of “just seeing pitches” or “just trying to throw strikes.” Just trying to tell the difference between a routine fly ball and an epic home run into the next county.
————————————————————-
Either that or your slowly evolving into John Sterling.
Frankly, if Cano is hitting behind ARod there will be many times he’ll come up with the bases empty (hopefully!)
Don’t be talking sense in a game thread Doreen!
Only doom is welcome ! LOL
Many teams have won a Grapefruit League championship and as soon as the real bell was rung, stumbled through the regular season and wondered why.
The same applies to the Cactus League.
Some people just don’t understand the principle of what spring training is about.
# Doreen – 2010 GTLU March 16th, 2010 at 8:33 pm
Frankly, if Cano is hitting behind ARod there will be many times he’ll come up with the bases empty (hopefully!)
All those A-Rod gidp’s!!
What is the big deal if people want to worry? Seriously – people who don’t worry are not better than those who do.
By the same token, being optimistic doesn’t make someone better than someone who is pessimistic.
“What is the big deal if people want to worry? Seriously – people who don’t worry are not better than those who do.”
they have less ulcers
“Many teams have won a Grapefruit League championship and as soon as the real bell was rung, stumbled through the regular season and wondered why.”
True, but the problem is that AJ is still throwing way too many pitches and that’s been his nemesis his whole career. So I don’t think it’s surprising that some are disappointed that it’s the same-old, same-old with him.
And even if it’s just meaningless spring training games, it is still interesting to see Cano’s splits with nobody on base vs RISP.
Less ulsers and it’s only ST Betsy.
Worrying over meaningless games is senseless.
Anyone have an idea about how Chad Gaudin’s dead arm will impact his standing in the competion for the 5th spot? It’s a pretty common occurence in Spring Training. I wonder if the Yanks will consider that they felt confident enough to put him on the post season roster and still keep him in the mix. He’s at a disadvantage by having a non guaranteed contract though.
Maybe so, Blake, but if the people who worry don’t care, why should anyone else? I don’t agree with those who make comments like “Cano is awful” (for example) based on a bad ST, but if someone wants to express a little concern, there is no need for others to be so condescending. Yes, I realize that ST doesn’t count.
“I don’t think anybody with any baseball intellect keeps track of any ST stats because they are meaningless. So, whatever Cano does between now and April 3 means nothing.”
I have a hard time believing that if Cano would hit .350 with nobody on base and .150 with RISP, that the Yanks wouldn’t take notice in spring training.
BryanHoch Mariano Rivera on the mound for NYY. Yes, they’re playing Enter Sandman.
18 seconds ago
There is only one way to be a fan – support your team at all times, never question them, never worry, never consider any negative scenarios unless absolute proof is there (i.e. considering the possibility that Joba may not be the dominant ace we all thought)
Fans who worry suck the life out of the party…. every fan should always be optimistic about all the players on their team. if not, what is the point of being a fan.
SJ, I couldn’t give a fig if the Yankees lose this game, but I’m not going to pretend that I feel great seeing AJ walk 4 in 2 innings against a bad Astros team. Am I really concerned about his season? Not really, but I can’t help being negative. Oh well – I assume he’s healthy, so that’s ok. Hopefully a hot shower will wash away all this negativity I’m feeling.
If the games are meaningless, why are the stats interesting?
Part of the issue is, too many people have no idea what ST is for.
It’s just to get ready for the season. Get your reps in and that’s it.
They don’t play with the same level of intensity and there are no scouting reports.
It’s just getting your reps in.
The results don’t matter. If they did, the preparation and intensity would be completely different.
Where is speculation coming from on Joba and injury? I have seen nothing in print to suggest he has shoulder woes. Most pitchers do not have their velocity at this stage of spring training. It takes time to build up stamina and arm strength.
I think it is too early to judge Joba and next few starts should tell us whether he is starter, in pen or designated to AAA.
I think Joba is a better pen option than starter. He has a reliever’s mentality and his approach when he is in the pen is entirely different than when he starts. He attacks hitters when he is in the pen. When he starts he tries to be too cute and nibble. He does not have pin point control to hit all his spots. In the pen you can challenge hitters and get them to chase some bad pitches. When Joba starts, Hitters attempt to wait him out and get into favorable counts.
I think Yanks are better with Hughes and Ace as 5th starter options than Joba.
I do think that Joba’s spring woes are partly related to him working on secondary pitches. He is looking to master other pitches and location. That is what spring training is all about.
Lastly, sending Joba to minors may not be a bad thing. I happen to believe that Joba could use a bit of hard love. He was great in 2007 out of hte pen. He has not been the same since other than stints out of the pen. I think Joba has used up his good will that he earned in 2007. He needs to show some progression in his ability to grow as pitcher. So far I think he is over hyped and is living too much off of past glory.
What did AJ do in this ST start differently than what he has always done?
Fact: This is what he has been his entire career- inconsistent, erratic, throws too many pitches, frustrating.
You needed a start in ST to show you this? lol. Don’t worry about ST stats— let the career numbers speak for themselves. And in AJ’s case… they do. Conversely, no one should be worrying about CC because he is a proven stud.
Then you don’t understand baseball Bill because they aren’t charting AB’s and keeping ST stats. They never have and they aren’t starting now.
The games don’t matter. All the worry and panic from uninformed fans aren’t going to change that fact.
Ledger_Yankees Month gets Bourgeois 4-3. Keppinger up. #nyylive
2 minutes ago
Ledger_Yankees And yes, I know the closer’s name is Mo. But the Blackberry error “Month” was funny last year, so now and then, I run it out there. #nyylive
about 1 minute ago
Ledger_Yankees Mo issues a walk. Working now to Pence. #nyylive
51 seconds ago
AJ has had control problems his entire life. How is this start any different? This is what AJ is. Don’t freak out, this isin’t unexpected.
The Yankees know who AJ is, he is working on things. Obviously we didn’t get to see him throw but maybe he threw some changeups when normally he wouldn’t have and got behind, or failed to get an out. Sure we would all love for him to come out and throw 4 shut out innings and not walk anybody etc… but the most important thing was he got his work in and didn’t get hurt. Maddux and Glavine used to come out and throw fastballs and get lit up in ST…didn’t really mean much.
Ledger_Yankees Pence swings through a cutter. Two down with Blum stepping to the plate against the great Mo. #nyylive
8 seconds ago
Betsy,
AJ isn’t going to worry about this outing, why should you?
It’s ST. It doesn’t matter.
3 weeks from now, you won’t even remember this outing.
MO walked someone? One of the ‘bad’ Astros hitters? ohh noess…. stick a fork in him.
Blake-
“What is the big deal if people want to worry? Seriously – people who don’t worry are not better than those who do.”
they have less ulcers
”
Actually Blake, you’re a little behind the times there buddy.
In many cases, if not all, ulcers have actually been found to be caused by a bacteria-
H. Pylori.
Kill the bacteria with antibiotics and poof the ulcer heals.
You can worry all you want as long that bacteria is not in your gut.
Check it out.
Look up H. Pylori and uclers.
Point is Betsy can worry all she wants.
And she need not fear ulcers.
Not going to bother trying to answer the “are optimistic people BETTER than pessimistic people” thread, only to say there are more productive and contribute more to society and there are sociological studies that well prove this…
Instead I’d say to some the hard to fathom part is not just being pessimistic about an essentially meaningless event, but REPEATING the pattern over and over of expressing it in a forum where you KNOW you’re going to illicit a reaction and then getting defensive over said inevitable reaction.
That’s the part I don’t get. Think however you like, but explain to me the logic of putting fingers to keyboard, hitting enter KNOWING the response it will invariably create.
There is a bizarre aspect to that particular behavior, if you ask me.
Ledger_Yankees On his 20th pitch of the night, Month allows a hard-hit single to Blum. Feliz up with runners on first and second, two outs. #nyylive
54 seconds ago
Results don’t matter in the spring if you’re Derek Jeter or Nick Swisher and in no danger of losing your spot. But if you’re battling to go from bench option to starter or for a spot in the rotation or even to make an impression so that the coaches think of you if they need.a call-up…then yeah, stats matter
Ledger_Yankees Feliz grounded to short, Jeter went to his left to get it, but couldn’t flip to second in time. Loaded for Michaels. #nyylive
37 seconds ago
MTU, I know all about Helicobactor Pylori (also a main cause of Halitosis). Just joking around with Betsy a bit. Although, one cannot prove scientifically that worrying doesn’t cause chemical changes within the body that may allow the bacteria to grow more rapidly or to attack areas where they normally may not..
Ledger_Yankees He needed 27 pitches, but the great Month got through his outing without allowing a run. #nyylive
20 seconds ago
atta boy Mo!!!!!!!
SJ44,
What do you think of Gaudin’s status? I think his dead arm puts him in jeapardy as much as his non guaranteed contract does.
Carl
March 16th, 2010 at 8:57 pm
atta boy Mo!!!!!!!
*************************
SJ44
March 16th, 2010 at 8:51 pm
Betsy,
AJ isn’t going to worry about this outing, why should you?
It’s ST. It doesn’t matter.
——————
AJ said that his goal was to improve his control – if he gave up six runs but was throwing strikes then you’re right, I don’t think he would care. But if he was walking the park then you better believe he’s going to be annoyed.
By the way – sounds like I won’t be posting for the first week of the season.
If you’re following the game with mlb.com’s live box score there’s a lot less drama. Mo hasn’t even entered the game yet according to them. lol
No, the stats matter Chip. Girardi has said that over and over.
Side sessions for pitchers, BP and cage work for hitters, quality of AB’s, quality of pitches, making the adjustments they want to see, all that matters more than stats.
They won’t make a single roster move based on ST stats. No team does. It’s fools gold.
It’s the old scouting cliche, never make make conclusions on players in September and March because you get false reads.
Ledger_Yankees Johnson down swinging; Teixeira, who homered in the third, steps in A-Rod on deck. #nyylive
8 seconds ago
Ledger_Yankees Bunch of defensive changes for the Astros. Johnson up now to begin bottom of the fifth
3 minutes ago
Drive,
I never thought he was a serious candidate for the spot.
The dead arm period pretty much relegates him to the pen if he makes the 25 man roster.
Meant to say the stats DONT matter, according to Girardi. Sorry for the typo.
Thought you meant don’t…
Here comes Phil
Betsy, this is for you:
Ledger_Yankees Daigle struck out the side. Phil Hughes begins throwing his warmup pitches. #nyylive
24 seconds ago
UPDATE, 9:03 p.m.: Mariano Rivera said his arm felt “day and night” better tonight compared to how it felt at this time last year
*********************************
Well, that’s good to hear
Ledger_Yankees Castro singles to right off Hughes. #nyylive
50 seconds ago
Ledger_Yankees Vazquez in for Johnson; Laird in for A-Rod. #nyylive
about 1 minute ago
atta boy hughies
Ledger_Yankees Hughes gets a 5-4-3 double play. #nyylive
about 1 minute ago
Gotta run-everybody have a good night
Bye
Hughes has been lights out this spring.
Realistically, Joba shouldn’t even bother showing up tomorrow, he isin’t beating Hughsie out for the spot.
“Hughes has been lights out this spring.
Realistically, Joba shouldn’t even bother showing up tomorrow, he isin’t beating Hughsie out for the spot.”
hughes has been much better than joba but by no means has he been “lights out”….aceves has been “lights out” but thats not the point here
How did Phil look?
Betsy how are you holding up?
Believe me SJ, what you say makes all the sense in the world. I understand it up here (as I point to my head), but I always think the worst. Well, I took a hot shower and I feel better. I think going to sleep at 3 am on weeknights is taking it’s toll on me, lol.
Mo – it’s amazing to me how he needs all of 6 innings to get in shape. Watch him struggle in April against the Sox and we’ll here the ” he’s done ” and “the Sox have his number” bit, lol.
Go Phil!
I guess Hughes K’d the last guy of the inning.
Bronx, I feel better. I hate when I get all negative – I hardly think AJ is going to slit his wrist because he walked a few guys. CC got hit around two starts back.The only reason I got “worried” is because I didn’t like the lack of control. However, he had an excellent ST (didn’t walk many) last year and we saw that his control wasn’t very good. I’ll take that as a positive, lol.
All I care about during spring training is that nobody gets injured, and I like hearing about the young’ns. Whether AJ threw all strikes today or none he’ll be just as unpredictable in each and every start during the regular season.
Joba should be given a choice: if he wants to go to the pen he can stay in NY, but if he wants to be a starter he has to go to AAA.
Rocco
You do realize Hughes is facing guys who are going to be released or sent to AAA right? That inning he faced Jason Castro, Edwin Myonsett, and some guy named Blagojevich. Not exactly Berkman and Carlos Lee.
Let’s not go crazy here. Such is life when you enter these ST games this late in the game.
# Doreen – 2010 GTLU March 16th, 2010 at 8:33 pm
Frankly, if Cano is hitting behind ARod there will be many times he’ll come up with the bases empty (hopefully!)
Nasty breaking pitch
Well, that makes sense about AJ overthrowing – pitching simply to Jorge last time out is not the same as being in a game situation. I’ll forgive him and will not throw darts at his picture.
That’s great news about Mo……..
Hope Joba gets to face scrubs tomorrow too like Hughes is. Precisely why you cannot take ST stats seriously. I bet Mitre got fat on these types of hitters too….
haha, and then he said BLAGOJEVICH
“You do realize Hughes is facing guys who are going to be released or sent to AAA right? That inning he faced Jason Castro, Edwin Myonsett, and some guy named Blagojevich. Not exactly Berkman and Carlos Lee.”
Everyone who freaks out or gets excited about spring stats should read this.
Blagojevich is playing baseball now? Wow, how the mighty have fallen. Did his TV deal flame out?
Sean Rodriguez goes deep against Tazawa. 5 hrs now lol
I would prefer that Phil have faced better hitters, but it doesn’t matter as he’s faced the best as a set-up man and done his thing; he knows how to get big league hitters out. The change is the important thing – no matter who he’s facing. I’d like to see him get more ground balls, too…….and stay healthy.
Hughes should throw up zeroes with the dudes he’s facing right now. Good time to get aggressive and score some points with the skipper.
inge,
agree. he has a real opportunity here because he came in so late in the game once all the starters were already out and the scrubs were in. houston didn’t even bring anyone good outside of pence anyway.
has a real chance to get a leg up on joba, who will probably face better hitters tomorrow. even though girardi said results won’t matter, if he throws 3 scoreless tonight against these scrubs, it won’t hurt his cause.
Ledger tweets: “8 batters faced for Hughes, he’s thrown first pitch strikes to just 2 of them”
LOL. If we’re foolish to agonize over Burnett’s outing, how much sillier is it to worry about 6 1st pitch balls, especially when Phil hasn’t walked a batter or given up a run.
8 batters faced for Hughes, he’s thrown first pitch strikes to just 2 of them. 3 minutes ago
” 8 batters faced for Hughes, he’s thrown first pitch strikes to just 2 of them.”
I guess Hughes didn’t realize that he was facing scrub hitters LOL!
David, that’s true, lol.
Phil throws first pitch balls just to give opposing batters a chance.
@Bern_Edelen no worries dude. yeah, it appears Hughes is throwing it all, though from here it’s tough to tell curves from changes #nyylive
1 minutes ago via TweetDeck in reply to Bern_Edelen
Cool beans – and not only that, Romine knocked in a run.
Hughies is getting a lot of ground balls.
What’s the score?
Hughes used to get grounders when he was chewing up the minors.
Carl, are you watching on MLB.com? That’s good news – we know he can K people, but I think I read he used to be a groundball pitcher in the minors. Getting double plays is a good thing, Phil, lol.
I guess he’s coming out for the 9th – he only has 46 pitches and he’s due 65.
Yup, the two seamer was his primary weapon when I saw him in Trenton.
4-1, NYY
Swisher RBI double
Tex solo HR
Posada RBI single
Romine RBI groundout
4-1, Phil.
I wonder if he went away from the 2-seamer in the big leagues? Seems strange that a pitcher would transform from a groundball pitcher to a flyball pitcher…. In any case, up to this point, it looks like he’s pitched well. I love that he’s using his curve and his change.
They brought in Hughes too late. No reason to give that Sogavari kid 1.2 innings after Burnett (let him clean up Burnett’s mess but why give him the 4th inning too?).
Now Hughes probably has to throw a few pitches in the pen unless he has a long 9th…..
Betsy, i’m getting updates from twitter. The game isn’t being broadcast today.
Dan, I assume they did that because they didn’t have a lot of extra pitchers and if Phil struggled, they’d have wasted Segovia.
Thanks for the updates, guys!
Carl, oh – I only asked because I didn’t think twitter was giving details like the fact that he was getting ground balls. Thanks!
Hughes’ GO/AO ratio right now is 3 to 1.
Anyone know how many pitches he has through these three innings? Boxscore isn’t showing it
Hughes gets another K on another “nasty” curve
Johnson hitting second is a mistake, and I think girardi will realize this some time in the season. I get it: he can get on base. But what good is getting on base if you’re too slow to get around to home plate?
Think how many times Johnmy damon scored from second on a Tex or A-Rod single. Think how many times Damon scored from first on a Tex or A-Rod double. Johnson will not be able to do this. Sac flies will diminish as well, A-Rod or Tex will get robbed of some when Johnson is on 3rd.
If Curtis granderson can prove at least serviceable against lefties, he is the obvious choice to hit 2nd. He can steal bases, score from 2nd on singles, and hit the occasional home run like Damon. It all depends on how he hits against lefties, though. But seriously- Johnson is a terrible choice to hit 2nd. You need speed in that spot if possible.
Nevermind I just saw Betsy’s update above. Thanks
You’re welcome, Phil!
I enjoy doing the updates, especially when it’s a good update, lol
This much is clear: Joba better step up if he wants to stay in this race. Right now, Hughes and Aceves are clearly frontrunners. #nyylive
less than a minute ago via TweetDeck
I like Carig a lot, but Aceves is not a front-runner in anyway. Have some vision, man.
Marc Carig has really emerged as one of the top writers in the NY area… no doom and gloom, outrageous statements or trade proposals, no slobbing over the Sox, etc. Just reports the facts and does good reporting/interviewing.
I love seeing Phil’s curve back..
RC, I agree. I wonder where he came from? I never heard of him until last year…
“Marc Carig has really emerged as one of the top writers in the NY area…”
I agree, but Feinsand and King don’t offer much in the way of competition.
World be nice to get at least a decent outing from Joba tomorrow. We’ll see.
Seems like a solid outing from Hughesie tonight.
Hughes features a two seam fastball but I don’t believe he ever relied on it heavily – even in the minors when he was generating those insane ground ball rates.
Those ground balls were still mostly off his 4 seamer, though I might be off on that.
When Hughes was right and commanding his fastball in the minors hitters just couldn’t get much lift of him.
That’s not uncommon with guys with plus fastballs. Take a look at Joba’s groundball rates in the minors and even in 2008. They were terrific. Same thing for AJ Burnett when he’s right – lots of ground balls. Neither Joba nor AJ throws many two seamers.
Hopefully hughes can get back to that in the majors.
Did Phil just go 4 innings on 23 pitches?
Not too shabby.
“Johnson hitting second is a mistake, and I think girardi will realize this some time in the season. I get it: he can get on base. But what good is getting on base if you’re too slow to get around to home plate?
Think how many times Johnmy damon scored from second on a Tex or A-Rod single. Think how many times Damon scored from first on a Tex or A-Rod double. Johnson will not be able to do this. Sac flies will diminish as well, A-Rod or Tex will get robbed of some when Johnson is on 3rd. ”
I saw Johnson come home from first on a double at least once this ST, and Nick can take as loooong as he wants to get around the bases when Teixeira and A-Rod hit it out of the park.
Haha I love how Hughes joked about Rivera setting him up and then he goes on and actually gets the “save” in the game.
Great how things work out sometimes…..
When I saw Phil at Trenton, his FB was consistently down in the zone. If that’s a four seamer, OK, but it didn’t appear to be one.
“But what good is getting on base if you’re too slow to get around to home plate?”
No one is too slow to score on the 105-110 HRs that will be hit from the 3-5 spots.
Carig was a beat writer for the Orioles, IIRC, prior to coming here.
He replaced Graziano when he took the buy-out. They wanted a cheaper replacement, and in the process, discovered a writer who has already become the best in the NY market lol.
The Yankees don’t have a high OBP with speed to bat 2nd. That’s why Nick is the right choice. You can’t steal or advance a base unless you’re on base. Plus, Teix clogs the bases anyway. If speed was dispositive, Teix would bat behind Alex.
Rich,
I think in the minors that thing that made Hughes such a ridiculous outlier at such a young age was his tremendous fastball command. As I understand it, he was just able to keep his four seamer down and on the corners at will. Hitters just couldn’t get any lift or square him up.
Ivan Nova now is generating a high ground ball rate in the minors – he doesn’t throw a two seamer. Zach McCallister also generates a lot of ground balls without a plus two seamer.
We saw some of that from Hughes last year – he didn’t generate that many groundballs but he commanded his fastball so well that he was essentially able to completely dominate major league hitters with one pitch. Bull pen or not – you have to have a phenomenal fastball to do that. Hitters knew that he was going to throw a fastball and still couldn’t square him up. That’s just very impressive.
CB
You could be right. Phil reminded me of Halladay when he was at Trenton, and I think Halladay throws the two seamer.
Anyway, along with the command, his FB had tremendous the late life in the mL That’s what was missing in 2008.
KO – “you need speed in that spot if possible”.
No, you don’t. Putting Granderson in the 2 hole will partially eliminate the use of his speed – look at Damon’s SB numbers from last year, they were way lower than his career avg. The 2-hole is not typically a speed spot in the lineup as your 3-5 hitters are usually the best on the team and will knock in the 2 hitter plenty of times without a stolen base.
Halladay doesn’t throw anything straight. That fastball command has always been Phil’s claim to fame, if he can incorporate a quality change and throw his curve for strikes then the sky is the limit for him.
Very interesting discussion. Why does the 2 seamer generate more groundballs? Is it designed to sink?
If Phil can have that same FB command as a starter, he’s going to be very successful – it was really something to watch. I think people paint Phil as a soft-tosser in some respects because he doesn’t throw 96 MPH, but ask any major leaguer and they will tell you that his FB moves. Alex just recently said he throws “easy cheese”. Velocity with regards to Phil is overrated. He’s a very talented kid. He’s got a wonderful curve when it’s on….now he’s got a cutter and developing change.
RC, thanks! Baltimore’s loss is our gain!
# Rich in NJ March 16th, 2010 at 10:14 pm
The Yankees don’t have a high OBP with speed to bat 2nd. That’s why Nick is the right choice. You can’t steal or advance a base unless you’re on base. Plus, Teix clogs the bases anyway. If speed was dispositive, Teix would bat behind Alex.
Tex running with his gloves in his hands makes me laugh.
Rich, I think it’s because he was FINALLY healthy….
I found this from The Hardball Times in 2007:
http://www.hardballtimes.com/m.....ip-hughes/
Hughes’ ace-like projections are based solely off of one pitch: an uber-strong fastball, typically a four-seamer but also with some two-seam stuff mixed in. It tops out at 96 mph and regularly sits in the 91-95 mph zone. Combine that with plus command and you have a top-draw strike out pitch. Let’s define plus command. Simply put, he can place the ball exactly where he wants when he wants while hurling 95 mph gas. This command and power combination will sit at the cornerstone of Hughes’ success or failure for years to come. If he becomes a Hall-of-Fame caliber pitcher it will be because of this, likewise if he sinks to obscurity. He launches the fastball around 60-70% of the time.
Don’t forget about how improved Hughes’ cutter is. Really dives in on lefties hands
I remember that article, Rich – and the comment about him being able to place the FB where he wants to was spot on last year. I see no reason why that should change as a starter.
Who Dat, I like the cutter for Phil – he picked it up very quickly.
“Haha I love how Hughes joked about Rivera setting him up and then he goes on and actually gets the “save” in the game.”
A 4 inning save.
Eat that Goose!
LOL about the save – Phil’s going to be the 5 starter AND the closer at the same time. Forget Mo………
Just got in. Looks like Hughes did okay? How did he look to you guys?
http://www.nydailynews.com/blo.....ter-w.html
Those pitches, however, were not what he was looking for. His fastball command was spotty and his curveball was “ineffective” in his estimation. Burnett missed in some good changeups, but he knows that his entire game is based on a strong fastball, so that’s what he plans to work on between now and his next start.
“My emphasis is on my four-seamer right now,” Burnett said. “My next pen, I’ll probably throw 30 down and away – and that’s all I’m going to throw – to get that back and establish that. That’s my bread-and-butter. As good a hook as I’ve got, my four-seamer is what sets the table.”
Burnett’s next outing will be scheduled for five innings or about 80 pitches, and he sounded like he was determined to complete his final inning of the day – something he hasn’t done in either of his first two starts.
“I’ve got to finish some innings here,” Burnett said. “I’m tired of seeing Dave (Eiland) come out there.”
*********
Seriously, Eiland is getting a lot of excercise in AJ’s games, lol. His curve and FB will come – I like that he mixed in some good change-ups.
M, per the tweets, it sounds like Phil looked very solid…I believe he threw all his pitches, which is good to see, and he got a lot of ground balls.
Really wish we would have been able to see Hughes pitch tonight. Its hard to tell much about a line score in a ST game but sounds like he had a good outing. Maybe Chad or somebody that saw the game can give us a rundown of how he actually looked in those 4 innings.
yay!
First time: On 2-1 with runners on the corners to Meyer in the seventh, Hughes threw a change. Meyer who grounded out to first. #nyylive
2 minutes ago via TweetDeck Twice, Hughes said he threw changeups in spots he never would before. #nyylive
3 minutes ago via TweetDeck @joepawl Charges the error to the writer.
8 minutes ago via TweetDeck Correction guys: It was 4 IP for Hughes. My bad everyone. #nyylive
8 minutes ago via TweetDeck @joepawl 4 ip. began sixth inning and went all the way.
“Anyway, along with the command, his FB had tremendous the late life in the mL That’s what was missing in 2008.”
And that was one of the real positives of last year. Hughes got that tremendous late life back. It makes it very difficult to square up the good part of the bat on the ball.
To dominate hitters the way he did with that pitch when they must have expecting fastball is a real testament to how much action he had on it.
Second half of 2006 down in Trenton, Phil was dialing as high as 97 pretty frequently and even late in starts. He’s a big kid and he’s always had projectable velo. He still does. He just needs to get his work in.
Scrolling up a bit, glad to read that Phil was getting a lot of groundouts. Gameday fail on that info.
IIRC Phil was more groundball than flyball in the minors.
Betsy,
Thanks. It must’ve killed you having to wait for Hughes to come in. Wait, those are your 3 favorite Yankees.
If I recall Phil, Phil’s velocity is late in coming; I think he likes pitching in warmer weather. LOL spring in NY is not warm – it’s cold and rainy. I don’t even care about his velocity tonight – I’m soooooo happy about his change.
M, I was fretting about AJ so that wasted some time, lol. I took a hot shower and felt a lot better – I’m just overtired. I wanted Phil to pitch well tonight – badly. It’s really too bad there won’t be any video, but thanks to the internet, we won’t lack for updates.
I’m not sure who I’m happier for.
Phil…or Betsy?
Seriously, I won’t go to crazy as it’s just another mid-spring game and he really wasn’t facing the A lineup (or was he? I don’t know) but I think he is coming into these games well-prepared and with the right mind set.
And I think his performance so far has said “I want this job”
ST game or not, Joba will have some pressure on him tommorow after Phil’s performance tonight. If he goes out and throws another clunker then that might just close the door on his chances and I’d say he knows that.
New post
Jeers, we all have our favorite players – Phil is one of mine. If I seem overly enthusiastic it’s because Phil’s career has been one frustration after another. I couldn’t possibly be a sports fan if I didn’t get emotionally involved – I love rooting for people as opposed to just the laundry.
Yeah, when Gardner “crushe[s]” the ball, that’s where you can expect it to go: Somewhere well short of the warning track.