Postgame notes: Another big night for Hughes
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Notes, Podcast on May 12, 2010 
Print This Post
| 
Email This Post
This game was all about the Yankees starter, but I couldn’t pass up that picture of Francisco Cervelli and Mariano Rivera. How great is that?
Phil Hughes just keeps getting better. He’s had that one slight hiccup in Baltimore — and even there he managed to limit the damage — but the guy has otherwise been as good as any pitcher in the American League. And I’m not just saying that, the numbers back it up. His 1.38 ERA is the lowest in the league. He was the first Yankees starter to reach five wins and he leads the team with 39 strikeouts.
“I think we saw him grow up a lot last year and it’s carried over into this year,” Joe Girardi said. “None of our pitchers are going to be perfect, but this kid has made some huge strides for us. We envisioned him being a very good starter coming out of spring training and he’s probably gone beyond that.”
Tonight, Hughes was over 40 pitches through two innings, but he still lasted seven because he went to his curveball and found it to be as good as ever. With the hook, he got some outs earlier in the count and was able to pitch out some of some big-time trouble in the second and fourth innings.
What stood out to me — and has stood out all year — is his ability to overwhelm hitters with his fastball. He’s got some good velocity on the pitch, sitting at 93-94 mph, but it seems more overpowering than that. He’s able to spot it when he needs to, and he’s able to blow it by hitters when the situation calls for it.
“(The fastball’s) been great,” Hughes said. “Obviously last year helped a lot with that, just having that confidence out of the bullpen and being aggressive with it, not being afraid to miss over the plate. A couple of times tonight, there was a 2-0 fastball to Johnny, I just tried to throw it right down the middle and I think I broke his bat or something. Those help, every time you do that, it helps.”
Here’s Hughes talking about his latest masterpiece.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
• Hilarious line from Mariano Rivera. Someone jokingly asked if he remembered how to get to the mound after not pitching since April 30. Rivera didn’t hesitate. “I’ve got a little map,” he said.
• Hilarious line from George King after we finished talking to the closer. “See ya in June,” he said. Mo liked that one.
• A lot of moves lately, and Girardi didn’t rule out making another one tomorrow, but it didn’t seem as set in stone as today’s move. “We’ll see, talk to Cash,” Girardi said. “Pitching, we’re in pretty good shape.”
• What more can be said about Francisco Cervelli? “He’s played as well as he can play,” Girardi said. “In big situations he’s gotten big hits for us. Cervi has always been a guy that we knew could perform at a very high level defensively but hadn’t had a lot of at-bats in the minor leagues because of some strange injuries. He’s been so good for us offensively that he’s been a complete player.”
• That’s a pretty cool shot of Joba Chamberlain’s great play in the eighth inning. Too bad he didn’t get the out.
• Heavy rain in the forecast for tomorrow. Not sure they’ll get this one in, but I’d really, really like to catch my flight tomorrow night!
Associated Press photos.
I don’t try. I do.
Like Hughes.
Fun with statistics!
Hughes has 39 strike outs. That’s more than CC or AJ (or anyone else in the rotation), and CC and AJ each have made one more start.
His WHIP is 0.89. Greinke, last year, through six starts was 0.84.
Hughes has a h/9 of 5.07. That pace, if kept up, would set a single season record.
If you don’t like statistics, then know this:
Hughes has started six games.
He’s allowed six runs.
Total.
There is a ton of revisionism going on here in regards to the Johan Santana negotiations. The Twins final demand was for Phil Hughes PLUS Ian Kennedy and Melky Cabrera. The Yankees couldn’t afford to drop two possible starters thus didn’t want to include both Hughes and Kennedy in the same deal. Cashman tried to center a deal around Kennedy but the Steinbrenner’s eventually forced his hand on Hughes and Phil was made available in the final trade offer from the Yanks in a package that did not include Kennedy. The Twins refused it. The truth is, the Yankees were willing to trade Phil Hughes for Johan Santana. The Twins wanted even more.
“This game was all about the Yankees starter, but I couldn’t pass up that picture of Francisco Cervelli and Mariano Rivera. How great is that?”
Affirmative action?
Hispanic bias
He’s just going to keep getting better.
“Affirmative action?”
PFOFs approve.
Greinke is a nice name…
Stick and Hank wanted to trade Phil; Cash did not……..he’s always had great faith in Phil.
SAS, wow – I’m so sorry that happened to you. I swear, it’s ridiculous that you can’t park your car in the street without worrying that it’s not going to be broken into.
The game in Baltimore was terrific for Phil because he had no stuff or command (well, maybe not stuff given Ty Wigginton’s comments) and he had to fight through it. Phil believes in his stuff and that’s something that can’t be taught. He wants the ball; when he gets it back after a hit or an out, he’s ready to throw it again – no delays, no hesitations, no futzing around like Steve Trachsel. Damn the Torpedos, Full speed ahead – that’s Phil’s attitude.
Rebecca, wow……just wow. I’m an English major and I’m speechless – I’m without speech. Thanks !
Greinke IS a nice name. And he’s ultra cute!
Alright, Betsy, I am back from my In-N-Out celebration for Phil.
Since you are his biggest fan here and you’re pretty much the only one who was loyal to him before he was named the 5th starter, I am going to let you choose what picture I post on my flickr page.
Do you want the picture of my meal or the picture of the outside of the In-N-Out?
GREINKE? You have to be trolling. He looks like young frankenstein.
Cash never wanted to trade Phil. That’s why he sped things up with Andy back then.
Betsy, it’s my pleasure =)
“A couple of times tonight, there was a 2-0 fastball to Johnny, I just tried to throw it right down the middle and I think I broke his bat or something.”
This is a remarkable quote from Hughes – and it’s remarkable because it’s true.
This is how Roy Halladay and Mo throw. Aim down the middle and you do that because you have confidence that the ball will not wind up in the center of the plate because it’s got so much life to to it.
If you have that very rare skill then there’s really not a whole lot to locate.
That’s how you combine great movement with command.
Aim down the middle. Let the action on the ball do the rest?
How hard can it be?
Betsy
Without speech?
“DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES!!!!!!!!!” – Al Michaels
‘Scuse me, that’s a WHIP of 0.92. Even so.
P-Abe on the Jeter Yankeeography
Jerkface
I find the beauty in all (but Bostonians)
As mention as I hated to see Pettitte sign with Houston following the ’03 season, he actually did the Yankees a Hughesian favor.
hughes is 23.. joba is back on track. 2 really good 1st round picks….
i would not trade hughes for santana straight up now …..
pettitte and vazquez gone after this year, sign cliff lee and use a young guy for the 5th spot and they are fine…………..
Nick, I’m a lover…………………..of food. I think you should post a picture of your meal. What I want to know is………….did it taste the same at this In N Out as at your usual haunt?
“i would not trade hughes for santana straight up now …..”
I was against doing it in 2007.
Get this – in his last 3 starts, Phil has walked 3 and struck out 21………
The cool stats re: Phil just keep coming, lol
There are too many suggestive elipses in that post.
Pat M. May 12th, 2010 at 11:44 pm
GB, Very good call on Beck , Stafford and even the more recent Gil Patterson…….You can only wonder where Phillip Hughes would be had he not torn his ham back in 07……Nevertheless, he has arrived………My prediction of 13-7 ( 3.50 era ) is looking more ridiculous than those who scoffed at me for that back in March…….A few more starts like this and it’ll remind some of old timers of Ron Guidry in 78…….
———————————————————————————————————————-
What a great stable of young pitchers that NYYs had at that time, and none of them got to pitch out their full careers. Even Al Downing lost a lot of his prime years, as did Mel Stottlemyre. That group consisted of Bill Stafford, Roland Sheldon, Al Downing, Jim Bouton, Mel Stottlemyre, Rich Beck and a couple of years later, Stan Bahnsen.
Ron Guidry a little later, and then, Gil Patterson, Al Leiter and Bill Burbach should have replaced them as they aged.
Three pitchers that they picked up in trades during that time that I thought would be really fine pitchers were Fred Talbot, Freddie Beene and Larry Gura.
don’t tease us w/ In N Out ….I wish they had them on the East Coast…5 guys is not bad though
Meal it is.
It tasted the same as usual.
Ouch, CR, lol
Rich, yes he did………thank you, Andy…..and thank you Angels for choosing Jered Weaver over a HS Phil.
“His 1.38 ERA is the lowest in the league”
———————————–
I posted 1.40 in the last thread.
I pulled it from ESPN and for some reason they have him only down for 6 2/3 tonight.
Damn ESPN bias!!
Just playfully teasing, Betsy!
We gotta go get a bat, OF/DH preferably someone that can both field and hit. Winn stinks, gives no power no bat, Thames is a disaster in the OF and can only hit leftys, get rid of them both and get a decent outfielder.
ESPN is trying to cheat him out of a 1/3 of an inning!!!!!!!!!! SICK JOKE!!!!!!!!!!!!
That’s good, Nick. Sometimes food tastes better in an environment you love and are comfortable in, but like Phil, In N Out seems to have consistency down pat.
The moral of the story is, Cashman didn’t save Hughes from being dealt, the Twins did. Nevertheless, I will credit Cashmoney for a valiant effort to stave off the members of the front office who were hot for Johan.
They wasted years at the beginning of Gator’s career having him relieve in the minors.
Gil Patterson had it tough. He was going to be very good.
Don’t believe the Twins version of the story, Hughes was already out of the deal when the Twins said their final “no.”
6 1/3 IP via SportsCenter
New England/Conneticut bias!
Rebecca…First of, it’s great when you visit us here……Of the 6 runs that he’s given up, remember 3 of them were inherited runs charged to him…….
I love using the ellipse, lol…………..not as much as a semi-colon, but not far off, either!
CR, I know,
6 1/3????????????????
Are these people SERIOUS????????????????
I was jokingly angry at first, but now I really am angry!
There you go:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9.....602607283/
Phil the Thrill May 13th, 2010 at 12:11 am
Don’t believe the Twins version of the story, Hughes was already out of the deal when the Twins said their final “no.
——
True, but he was put in an official proposal in the negotiations at some point by the Yankees and the Twins said no.
Phil’s Cy Young celebration meal?
http://www.femtalks.com/wp-con.....burger.jpg
Bill Smith is such an idiot. He demanded Phil and got Hank to cave – I’m sure it killed Cash to agree to put Phil on the table. Then Smith insisted on IPK/Phil…….or IPK/Wang; even Hank had enough of their stalling. If Phil was doing this for Minny, I would be pretty miserable, lol.
Nick do these yankee fans know you are following them around and taking their picture?
Betsy, that synopsis sounds accurate.
GB,
I wrote 2 long notes to you about your trivia knowledge and Guidry and Sweet Lou. They are on the last thread.
NO ONE SAID NEW THREAD
Nick, that looks yummy – huge burger, though, lol. The fries could be a bit crispier for my taste, but now I am completely drooling on my keyboard. I may need to visit Phive Guys soon…
Nick in SF……The Phil victory burger is becoming quite fashionable now a days…….I savored my double double & fries…….
Bronx Jeers, did you even look at what was on the hat of the guy in the blue shirt????
“# Nick in SF in Larkspur May 13th, 2010 at 12:14 am
There you go:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9…..602607283/
”
God Bless America
Bronx, wow…………
Bret, I should know as I followed those negotiations on a daily basis, lol.
Pat M, you too went to In N Out? Nice……..I wonder if that place can be as good as people say.
I second Nick’s observation.
Yuck!
That all too familiar disgusting sickening ‘B’.
The worst letter in the English language. B.
Jerkface: usually they don’t, but sometimes they do.
I still have a bunch of pictures from Mexico I should get around to posting. There’s one of a guy on the metro that definitely knew.
he was wearing the all black B lid, probably just ‘for style’ and not actually a fan
Before this year i remember Hughes fastball was very straight when he would throw it.What happened that his FB moves more and he has added MPH 94-95 to it.
The Singapore Yankee fans knew, obviously. They asked me to pose for their pictures first, and I also have one of them with me. The girl looks better with her jacket off!
I should not have clicked on Nick’s link. That burger looked too damn good. I think we need to employ a spoiler alert type warning for Nick’s postgame meals depending on how appetizing they look.
I may need to suck it up and deal with the miserable line at Shake Shack tomorrow because I am definitely going to be craving one.
GB,
I was at Stottlemyre’s first game with my Dad and his best friend, who said “I hope Stottlemyre is a Finishmyre. He won that day and pitched well too.
The other fact behind using a Rivera picture instead of a Hughes picture: AP never moved another Hughes photo other than the one I used immediately after the game. My choices were limited!
But that is a really cool shot of those two.
I trust Hughes over CC now.
Blasphemy, I know.
Bret, he was on the table for a matter of hours, and I think Cash stalled it and took him out before they said no. As you know, we’ve heard little from Hank since that offseason. I got an assurance while he was supposedly on the table that he was not being traded.
The girl looks better with her jacket off!
–
Then why isn’t it posted?!
Chad
Who cares what your reasoning is!!! You’re awesome!!
And by the way, looking at that picture of Frankie and Mo, it’s a telling sign of the respect Frankie has of his teammates….
Which leads me to…Do you remember when Kevin Cash tried coming out to the mound on AJ Burnett and Burnett glared at him like the loser he was!!!!!!!!!!!!
“I trust Hughes over CC now”
that’s a little too much
CC is the Ace. Big game.
Nick,
Of course. That’s how I knew it wasn’t you.
And then there’s this guy who doesn’t need a win to enjoy a delicious burger.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_okSI.....eckett.jpg
Didnt Peter Gammons say prior to last season that CC had never done it in the playoffs before, and that he was a not a guy who could thrive under the spotlights of NY!
Betsy, Nick in SF & I agreed that everytime Young Master Hughes wins we’d have In-n-Out to celebrate his victory….That was 5 wins ago………Thing is he could easily be 6-0
LGY, I’ve never been to Shake Shack……I think there’s a branch by the Museum of Natural History; is it worth going to?
“Then why isn’t it posted?!”
‘Cos I’m in it too. I look better unpictured.
Nick
Oh, come on! Quit being modest! You’re a hottie, you know it!
And here’s the genesis of the above photo.
http://2.media.tumblr.com/7wPa.....o1_400.jpg
That’s interesting Phil. But he was still put on the table and the Twins blew it. The Yankees made Phil available. Again, I definitely credit Cashman for negotiating a small window on the cave by Hank. Hank’s a moron.
‘Cos I’m in it too. I look better unpictured.
–
Photoshop, crop yourself out. Lets see this lass.
Picture of Nick in SF
http://www.fanoos.com/ia/harman_baweja.jpg
Nick in SF,
I must try an In ‘n Out Burger when we return to AZ. We talk enough about them on here. It is making me hungry
Pat M, I hope you guys get fat on all of Phil’s victoriers, lol. Yes he could be 6-0, but I’m not going to complain, lol.
Oh come on – you can’t post stuff like that; it’s food porn.
Betsy,
It would be awesome if he could win the Cy Young, especially since he won’t get as many starts as most of the other good pitchers.
Prediction for end of 2010: Young Master Hughes 17-7 era 2.18
CR9: I am also wary of posting a picture of myself due to the atmosphere of hostility that has been created in certain parts of the comment section.
SAS: for future reference, when someone posts an arrow icon, such as this one:
, that is usually an indication that there is a new thread.
Betsy, good thing I’m a member at 24 hour fitness, because at this rate I’ll be there quite often……..
Cash kept changing the other parts of the deal to be unacceptable to the Twins till he could get Phil out of the deal. Cash saved Hank from himself and Smith probably feels he got the runaround.
When I left there was 1 out in the 8th. Score was 2-0.
Daughter wanted to drive, so I stole a peak at the box score on her iPhone. Not knowing if we won, lost the lead, lost, nothing. Scrolling through the scores, I saw 8-0 and thought this must be old. Wowza, who was pining for Phil Coke?
What a season this has been for Phil, I hope he can regress some more.
Betsy,
Shake Shack burgers are very good. They are my favorite in NYC and I think a lot of other people as well. I wouldn’t drive into the city just for the burger, but if you are at the museum I would definitely recommend trying it. Also, from what I hear that location is not nearly as busy as the one I go to.
Nick in SF,
I never saw an arrow. I knew that. How does one make the arrow.
Nick…Thanks
Nick
Im just playfully teasing!! Im in a good tonight, and when Im in a good mood, I love to talk about hot guys!! or hot Ladies!! Like Sawyer!! His rugged good looks!!
LGY: consider a Phil Hughes win your advance photo spoiler alert!
Pat M.
Do you ever hit Fatburger or All American Burger? They both rock, though you have to park and go in.
SAS
: arrow :
without spaces
Sounds like Cashman negotiated in “good faith”
We do need to be careful about with all the “celebration meals” we could be eating this season.
These guys started out at identical weights but vowed to gain 10 lbs for every WS championship their teams won.
http://imgsrv.wfan.com/image/w.....20fans.jpg
“Every question I answer will simply lead to another question. You should rest.”
Brett Gardner, Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, Francisco Cervelli.
These four young Yankee emerging stars–gotta love them. That’s the next generation right there.
They’re the reasons the Yankees are where they are right now.
Bret,
Yes, only his faith was in Phil Hughes.
Now Joba just has to take after Phil and all of us will be happy (for a minute or so).
SAS, that would be a dream, wouldn’t it?
Nick, are you member at a 24 hour gym like Pat M?
Nick,
What would you have done if Javy won today? Lunch for Javy and Dinner for Phil? Double Header celebration.
Has this ever been done before!?
Bret Gardner is on pace for an historic run of 80 steals. He’s been caught once and his success rate is 93.7%
According to baseballreference .com the highest SB success rate for a player with 80 steals was 88.4% Vince Coleman 1986
.
Lou Brock 78.1 for 118 attempts in 1974.
Reyes 78% (78 for99) in 2007 his best year
Carl Crawford 85.6% (58 for67)
Jacoby Ellsbury 85.3% (70 for82)
The fewest caught steals by a player with 80 steals was, 10 by Henderson in 1985.
If Bret can keep up his pace, he’ll be in elite company.
Phil,
Interesting stuff about the Santana trade talks. thanks for the insights.
LGY, I definitely wouldn’t go into the city just for a burger (as much as I love a good burger), but I love the AMNH. Ok, so now I know what I’m doing the next time I go into the city………
SAS May 13th, 2010 at 12:06 am
GB…
I don’t remember Beck at all. Stafford I remember…Vick Rashi, etc. (names escape me) I remember…but Beck.
Also, you have a wealth of trivia knowledge that is incredible. I can’t believe how you can remember the names of secondary characters on TV that are 40+ years old. I loved Hogan’s Heroes and still watch when I see it on. I used to know lots of that kind of thing but frankly I forget a lot now. I did win a bunch of stuff on a tv show back in ‘72 when I could remember things but no more.
———————————————————————————————————————-
SAS, Rich Beck was a 1st round type of pitcher that NYYs signed just before the player drafts started back in ’65. Great arm. I think he only got to pitch in 2 or 3 games before he tore up his arm. Pitched a 7 inning, 1 run game in his first ML game with 8 strikeouts and no walks. 2nd start was a complete game shutout. his last game (3rd) wasn’t so good, but, they discovered that he’d torn a rotator cuff during the shutout. Strange thing about Beck was that he was a bonus baby signed in ’62 by NYY and NYY forgot to protect him and keep him on the 25 man roster (like Koufax was back in ’54). Phillies drafted him in the minor league draft in the winter of “62. They sold him back to the Yanks in ’65.
Birbach was actually the Yankees first ever draft in the ’65 draft. Raschi came up a couple of years before Whitey Ford. Never got to see him. He was gone when I starteed watching TV. stafford was a marvelous young pitcher. Arm trouble killed his career really early, bit, even as a youngsteer he was ranked just behind Ford and ahead of Ralph Terry in the early ’60s.
Yeah, I love TV trivia, history, etc. Most TV shows from then are still new to me, because I was out of the country in the late ’60s and a lot of the 70s through the early 2000s. So I buy the DVDs and watch them.
I wonder how much Phil and Joba have really benefitted from being around not only Mo, but Rocket, Moose, Andy and CC as they’ve been developing. It would be interesting to know what, if anything, they felt they got from each. That’s a pretty rarified collection of veteran talent to be exposed to in your early twenties.
I have no season-long win obligation for Javy, I just promised one Puerto Rican meal for his first win… not that it wuld have changed my liefe at all so far if the promise had been a meal for every meal…. but today is Arroz con Pollo day at the PR restaurant just one town north of here, so it might have been that for dinner and an In-N-Out shake for dessert…. mmmmmm.
GB, thanks for the history. Hmm, poor Beck – I guess it’s just a matter of luck as to who gets to complete their career and who ends up with nothing but regrets; what a shame.
Oh yum, arroz con pollo? This is too much for me, lol.
I think being around Rocket has been a mixed blessing, Phil.
Brett Gardner spells his name with 2 T’s. I spell mine with just one.
”
Rebecca…First of, it’s great when you visit us here……Of the 6 runs that he’s given up, remember 3 of them were inherited runs charged to him…….”
Pat, BP confirms that it’s 2 of 6, not 3. Even so, it’s remarkable.
I think Neyer/James’ formula needs to be tweaked a bit:
http://espn.go.com/mlb/features/cyyoung
Damon
My family are huge Cards fans. Lou Brock and Vince Coleman were huge base stealer. I would’ve thought their % would be higher.
As Yankees fans we have a lot to look forward to with these young Bombers.
Clemens had a relentless work ethic and was a great competitor.
Rich,
Remember when Posada was mad at Phil for showing up out of shape for camp in 2008 (was it then or `07)? Anyway, I always thought Moose was the one who told him to just rest up over the winter and not do anything till camp.
Phil seems to enjoy talking pitching and so I wouldn’t be surprised if he has soaked up as much as he can from the vets. I am not sure about Joba one way or the other just because I haven’t heard about it…..I’m sure there’s learning by osmosis even if they don’t actively seek these guys out.
I don’t know how the Yankees can possibly go back to keeping Cervelli on the bench now that Posada is healthy. The kid is hitting .750 (9-12) with runners in scoring position. He is incredible behind the plate and the pitchers love throwing to him. Posada needs to be our DH and Cervelli should be our starting catcher. I know Posada would whine about it, but I think it gives the Yankees the best chance to win. Girardi doesn’t need to rest Jeter and A-Rod every other day. Posada can be our primary DH. the Yankees are 12-3 in games which Cervelli gets at least 2 ABs. Plus, the Yankees don’t give up any runs when he is in there.
Phil
I do, Posada has been the conscience of this team for years, although I think that sometimes his fire and passion have been misunderstood.
Phil is a little like Moose in that he is a thinking man’s pitcher, but with even better stuff.
I always thought that strange because Phil bought a condo in Tampa (still has it, I believe) with his bonus $$ so that he could work out early…..
GB.
No wonder I never heard of Beck. He was gone before I blinked. I am old enough to know all those old timers. I don’t remember everyone off the top of my head…
Now I understand why you remember these old shows so well. They are new to you. I saw them back in the day, not recently…lol
There was some good TV back then and I preferred those comedies to the more modern ones. The humor was more up my ally.
Also, don’t forget that the one “caught stealing” against Gardner wasn’t really a caught stealing.
He was picked off by the Texas Rangers pitcher but was heading to second base instead of heading back to first.
Liriano being #1 is retarded. Hughes has slightly less IP in the same amount of games but 5 less ER, the same amount of K’s and more wins. AHHHH
SAS May 13th, 2010 at 12:23 am
GB,
I was at Stottlemyre’s first game with my Dad and his best friend, who said “I hope Stottlemyre is a Finishmyre. He won that day and pitched well too.
———————————————————————————————————————-
Stottlemyre is still the last pitcher that I know of to pitch a complete game shutout and go 5-5 at the plate in the game as a rookie. The next year he had an inside the park grand slam while pitching a shutout. He could pitch and he could hit.
GGBG = the most exciting Yankee player to watch.
They would not be the same team without him. Can’t believe there was once talk here not too long ago that he doesn’t belong on the team.
That’s why I think Moose told him to take it easy, because left to his own devices he probably would have been working out. In `09 after the AFL they sent him that training facility.
It seemed like Phil originally gravitated toward Moose and Joba gravitated toward Clemens. I wonder what Rocket’s subsequent troubles have meant to Joba.
Certainly, I only think the shoulder injury has effected his pitching, but I wonder what the Clemens stuff has meant to him.
IDK if I am reading this right but if the Yankees were in 1st place in the East, Hughes would get a 12 point bonus and be in first?
“They would not be the same team without him. Can’t believe there was once talk here not too long ago that he doesn’t belong on the team.”
gardner has definitly been extremely important to the yankees this year…
for anyone who believes in WAR…gardner is only behind cano for the team lead
Jerkface, #1 in what?
Phil, I heard too many things about Phil having a great work ethic to believe that this kid would have slacked off once he was drafted and neared the majors. If that’s true about Moose, it seems like an odd way to influence a youngster.
Joba confuses me, I admit it; I don’t know what to make of him.
Betsy,
I don’t think Joba is the brightest guy in the world. I think pitching came naturally to him. and he might have thought he knew it all. Mariano may be the best thing to happen to him. Phil on the hand is smart and drank in all Mo could give him. That is what I hope happens to Joba even by osmosis.
Rebecca, I Thought it was 3…..Chan ho surrendered 1 & Joba 2…….LGY, it was crazy here back during that Hot Stove season & many wanted Hughes traded for Johan….In fact, it was very obvious during the 2008 campaign when He pitched with what turned out to be cracked ribs……..Betsy remembers that time well
SAS May 13th, 2010 at 12:54 am
GB.
No wonder I never heard of Beck. He was gone before I blinked. I am old enough to know all those old timers. I don’t remember everyone off the top of my head…
Now I understand why you remember these old shows so well. They are new to you. I saw them back in the day, not recently…lol
There was some good TV back then and I preferred those comedies to the more modern ones. The humor was more up my ally.
———————————————————————————————————————-
There’s some that I saw before I went into the military, but, many that I missed. That’s why I watch them now. Still looking for the “McHale’s Navy” DVDs. Not all are available when I looked the last time.
Betsy: The cy young predictor for ESPN. it doesn’t make sense, I think it docks you points for being a yankee
LGY,
I think you’re right. So, their score less the prorated value bonus would be below Phil’s.
Just love how the whole staff of a division leader gets the bonus.
SAS, recently Phil was chatting with Jim Palmer in Baltimore; Mo approached and Phil just stood, absorbing the conversation between the two great pitchers. Not bad, huh?
But, none of the tampa pitchers have a VB, so I don’t know. SO CONFUSED. JUST KNOW THAT PHIL HUGHES IS ONE BAD YOU KNOW WHAT.
Mark Melancon: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 2 WP, 1-1 GB/FB – 26 of his 43 pitches were strikes (60.5%)
I think that Phil and Joba will push each other to be better.
From Joba’s continual support of Phil, I get the idea that they are very close, and they are both driving each other!!!!!!!!
Dylan
I’ve been saying the same thing about when Cerevelli comes in , the runs start. He brings energy to the line up. He is wasted on the bench.
Pat M, I remember that time well, but not necessarily on this board. That is, I remember all the folks who claimed that Joba was the bees knees and Phil an overhyped bust no better than a #3. I remember that time because I was spending a LOT Of time on NYYankeeFans.com and there were 13 threads of close to 100 pages each (more, probably) on Santana. I didn’t understand what Phil had done to deserve the criticism he got – this was coming immediately off his ALCS performance. I didn’t even understand the lack of faith scouts seemed to show in him, as if his injuries didn’t affect his stuff at all. I was so thankful when the Yankees pulled Hughes off the table. 2008 was worse, though. He tried to pitch through a broken rib and just destroyed his numbers as a starter……….
Javy will get 12 bonus points once the Yanks get back into first place?
He’s still in this thing!!!
I actually think Joba’s bright, but he’s also sensitive and emotional and has trouble sort of balancing all that stuff out (which is sort of what your 20′s are for). He was close with Clemens, then Clemens got in trouble. He was dealing as a starter, then he hurt his shoulder. Then he got his DUI. Then his stuff was never consistently dominant last year. Then were were the Joba rules, and controversy about his mound deportment. It’s been a lot for the kid to handle. He seems to be in a good place now, and I think sitting with Mo does that for people, and I think he’s solidify the pen this year, then the rotation next year.
Joba is getting a makeover in the pen. Looks like he’s taking to it like a fish to water. He really needs to settle in a role for a bit and catch his breath. Wasn’t that the big gripe? That he’s been jerked around his whole Yankee career?
Jerkface, lol -oh, big surprise. It’s way too early, so it doesn’t bother me, but that’s pretty silly.
I wish Coney had staid around the team. He was really behind both Phil and Joba.
I loved Coney, but Coney thought Phil should stay in the pen permanently; then again, Stick wanted to trade Phil. Everyone makes mistakes, lol.
I really do miss Coney…..
In regards to the Cy Young, it’s way too early, not even at the quarter pole yet. But it’s fun to talk amongst ourselves.
Howevah, the magic # is not “3″ as espn says, it’s “20″. Look at that, Phil’s at the quarter pole.
Betsy,
The Yankees need to get their act together if Phil wants the CY. They are dragging him down in 2nd place! Phil needs VB!
Coney said Phil should go to the pen just to stay in the majors. He came from a time where a lot of young pitchers who ended up starters started in the pen. He believed in both of them as starters, though. A lot of people who saw Phil throw harder in the pen last year thought it was the role, instead of his just being 100% healthy for the first time since `06.
Joba will work out the same way. His stuff will come back, and people will say it’s because of his relief role, when it will just be because he’s finally got his old shoulder strength back.
joba had electric stuff in his last outing. i think being in the bp for him this year will do wonders for him. he is hyped when he comes into the games now.
does anyone think this game will be played tomorrow? weather report looks baaaaadddd.
Funny how it works a couple of years ago everyone was calling Hughes a bust. Now he looks like an ace and everybody loves him and rip Joba. I wouldn’t write Joba off at becoming a great starting pitcher. He is still very young and inexperienced. He had a 3.58 era last year through 110 ip last year. He really fell apart in august and september when they started skipping and shortening his starts.
And if he cant become a great starter he is back to being dominant in the pen and will be the future closer for this team. He will have a big role on the yanks for a long time.
m, you can only be Phil’s mommy, you can’t be Joba’s too.
If you try to be mommy to both when you have a clear favorite… well, the light will go out in one of them.
Beware!
M, they still haven’t posted Phil’s interview from Yankees BP today on YES.com, and I’m annoyed. Hopefully they will have it tomorrow so I can post it……..
I can be Joba’s aunt. But I’m the strict one. I won’t buy him liquor.
Betsy, just about every club’s talent scout didn’t turn sour on Phil, as every trade conversation with Cashman began with his name
In-N-Out
…good burgers, Dude.
You can’t be his step-mommy either, that’s even more dangerous.
Phil, I thought I heard Coney say on a telecast last year that Phil should stay in the pen because he didn’t have enough pitches to be a good starter……….I definitely agree that many people just chalked up Phil’s increase in velocity to being in the pen. I simply never understood why they forgot that he had really been injured seriously two years in a row and that that would have affected his stuff.
LGY, lol – what’s VB?
m,
Maybe you need to be stricter
http://janeheller.mlblogs.com/joba.champagne.jpg
Pat M, that’s good to hear. I remember a CNNSI.com article about Phil in the pen and that Cash was quoted as saying he only heard from 2 teams about Phil because all the teams knew that unless they came with some ridiculous offer, Phil was OFF limits, lol.
m
I don’t understand your reference to “3″. We have 8 more games ’til the season reaches the 1/4 mark.
Betsy,
You get a 12 point “value bonus” in the calculation if your team is in first.
Betsy,
he might have said that once during a telecast when Phil was k’ing the side, but he believed Phil would eventually be a starter and saw more in him than Al Leiter used to.
What? That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard – sounds like a system only a troll would come up with, lol
Phil, now I remember Al Leiter telling Kay that he didn’t see anything special in Phil. I liked Al and I am still puzzled how a former pitcher couldn’t understand why Phil was struggling (this was in August 2007). He knew that Phil had suffered terrible leg injuries – how did he come to judge him so swiftly? Michael Kay did the same thing, but I expected less from him than I did from Leiter.
Imagine that. Just a year ago Johnny Damon turns Phil Hughes’ career around. Now Phil is throwing fastballs down the middle that are so powerful they break the great Johnny Damon’s bat.
It used to be pretty funny when the BA or ESPN scouts were saying Phil would be a 3 or a 4. There were even some real scouts who thought he’d be a 2. Many real scouts just go by the latest gun readings and didn’t understand the historically significan mL numbers Phil had poster in `06, which was his last healthy season. He always projected as an ace if he had health luck.
SAS,
Sorry, there’s the espn commercials hawking espn3 (formerly espn360), which I don’t get because my internet provider is not a broadcasting partner.
Using an old (Paul Simon?) song with the lyrics “Three…Is the magic number…”
By the way, I think Javy pitched well today. He did need a few runs from his teammates however.
Is there a stat for percentage of runners scoring from 3B? (or stranded?)
What I posted about Mel Stottlemyre’s hitting earlier….he’s the only pitcher since 1910 to have an inside the park grand slam and the only pitcher to ever collect 5 hits in one game, much less be 5-5 while throwing a complete game shutout.
m
gottcha,thanks. I don’t know whether Cablevision has it or not. And I don’t know if I care.
Stottlemyre was terrific. I think so many younger people don’t realize just how good he was. I feel the same way about Guidry. Loved them both.
LGY,
I don’t know quite what to say about Joba in that picture. Ectasy? Rapture? And is that Phil? He’s the only one who can tower over Joba like that. I better keep an eye on those two.
Didn’t Mel his a grandslam in the World Series or something like that?
Three is a Magic Number is from School House Rock, which was an interstitial feature on ABC’s Saturday morning programming back in the `70s.
Phil, Keith Law has some kind of unreasonable dislike of Phil………….I also want to know if Jim Callis still thinks Buchholz is better. He’s not.
Damon’s post game comment about Hughes was that He’d be the Ace on about 15 to 20 teams, on the Yankees he’s their # 4….
I believe it’s the De La Soul version in the commercial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0irL1M15DH8
Law is going to be eating Crow for the rest of his life about Hughes. Callis is simply a moron.
M, which picture? It’s funny, Phil is taller than AJ, but IMO, AJ looks taller on the mound because he’s lankier. Joba’s a shrimp at 6’2 when compared to th redwoods around him,lol
Phil, I would think so, but Law is so clueless that I don’t know. The last time someone asked about Phil was after the Oakland game; Law responded that he didnt’t see the game, but that we should remember that Phil faced a weak hitting team in a bad ballpark. He’s hopeless.
The one that LGY linked at 1:21 am. Shouldn’t you east coasters be sleeping?
No, Stottlemyre never had a WS home run. Dave McNally had the only WS grand slam by a pitcher.
I’m going to check that out.
M, yes I should, but I’ve been terrible about getting sleep..I’m going up in a few minutes.
LOL that pic is hilarious – Joba looks like he wants to bathe in that champagne.
This sounds closer, a little breathy though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUXtUD81G-g
You know Damon or anyone else can put a number on a pitcher in the rotation, but at the moment the Yankees have 4 and maybe 5 fabulous starters . Numbers don’t matter that much. I do understand match ups against other team’s #1 etc., but the way our guys have pitched, it hasn’t mattered.
SAS May 13th, 2010 at 1:32 am
Stottlemyre was terrific. I think so many younger people don’t realize just how good he was. I feel the same way about Guidry. Loved them both.
———————————————————————————————————————-
Pitching a normal length career and for better team than those mid-60s to early 70s Yankee teams hurt. He pitched in 9 full seasons and less than two half seasons and won 163 games with 40 complete game shutouts. Another 6 years and he could/should have won 300.
It would be interesting if they tried to get Cervelli more playing time by giving him another position… Especially if he keeps hitting like he is.. LF could be option..
http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/.....oit-tigers
DETROIT — Phil Hughes showed how fortunate the New York Yankees are to have him toward the back of their rotation.
He was sharp for seven innings, helping New York beat the Detroit Tigers 8-0 Wednesday to split a day-night doubleheader.
Hughes (5-0) gave up five hits, struck out eight and extended his undefeated streak to 10 games.
“On 15 to 20 teams, he’s probably an ace,” former teammate Johnny Damon said. “For the Yankees, he’s the No. 4 starter
************************************************
Cool quote by damon
They have a plan to get a bunch of the prospects down on the farm games in the OF this season. Or at least they did before the season started, I haven’t seen any of the ones they talked about playing OF yet.
Law will be all over Hughes by June. These guys can’t stop tweeting about any pitcher who does well.
It’s on my tv screen right now, more hip hop than that old school version you posted, m.
But it sounds like it’s been redone since the DLS version too.
m…… I’ll be at Staples Center Monday for Game 1 of what will most likely be a 5 game series………The rest will re-energize the Lakers to win the Championship…..Good night all…..The climate for Game 2 was night & day from game 1 , literally……Much better
Nick,
That’s the most likely thing. You have it on espn/espn2/espnews?
Pat m,
Kobe’s night and day. Though I was a little worried when Kobe had that stinger. The Suns will be a pain, I don’t know that they can compete with our bigs, not sure if Lopez makes it back in time. maybe they shouldn’t push bynum so much, use him for shorter bursts so he doesn’t wear down with his lower extremity issue. Steve Nash’s having a resurgence, too. Was a little worried about the team’s focus at the end of the season, but they know what they’re doing.
lol, I can’t link stuff from the times, but the phillies were accused (again and again) of using magnification to steal signs.
The funny part is that Shane Victorino told the bullpen coach that he had been kicked out of the game today. But it was a joke.
But the joker was charlie manuel trying to deflect attention to his twin brother jerry, saying that if anybody was cheating it could be then because of their home record is “out of this world.”
His “aw shucks” act was cute once upon a time, but when he’s cornered charlie manuel gets mean.
“Mark Melancon: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 2 WP, 1-1 GB/FB – 26 of his 43 pitches were strikes (60.5%)”
Next time Melancon comes up, I would really like to see how he would do if Girardi would limit him to 1inning outings.
Melancon is one of the mysteries of this age we live in. Hopefully at some point during this season he will be able join the big league pen for good.
Hughes = A Smoother AJ Burnett
Just typing and thinking about that is absolutely scary.
Betsy,
In case you check her first:
http://web.yesnetwork.com/medi.....id=7990881
Halladay didn’t get win # 7, they lost to the Rockies. This is good because the Rockies were the team that asked fox to put the camera on the bull pen coach and caught on tape proof they were stealing signs, and sent it to MLB.
Phil is the first to reach 5 wins in the rotation, is the # 5 pitcher, has a lower Era than Halladay, and the league, is only getting more dominate each outing. He’s performing like an ACE, a stopper. When he comes out you expect a win.
CC has some friendly competition in the rotation.
Lot of players and managers have said things like Damon said after the game about Hughes.
The players will tell you with their swings and quotes how and guy is throwing the ball and so far its been pretty unanimous…he’s really good.
One thing worth thinking about…if today’s Yankees-Tigers game is rained out then the Yanks will avoid facing Justin Verlander and he will be pushed back to Friday, where he will pitch against…the Red Sox.
I’m starting to wonder if the Yankees not promoting Miranda to play DH has something to do with Hank Blalock who is supposed to exercise his out from Tampa’s AAA club this week since he hasn’t been promoted.
Blalock’s crushing the ball at AAA. Maybe Boras has an unspoken agreement that if he gets free and opts out, the Yankees will plug him in at DH.
Of course Tampa can just promote him to the big club and then he’s their property, but all indications are he’s opting out this week.
I think one of the best things that happened yesterday, or rather didn’t happen, was the Yankees did not have to overuse their bullpen in spite of a doubleheader. Because Javy and Phil gave such strong outings, the bullpen wasn’t taxed and are fresh for a day game (if it is played).
blalock would be an interesting name..I guess it all depends on the timetable for NJ and his wrist. I have heard nothing on that.
There was a rumor earlier in the week the Rays were thinking of releasing Burrell. If that’s true, they could just add Blalock.
It would be hard for me to imagine Tampa just letting Blalock go. Especially if they think the Yankees could sign him.
There is no much RIGHT about this team, its hard for me to fathom why so many people on here think there is so much WRONG about them.
They have the second best record in baseball.
They have the #1 offense in the league. This, despite Jeter slumping, Tex barely hitting .200, Arod only with 3 HR’s, and Johnson and Granderson out with injuries.
That’s HALF the lineup either slumping or injured and they STILL lead the league in hitting.
Their bullpen is beat up with injuries. Their #3 starter just missed a turn and yesterday was the first time all year Javy Vazquez pitching to the back of his baseball card.
Yesterday, Mariano pitched for the first time in two weeks.
Despite ALL of the above, this team is 22-11.
Does anybody realize what that means? It tells you just how good this team is.
Once they get healthy and guys get rolling, its going to be an unstoppable team.
Sometimes, instead of picking apart every bit of the team with stats most have no idea how to use properly, you should just watch the games.
Watch how this team plays and watch how many times they find ways to win games despite being shorthanded.
I think you will gain a much better appreciation of this group if you go in that direction.
SJ,
You know anything about SJ’s wrist?
Sorry , I meant NJ’s wrist…unless your wrist also hurts in which case I hope it feels better
…its early.
What fun is it to understand just how good the Yankees really are when you can enjoy whining and complaining about everything every day. Man, SJ, you sure miss out on a lot.
It’s not just the great #s Hughes is putting up, once again his opponent couldn’t hit the ball hard off of him. Just Cabrera’s double and a line-out by Magglio were hit hard. His ability to pitch out of trouble is impressive. He’s worked hard to get to this point in his career. It’s a lot of fun watching him pitch! If he can continue to pitch like this, or something close to it for the next month and a half, Hughes will be in the All Start Game, which is Anaheim. That would be great for him since his family lives nearby. Congrats to Phil! Keep up the good work!
Something is up, Joe keep talking about a move that might take place. It’s all so secretive all of a sudden. I want to see if the Phillies let him walk, GM Ruben Amaro is suppose to be so proactive.
I’m a big fan of Keith Law (I know some people here hate him)… this is what he had to say last night on Twitter: @bigazzry Yes, never had the cutter in the minors. Pretty much 4-seamer/CB back then.
This was in response to whether Hughes was looking more like a 1 or 2. The one thing about KLaw is that I don’t think he’s one to hold any type of grudge against a particular team, he grew up a Yankee fan by the way, and I’ve seen him change his original position on multiple players if they developed further. When Law saw Hughes he was just a four-seamer/CB guy as his two best pitches. The cutter has really developed. It’s developed to the point that he has so much movement on his pitches he doesn’t really need the change.
SJ44 -
They play good team baseball. One guy picks up another guy, both position players and pitchers. They haven’t been “out” of many of the games they lost.
But even aside from all that, even if they were just eking by as a team, why not look for the silver linings? It’s like people are searching for the stormclouds on a bright, sunny day, and end up wasting a glorious day sitting in the house instead of going to the beach (or the park).
This team is historically slow starters and in reality, this year has been no different from the offense. But the pitching has been great, especially the starters.
I would bet a paycheck that Tex and Arod will hit much better as the games progress.
Granderson will be back soon.
Cano is the MVP to date.
This can easily be a 100+ win team. I know it’s early to say that, but what area, other than health, does this team show weakness?
Mike in Brick May 13th, 2010 at 7:57 am
I’m a big fan of Keith Law (I know some people here hate him)… this is what he had to say last night on Twitter: @bigazzry Yes, never had the cutter in the minors. Pretty much 4-seamer/CB back then.
This was in response to whether Hughes was looking more like a 1 or 2. The one thing about KLaw is that I don’t think he’s one to hold any type of grudge against a particular team, he grew up a Yankee fan by the way, and I’ve seen him change his original position on multiple players if they developed further. When Law saw Hughes he was just a four-seamer/CB guy as his two best pitches. The cutter has really developed. It’s developed to the point that he has so much movement on his pitches he doesn’t really need the change.
———————————————————————————————————————-
Seems to me that such an “expert” as Law would get off of his lazy azs and actually check out the players that he spends so much time yammering about. He’s another jerk.
Mike in Brick -
Re: Keith Law. I don’t understand why people are not allowed to change their opinion without being termed a “bandwagoner.” There is nothing wrong with reserving judgment, especially on a young player, to see what he does over a period of time before the accolades begin.
For instance, Brett Gardner. For me, I wasn’t sure about him as an everyday player for the Yankees. He wasn’t showing good instincts, and he didn’t seem to be doing the things necessary to take advantage of his one plus-tool, his speed. However, he’s a Yankee, and I wanted him to do well even if I personally wasn’t sold on him.
Well, so far this season, he has been doing many of the things he’s needed to do to convince people like me that he deserves the playing time. Am I not allowed to say that I now like what I see from him? Is it a crime to “change my mind?” Or am I just a bandwagoner?
Blake,
My wrist if fine. Thanks for asking! lol Back is a little sore from hitting golf balls.
Aside from that, I’m good to be in the lineup today!
My guess is, Johnson will be out awhile. I haven’t heard anything officially but, I wouldn’t expect him back anytime soon.
GB,
So true. My bad. It will never happen again!
Doreen,
Its the new generation of sports fan. Overloaded on stats and sports talk radio.
Its not possible for them to “enjoy” the game. They can’t even enjoy the wins. They are too reactionary to every bit of minutue re: their favorite teams.
Win the World Series, and 10 minutes later they are talking off-season trades.
Lose a game? Dismantle the entire team, demand firings of the GM and manager, and do it NOW!!!!
Sometimes, too much information isn’t a good thing. Especially when you have no idea how to use it properly. Which is the case with many of these “fans”.
I think that’s why there is such a disconnect between younger (under 21) and older (35-55) fans.
Its the group in between (22-34) that’s the tipping point when it comes to enjoyment of taking in the games and letting the season breathe.
One thing that has hurt the Yankee offense is constantly being on the road since Spring Training. By the time they get something started, it’s another flight. Keep them at home for 10-12 straight days, and they’ll get in a groove. Not much chance to work on things. The schedule makers and Selig should be neutered.
Mike, I don’t know that Keith Law likes or dislikes the Yankees, but he’s never been a fan of Phil’s. Clearly the kid looks right now like an ace – imagine what he’s going to be in year or two? Even with the 2 pitches (he did throw the change in the 2007 Texas game, but his injuries prevented him from developing it), most scouts/experts thought he had #1 potential. I guess it sounds like maybe Law is changing his mind a bit, which is nice.
NYYRoc, they just can’t hit him…………even as a 21 year old in 2007 Phil was hard to hit and his stuff is better now. It’s way too early to think ASG, but it would be nice for Phil to pitch in front of the Pholks.
How strong does The Force run in Young Master Hughes?
Last night, long after Comerica National Park had emptied out, he could be seen giving Yoda lessons.
Doreen,
Don’t you know? You can NEVER change your mind on the internet! This is SERIOUS business!
How DARE you change your opinion on a player?
Once you form an opinion on a player on the internet, if you change your mind about him, you have SINNED!!!
Its all so idiotic.
I have a troll on here who has about 7 different names and asks me this question every day,
“You still want to trade Cano, SJ”?
My answer is the same…No.
In 2008? Yes. So did the Yankees as they were taking offers for him in the off-season as he went through the year in lazy fashion and they had real questions about his committment to the game.
Guess what? He grew up. So, why can’t somebody change their mind about him? That’s just one example. As you know, there are more.
I’ll grant you that reactionary fans that fly off the handle at any sign of struggle are ridiculous, but lumping fans that have concerns about the team into that group is hardly fair. Anytime someone expresses any ounce of concern about the Yankees, they get attacked here.
Sorry, Keith Law is still an idiot.
M, thanks! I’m going to check that out shortly!
When you’re pitching the way Hughes has this year, there’s no reason to constantly show them a new pitch. He still works on the change, and when something isn’t working on a certain day, Hughes will break out the change-up more. Real game experimentation is fine when you have a big lead, not in close games when your offense is scuffling for wins and runs. One day, his curve or cutter won;t be working and he’ll use something that few hitters haven’t seen before.
GB, yeah – I know some were calling for the change yesterday, but they were callling for it with runners on 1st and 3rd; I don’t think throwing his worst pitch (no matter how much progress he made with it in ST) while in a jam is a good time to throw it. Phil’s games have been odd – he’s gotten a lot of run support, but that support has come late in games that were close. He’s not had many chances to throw the change. He has, though, and I’m not worried about him not using it. I was just so glad to see his curve make an appearance….
M, FYI – that was Phil’s post-game interview; I was looking for the interview he did with Kim on Yankees BP. Ugh – still not there.
Correction: he’ll use something that ***most*** hitters haven’t seen before
Betsy,
There’s “concern” and then there is “CONCERN”.
You can’t lump the small cap “concern” in with the big one.
What I mean is, guys that go on the DL are guys that fall into the upper case “concern” catagory. That’s because they are completely unavailable to the team.
Guys that don’t? They are just dinged up and its part of the game. You can’t concern yourself about that and you definitely can’t put that concern in the upper case catagory.
Its a long season and stuff happens. You can’t worry or concern yourself with EVERYTHING.
If you do, it takes away from the enjoyment of the season.
Every baseball season has ups and downs. You just gotta roll with the punches and not look at everything around the team as something to be concerned about.
I save my “concern” for guys who can’t suit up. Slumps, bumps and bruises? All part of a season and nothing to be overly concerned about.
Cool Phil Hughes story:
http://zellspinstripeblog.com/.....age-board/
You are 100%, without a doubt, The Man, Phil.
When you look at the amazing drop in power of Burrell since 2004, kind of looks suspicious eh?
Well, I admit that my concern at times does not allow me to fully enjoy the season……….I also do a lot of projecting, which I know I need to stop. What’s happening now is NOT necessarily going to be what happens down the line. As a longtime baseball fan, I know that the baseball season is extraordinarily long. It’s 6 months – think about it; half a year goes by before the season is over. This is why I am beyond frustrated at fans that want to dump on Cashman for the deals he made, especially Granderson. It’s not even fans, it’s the media as well. What is with the need to rush to judgment? Poor Granderson had the nerve to be human and go into a slump and then even more nerve to get hurt. He’s going to miss a few more weeks, not a few more years……
Hughes has gotten pretty decent run support but, in all but one game, that run support came late in the game. He’s had to pitch and he’s been able to limit any damage. Basically, he’s become a ML pitcher at a young age.
YMH, I can vouch for what a good guy Phil is. It’s too bad he abandoned his blog (guess he’s really just a kid and got distracted, lol), but when updated it, he was always having contests for fans and awarding really cool items (like signed baseballs, hats, etc……).
SJ,
Thanks..wrist issues are always tricky for a hitter and that’s what zapped nick of his power in the past. Hopefully its minor and he can get over it.
I have nothing personal against Law, I just don’t agree with him often…but hey he gets paid to talk about baseball and I don’t so even if he’s wrong he wins.
GB, that’s exactly right…..and this is not the first time he’s been asked to stop a losing streak. That’s what impressed me most about last night – that and his unflappability when working himself into jams.
I love that picture of Cisco and Mo!
Looks like there has been a shift in the winds around Detroit and it’s breaking up the rains pushing it north east of Detroit.
I remember now how frustrating it was the first time NJ was on the team; he could really hit, but often he was injured – too often.
Keith can be real snarky but, he’s got a good baseball mind.
I’ve sat with him during games in the scouts area and scouts do respect Keith.
He can come across as too “Harvard” and unload his education on guys too much and that’s a turnoff.
I also think he gets a little to enamored at times by what his best sources (ie: his friends in the Red Sox front office) have to say about players and prospects, not just in their own organization but, around the league.
Overall though, his eye for talent and his bluntess is welcome at a place like ESPN.
Far too often, the garbage that guys like Rick Sutcliffe and John Kruk try to pass off as “knowledge” falls WELL short of that on a daily basis. Keith is a baseball savant compared to those guys.
Admittingly, not a high bar to reach! lol
I will say that Law can be funny………..if I liked him better, I would appreciate his sense of humor. On days when he’s feeling his oats, like when he recently ranted over the Howard contract, he can be great.
SJ,
Do you know if sutcliffe does any research at all before his broadcasts or if he just wings it for 3 hrs?
Today’s Guess the Lineup is Now Open For Business.
I will not be here to close the game, but the window will be open from now until 10 am. When I get back from my tennis lesson, I’ll tally the results. (Tennis is from 10 to 11.)
Good luck!
That’s one of the issues that I have with guys like McGrane, Ripken and Vasgerian, too. They never miss a chance to toss digs at the Yankee players. McGrane was around Dewayne Staats for too long. I don’t mind honest reporting, but, they wouldn’t be my idea of honest reporters.
Completely agree with you about Law SJ.
Doreen – GTLU Stuff & Photos May 13th, 2010 at 8:41 am
Today’s Guess the Lineup is Now Open For Business.
I will not be here to close the game, but the window will be open from now until 10 am. When I get back from my tennis lesson, I’ll tally the results. (Tennis is from 10 to 11.)
Good luck!
———————————————————————————————————————-
Tennis? OMG…a country clubber.
Blake,
If he does research, it sure doesn’t show up in the broadcast. He’s terrible on the air.
I think the mistake ESPN made with Sutcliffe was pairing him with Chris Berman when he first started. Those two guys were practically sumo wrestlers in their fight for airtime.
Neither one of them took a breath. They just filled the airwaves with their own voices.
It hurt Sutcliffe because learning from a buffoon like Berman does not make you an effective broadcaster. It makes you a cartoon character, which he now is.
He now takes the “never come up for air” approach with him to every broadcast now and he is unlistenable.
Its a shame because he’s a nice guy. He just learned from the wrong person and has taken those bad habits with him throughout his career and its really set him back, IMO.
Saying Sutcliffe wings it is still giving him too much credit for working during the game.
Judging by the radar, the last of the rain in Detroit is now over Taylor, Michigan, about 50 miles southwest of Detroit.
Gardner, Hughes, and Cervelli walked into spring training with a feeling that they belonged after the experiences they had in 2009 and worked hard to prove it.
Gardner’s at bats are showing plate discipline and the Yankee way of making an opposing pitcher work knowing full well that teams don’t want to see him on base and what his speed brings.
The decisions to put Phil as the No. 5 starter and Joba as the late set-up man are reaching fruition.
A price can’t be put on the value of Cervelli’s energy with this Yankee team.
GTLU
Jeter SS
Gardner CF
Tex 1B
Alex 3B
Cano 2B
Posada C
Thames DH
Winn LF
Golson RF
SS Jeter
CF Gardner
1B Teixeira
3B Rodriguez
2B Cano
C Posada
DH Thames
LF Winn
RF Golson
Thanks!
As good as Hughesm Gardner and Cervelli have been, I’m more impressed with Chamberlain’s new approach to pitching. Rivera must have taken him to the woodshed a few weeks ago.
RER, Agreed. It is fun to watch those guys play. They are all contributing. I remember when fans were just hoping Gardy could hit 260. Maybe he is a 300 hitter? And Cevelli is a really good D catcher, plus he chips in with the bat. Maybe these guys are forming a new core.
GB7 -
Oh, yeah. That’s me!
(So not!)
There is a golf country club 5 less than 5 minutes from our house. They opened a health club with a limited membership. It’s convenient to work out there – every other place is 20 minutes or more from home – so we joined the health club there. They offered tennis lessons this spring and it’s something my husband and I figured would be nice to be able to do together, so we signed up.
Seems to me that such an “expert” as Law would get off of his lazy azs and actually check out the players that he spends so much time yammering about. He’s another jerk.
—-
Law personally goes to see dozens (maybe hundreds?) of prospects every year.
My GTLU for today:
Jeter SS
Gardner LF
Texiera 1B
Rodriguez 3B
Cano 2B
Posada DH
Cervelli C
Winn RF
Golson CF
Thanks Doreen!
Doreen – GTLU Stuff & Photos May 13th, 2010 at 8:57 am
GB7 -
Oh, yeah. That’s me! (So not!)
There is a golf country club 5 less than 5 minutes from our house. They opened a health club with a limited membership. It’s convenient to work out there – every other place is 20 minutes or more from home – so we joined the health club there. They offered tennis lessons this spring and it’s something my husband and I figured would be nice to be able to do together, so we signed up.
———————————————————————————————————————-
I thought you had gone “Yuppie” on us, Doreen. That’s a relief that you’re only trying to stay healthy. You scared me. Now, go warm up the BMW.
Patrick May 13th, 2010 at 9:00 am
Seems to me that such an “expert” as Law would get off of his lazy azs and actually check out the players that he spends so much time yammering about. He’s another jerk.
—-
Law personally goes to see dozens (maybe hundreds?) of prospects every year.
———————————————————————————————————————-
He must be showing up at the parks drunk for a lot of them, then.
You can tell Sutcliffe is a nice guy. He just is so bad as a broadcaster…he makes Joe Morgan look like Bob Costas.
Jeter SS
GGBG CF
Tex 1B
ARod 3B
Cano 2B
Posada C
Swisher RF
Thames DH
Winn LF
GB7 -
Nope, no BMW. But I do have a gas-guzzling “truck,” which I can’t wait to turn in once we move our daughter into her new home.
I think this bears repeating:
Phil Huhes: 39 IP
3 extra-base hits allowed (2 2B & 1 HR).
for most pitchers, this is a good game.
another great stat:
Phil’s OPS against: .446
by way of comparison, Roy Halladay (17 more IP) has allowed:
12 extra-base hits and has an OPS against of .552.
GB7
Wondering if you saw any of the SWB games yesterday? Curious if you had a thought or 2 on Carlos Santana and how he compares to Montero from what you saw. I know each caught a game and each DHed a game. Thanks
Doreen – GTLU Stuff & Photos May 13th, 2010 at 9:05 am
GB7 -
Nope, no BMW. But I do have a gas-guzzling “truck,” which I can’t wait to turn in once we move our daughter into her new home.
———————————————————————————————————————-
Yeah….I just love helping the kids move. Especially out of my house. What I hate is 2 months later when I have to move them back home. Always amazes me how they can shop, have a decent job go out at night but can never pay for the truck rentals or their utilities. Maybe I should treat them like trolls.
GB7 -
Where did we go wrong????
Phil allowing 3 extra base hits in 6 starts in extraordinary stat, but then he’s pitching extraordinarily well. Yet, there are others in the AL with ERAs under 2 – either this is the year of the pitcher part 2 or they’re all going to come back down to earth (some of them with a huge thud).
Looks like Yanks have exposed a weakness of Austin Jackson. He apparently can’t catch up to high fastballs, and can’t lay ff them either. Lets see how he adjusts
Doreen – GTLU Stuff & Photos May 13th, 2010 at 9:11 am
GB7 -
Where did we go wrong????
———————————————————————————————————————-
I always blamed my ex-wife for it. Probably why she’s my ex-wife.
AJax looks good in CF, really covers ground. But he does have some gaping holes in his swing, as you mentioned JohnC, the high FB. He kind of reminds me of Upton.
Phil Columbus May 13th, 2010 at 9:07 am
GB7
Wondering if you saw any of the SWB games yesterday? Curious if you had a thought or 2 on Carlos Santana and how he compares to Montero from what you saw. I know each caught a game and each DHed a game. Thanks
———————————————————————————————————————-
I only watched the Scranton’s offense, so, I didn’t see Santana. I had no desire to watch Moseley and Igawa pitch. right now, Montero’s swing is so screwed up that he doesn’t know whether to scratch his watch or wind his azs. He did have a passed ball yesterday, but, those haven’t been the normal for him this year.
“Judging by the radar, the last of the rain in Detroit is now over Taylor, Michigan, about 50 miles southwest of Detroit.”
I live in Michigan and attended the first three games. They won’t play today. There will be rain and thunder stormes throughout the day.
too tired to think this am, so I am going w/ unknown and Erin’s line up!
SS Jeet
CF GGBG
1B Tex
3B Alex
2B Robbie
C Posada
DH Thames
LF Winn
RF Golson
thanks
By the way, Javy looked much better yesterday while Phil looked very good.
didn’t get to see either game yesterday, but the good news YES is replaying the game, I am off, and I have my son home (and a car filled w/ a semester worth of stuff)
SJ44 May 13th, 2010 at 8:12 am
The can’t change your mind kind of thing stems from Republicans calling out Liberals for waffling. It is crazy! Any informed individual should choose what is the best answer or choice based on all the information, not just preliminary information.
Craw, thanks for the weather forecast. I’ve actually been rooting for a rainout; they can either play it later on when the team is healthier (though I hate to give up a day off) or just wait until the end of the season to determine whether the game is even necessary.
im hoping now that his precious red sox are also unhappy with the umps, that bud will take the problem of bad umpiring seriously.
BryanHoch Rain, and a lot of it, in Detroit.
Also, we have flood watch throughout the day here in Michigan. The problem for MLB besides the rain today is the thunderstorms which will cause them not to play today.
upstate kate May 13th, 2010 at 9:23 am
too tired to think this am, so I am going w/ unknown and Erin?s line up!
**********************
Hopefully we’ll win.
You can tell Sutcliffe is a nice guy. He just is so bad as a broadcaster…he makes Joe Morgan look like Bob Costas.
___
true…. but i prefer sutcliffe and o’brien to buck/mccarver and miller/morgan anyday.
By the time Austin Jackson has been around the league at least twice, he will be lucky to be hitting .250.
He’ll also have more Ks than hits.
jeter ss
gardner cf
tex 1b
arod 3b
cano 2b
posada c
thames dh
winn lf
golson rf
Anybody else thinking of going to Strasburg vs. Montero in Scranton on May 27th?
Attending these Tiger games has been an experience in itself. I froze Monday night, got to the ballpark a few minutes before they cancel the game on Tuesday then froze again yesterday during both games. I’m kind of hoping they cancel today’s game as I don’t feel like freezing and staying wet throughout the game.
SS Derek Jeter
CF Brett Gardner
1B Mark Teixeira
3B Alex Rodriguez
2B Robinson Cano
C Jorge Posada
DH Marcus Thames
RF Randy Winn
LF Greg Golson
now that nj is on the dl and swish has a biceps twinge, who else can play 1b to spell tex? i don’t recall pena at 1b, ever.
GB7
Thanks.
The following people have submitted lineups for today’s GTLU:
UnKnown
Erin
Roger(TheDutchYankeeFan)
Erica
upstate kate
muffinstump
If you submitted a lineup but don’t see your name on the list, please let me know. Thanks.
That list, plus RayVT.
Rainout is best thing that can happen. Everyone moves up day, bullpen gets a day off, and Yanks won’t need to use Mitre to start SUnday.
BloggingBombers Based on the current Detroit weather, I would say there is NO chance they play today. But since I have a 7:45 flight, they’ll probably try.
Craw, sounds absolutely miserable. I’m sure the Yankees wouldn’t mind a rain out…
Doreen,
Here is my line-up
Derek SS
Gardner CF
Tex 1B
Alex 3B
Robbie 2B
Jorge C
Thames DH
Winn LF
Golson RF
Thanks for hosting
Plus, they wouldn’t have to face Verlander. Not that they want or need to dodge him, but let’s face it: anytime you don’t have to face Justin Verlander, consider yourself lucky.
I know he’s had a few clunkers this year, but who’d be surprised if he came out throwing 100 mph seeds today?
I was surprised they cancel the game Tuesday night as the weather got better not long after calling the game. However, the field was drench from all day rain on Tuesday. With today’s game being in less than 4 hours, I don’t see why they won’t call today’s game because the field is not only drench, but right now we have a flood warning due to the rain coming down so hard and we have multiple cells of thunderstorms throughout the day.
Doreen,
Enjoy the tennis lesson.
SS Derek
CF GGBG
1B Tex
3B Arod
2B MVP
C Jorgie
DH Thames
LF Winn
RF Golson
Thank you again.
They don’t need a rainout today. They’ll have plenty of them next week in NY. They can’t be stacking up double headers and flying from city to city for one game. Game time is still 3 and a half hours away.
Betsy/Blake-
I need a clarification.
As you may know I have decided to dedicate 500 ft. of climbing for every win that Phil gets.
Unlike some around here I don’t add calories to honor Phil I subtract them !
My question(s) are:
1) Can I pay it forward with Phil by adding wins in advance by climbing extra in advance of wins ?
For example: My house sits at aprox. 3,000 ft. and Phil now has 5 wins so I owe him a minimum of 5,500 ft on my next hike.
What if I went to 6,000 instead would that qualify as covering 2 wins, or do I need to do 2 separate hikes of 5,500 and then 6,000 ?
My second question pertains to timing for celebrations.
Since it is a lot harder to climb mountains than it is to eat burgers.
If i get out for the celebration within a week of each victory is that aceptable tribute ?
Thanks in advance for the answers to these questions. I do not want to short change Phil.
BloggingBombers Juan Miranda is in the house.
It’s funny how happy we are to see Juan Miranda.
Also a day off here is one less game we wont have to sit Nick Swisher (on top of Granderson, Johnson, etc…). Plus the risk of anyone getting hurt on the wet field. We do not need anymore injuries.
Thames/Miranda is the right combo.
I like it.
“Rainout is best thing that can happen. Everyone moves up day, bullpen gets a day off, and Yanks won?t need to use Mitre to start SUnday.”
I completely agree. Detroit is probably hoping for a rainout as well. That would allow them to start Verlander against Boston tomorrow and allow them to resume their regular rotation for the rest of the series. Verlander/Willis/Porcello would be a lot better than Willis/Porcello/?.
MTU, wow you are really a dedicated hiker.
You may cover 2 wins by hiking 6000 ft – we won’t make you do two separate ones. Just how high can you hike anyway?
You also may delay your victory celebration by a week, but keep in mind that Phil will pitch between the win and your next victory meal. You must raise a glass (or a shake) in honor of Phil and you must specifically state which victory you are honoring him for.
I like having miranda, but still feel having a platoon DH is almost wasting a spot. I know Miranda can play first base and thames can ‘play’ left field, but still platooning DH is too red soxish for my liking.
I cant wait to see Porcello v. Youkilis. Why do young pitchers see Kevin Youkilis and just want to throw at him? Joba, Porcello, ….. Just something about his face that makes you want to throw your fastest fastball at it.
Miranda for Russo would make sense. Regardless of how bad Nino has looked at the plate so far I still think backup infielder is his job, for now.
I hope Jimmy Leyland realizes how lucky he was to face a wounded and slumping Yankees team.
If we had been at full strength I’m sure he wouldn’t have had a single victory.
Count your blessings Jim. You got lucky this time.
22-11 with all the injuries and issues this team has had, plus all the road games is pretty good. it is clear right now that the yanks and rays are the two best teams in all of baseball. Of course, the rays have stayed injury free so far though, where the yankees have maintained with many injuries.
New Post: Miranda has arrived
He must be showing up at the parks drunk for a lot of them, then.
—–
Alright if you say so. Question for you, have you ever read anything Keith Law has written on player evaluation or prospects? Or are you basing your opinion of him on second-hand information?
Law knows his stuff but like others have said, he comes off as condescending and snarky.
Betsy-
OK. Consider it done. If I need an exception to the basic format I will try to let you know.
My personal max. @ this time is around 12k so I hope I can cover Phil’s season wins. 9k times 500ft is 18 wins. If he goes higher than 18 I might be in trouble.
The timing of celebrations might be problematic as it’s not so easy to
find 8K mountains on a weekly basis. Maybe I can get a head start this weekend.
Will GPS altitude readouts suffice as proof ?
Phil has been great,hope he can keep up and they take care of his young arm.
Another thing…is time for the Yankees management to realize that,as much as we all love him,Posada i mean,it is time to make Cervelli the starting catcher…..look the way pitchers love him and he is producing at the plate….Jorge should be our everyday DH and backup catcher..to me is the perfect move….GO YANKEES