Chavez starts at DH
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Apr 09, 2011 
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Brett Gardner LF
Derek Jeter SS
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher RF
Curtis Granderson CF
Eric Chavez DH
Russell Martin C
RHP Ivan Nova
For those concerned about the Yankees not having a long man this afternoon, Freddy Garcia is listed as an available reliever.
RED SOX
Carl Crawford LF
Dustin Pedroia 2B
Adrian Gonzalez 1B
Kevin Youkilis 3B
David Ortiz DH
JD Drew RF
Jed Lowrie SS
Jarrod Saltalamacchia C
Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Looks good…. Chavez needs to think opo and pepper the monster just like every other Lefty in that joke of a ballpark.
Pete Ab may as well run a fan blog…..that’s all he is, a fan that gets paid to write.
MTU -
Girardi got the message, Posada sits in favor of Chavez, thank you Lord. Let’s hope Eric sets the world on fire, and Posada announces his retirement!
The beginning of a new era, and out with the old.
blake -
Pete was a RS fan when he ran this blog, he was, and still is a phony.
What are the chances Nova becomes a better MLB starter than Hughes in the next 2 years?
NYY needs to put up a 7 spot today, I’d like them to give Nova a little room to overcome the inevitable nerves pitching in Fenway especially to a good hitting LH line-up.
Glad Chavez is getting a start. Wouldn’t mind seeing Nunez getting a start tomorrow.
I like this lineup. Still have faith that Derek will find his stroke.
Like the lineup today.
I don’t see where long toss will help Hughes correct any mechanical faults which are contributing to lack of velocity. I attached an interesting article-watch the video comparing Aroldis Chapman and Barry Zito.
http://www.pitching.com/blog/p.....-the-ride/
Chad-It might be a good question to ask Rothschild why he believes long toss will help Hughes regain velocity and if he believes Hughes is not using enough body and longer stride to generate velocity.
Let’s hope after a win today, the Yankees are able to take showers opposed to getting dressed and getting a shower in at the hotel.
The tiny Sardine Can is as Little League as it gets in Major League Baseball.
MTU
Ill link it back up later so when you click on my name it will take you to it.
Personally I think Hughes has more upside and talent, but Nova gets the most out of his abilities. His makeup seems very conducive to pitching.
Sometimes that’s more important than talent alone.
Just a thought. Not trying to stir trouble. Opinions more than welcome.
What’s the deal today about Pete? Is this about his comment about Alex being tied with GriffeyJr for RBIs?
The way I see it, it’s a blog, not a piece of reporting, and as such may contain editorial commentary. Take it for what it is, an expression of opinion.
Personally, I think it’s a bit excessive, but Alex did what he did, he has no one to blame but himself. Unfortunately, plenty of players did the same sort of things, and all records are tinged a bit because of it.
Some may choose to dwell on it, I don’t. I’m looking forward to today’s game and Nova pitching well. Who knows, Alex may even get the game winning hit.
I think Nova has the better talent and more quality pitches.
When Nova gets as many ML starts as Phil, IMO he’ll surpass Phil in the pecking order, if Phil is still a Yankee.
Joe -
This was about Pete running down the Yankees farm system and Phil and Nova.
Chad I second the question for Larry Rothschild that Yankee trader brought up.
repost
Big Al
Where was this sentiment when Posada was hitting?
I like how this place is like a bunch of vultures looking for the latest road kill.
If a player isn’t doing well it’s get rid of the bum. ____ is better.
If on the other hand that player does well nothing is said.
Gardner and Posada are two that seem to be targets.
If people want to point out when one isn’t doing well shouldn’t they get props when they do?
The reason Chavez is on the bench is because of injuries but he’s a better option?
I like Chavez but I would temper the expectations.
Later folks, got to take the puppies out for their run.
Big Al thanks for the update.
Well one way to dispel that nonsense is for Nova to pitch well today and for Phil to regain his mojo.
A year from now the Yanks will be better suited to handle a situation like Hughes’. They will have a lot more depth. That’s the value of the Yanks farm system. Pete Abe is smart enough to know this but has to pander to his audience. His job isn’t to write what he knows to be fact. His job is to draw interest to his blog. He’s basically sold himself out.
Not sure if it has been posted already. Funny Sox/Yanks trash talk commercial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e57dlq7ZA4
“I’m sick of Red Sox fan. Go ahead, celebrate in April. We’ll dance in October.”
Truer words have never been spoken. LMAO
Pete isn’t the only one of the writers there that like to be negative about the Yankees.
They do that all the time in order to make themselves feel better.
Hi Joe from LI,
Like you, I’m really looking forward to Nova’s start. It’s a tough matchup going against Bucholz. It’s a great opportunity to see where Nova is. Can’t wait.
Our boys will need at least 8 to win today. I have no faith in Nova at Fenway.
Jeff in Canada
My Dad is a RS fan and when they were doing well early and the Yankees weren’t he would be all over me.
I told him he can crow in April but cry in October.
Good morning all.
Looking forward to Nova’s start. Pitched well in his 1st start of the season.
I’m not sure what Pete wrote, but the Yankees need to handle this situation better right now. Sending Phil out to get clobbered is going to do nothing but destroy his confidence. Joe makes it sound like all he has to do is work harder or grind it out better – as if a physical problem can be overcome just by trying. As MTU said earlier, Phil is not Mussina – he’s not the young version, with the stuff and the command, or the old version, with the guile. Expecting him to just deal with pitching with a drastic drop in velocity is expecting too much. We saw last year that even with basically his good velocity all year, he struggled. In 2008, Phil was torched and even though there was a reason – his injury – he lost his confidence and it took a long time to get it back. The Yankees need to be careful with him here.
The only thing I see mechanically with Hughes is that he’s maybe not finishing as well as he normally has in the past. When he’s been right he drives that left shoulder down and through the target and really extends through the pitch…..he’s not doing that now, he’s finishing up high and maybe even opening up a little. He looks like he’s trying to guide the ball instead of just letting it fly and knowing his mechanics will take it where its supposed to go.
rr212 April 9th, 2011 at 10:06 am
Our boys will need at least 8 to win today
—————————————————————-
If you are refering to the RS I agree.
Jeff in Canada,
Just watched that spot. Very funny. Thanks for the link.
Ouch, now I did read Pete’s comment – but he’s a jerk and always has been. Phil hasn’t failed in his career yet, lol………….
3 swings and misses in 2 starts – that should scare the Yankees to death, but they are going to keep sending Phil out there. His arm is dead right now, NO life- how can you keep pitching Phil that way?
It’s tough to hear, but Evan on WFAN is right and I think most people will say this : right now, Phil, unlike Lincecum, can not survive at all without his FB. He simply doesn’t have the pitches.
anyone have a link to peter abraham’s comments on hughes.
i looked at the globe and couldn’t find them
What did Peter say?
Yeah Maine, not sure about your dad, but the Sox fan in that commercial (Krasinski) is just like those I know – they call and try to provoke, while I just point to the scoreboard and recite the litany of winning.
“A lawnmower doesn’t have a rivalry with grass.” I’m going to use that one next time. So funny..
Pete is a homer Red Sox fan…..did he happen to break down Lackey and why he’s awful?
Nova does have better stuff and more pitches than Phil – hard to believe that this young man, who wasn’t hyped at all, could be better/more talented, than a kid who was hyped to be almost a super pitcher. I guess you never know when pitches are going to develop or not develop – it’s a good lesson.
He said something like the Yankees farm system failed – first Phil, now maybe Nova? Phil has hardly been a failure even if he hasn’t been a super stud and now the guy is waiting for Nova to fail. I detest Pete since even he was here……….It sounds like he’s happy Phil is having trouble, but yet when he was here, he probably kissed his behind to get a story.
Pretty sure Ill.get the Braves game today and be blacked out from the Yanks…..I hate Fox.
It’s hilarious to see the sillies of Boston full of themselves over one win. By their standards, today is like the 7th game of the World Series. That hand operated standings board in LF still shows the Socks tied with the Rays for last place. Those 2 teams can fight it out to climb higher next week when they meet for a 3-game series in the Green Sardine Can.
Did the Red Sox system fail when Buchholtz stunk and had to sent down in 2008 and 2009?
Thanks for clearing that up Betsy
108 stitches April 9th, 2011 at 10:21 am
It’s hilarious to see the sillies of Boston full of themselves over one win. By their standards, today is like the 7th game of the World Series. That hand operated standings board in LF still shows the Socks tied with the Rays for last place. Those 2 teams can fight it out to climb higher next week when they meet for a 3-game series in the Green Sardine Can
———————————————————————————————-
The only thing keeping the RS from being on the bottom is that B comes before T.
“Did the Red Sox system fail when Buchholtz stunk and had to sent down in 2008 and 2009?”
No, to the contrary they should be applauded for for that.
Didn’t Phil struggle in the playoffs? Just take him out of the rotation until he builds up arm strength…Putting him out there the way he is now is not going to magically produce good results…
Odds, you’re welcome!
‘Did the Red Sox system fail when Buchholtz stunk and had to sent down in 2008 and 2009?”
the problem blake is that i remember when buchholtz was the soft tosser who pitched backwards.
now hughes is the one who has trouble breaking 90.
i want to read what peter abraham said because i have a hunch there may be some truth in what he wrote.
so where is what he wrote?
i can’t find it and no one has posted a link or a quotation.
for someone who had nothing else to learn in the minors( dripping sarcasm), hughes sure seems to need to work on a lot of things at the mlb level.
Rich in NJ April 9th, 2011 at 10:27 am
“Did the Red Sox system fail when Buchholtz stunk and had to sent down in 2008 and 2009?”
No, to the contrary they should be applauded for for that.
————————————————————————————
They were just following the Twins lead.
cashman has got to fix the yankees now before its to late.if there is something wrong with hughes dl him and check him out.he has been to spring training before everyone.he now has had 8 weeks or so to build up his arm .if its not there now;its not coming.they have dead wood on the team.garcia,ayala,logan,gardner,posada,molina,hughes.time for cashman to call minnesota and cleveland and see what they want for liriano from minnesota and carmona and choo from cleveland.the yankees have trade chips in montaro,romine,nunez,gardner,granderson,brackman,noesi,laird,mesa,phelps,warren,heyer,adams,brewer,heathcott.jeter should not be playing ss every day.play jeter at ss on friday,saturday and sunday,rest him on monday and dh him tuesday,wednesday and thursday.posada should not be the main dh player. girardi has got to give chavez at bats.the way the starting pitching is looking the yankees better hope come june 1st and there are 10 games out it will be to late.they have a 200 mil payroll but most of the money is not in the starting pitching.now getting to girardi.you can not bring in soriano in the 8th inn in APRIL with a 4 run lead.it would have been a perfect time to rest soriano and rivera with the boston series comming up.if the bullpen of colon,robertson,and joba holding a 4 run lead then its going to be a long season.
Buchholz was never a soft tosser – he always have very good stuff.
Randy, I don’t know – that loser troll posted it. My guess is you can find it on Boston Globe’s website if you look for his blog, but I would never do that. I wish people wouldn’t keep posting what Pete writes as if it matters. Also, I don’t see how there’s a grain of truth in that comment.
I missed the first inning yesterday, but just finished watching the replay, focusing on Hughes. He just doesn’t have it. Fastball with no movement or pinpoint location topping out at 90 isn’t going to bode well for him unless he gets it straightened out in a hurry. Personally i believe he should be sent for an MRI to make sure the shoulder is physically sound and should be removed from the rotation since he’ll face the Rangers and then the Orioles next.
Randy,
My point was that judging that a system has failed because of two starts by one player is kinda ridiculous…..I think what they do with Hughes from here forward is what matters.
He always HAD very good stuff. I do recall that they tweaked his motion to where it gave him additional velocity but flattened out his curve a bit, but obviously whatever they did worked for him. Though I think the Yankees are hardly the best at developing pitchers, I think we have to be careful about judging them too harshly. In the end, if a starting pitcher doesn’t develop, it’s on that pitcher – either he’s not talented enough, he doesn’t work hard enough, his skill set is best as a reliever, etc…………
Hughes had a good curveball and changeup when he was in the minors and used them to dominate AA and AAA hitters…..
Randy, now you and I have always agreed on that………..that said, I think it’s a combo of the physical and mental with Phil. Let’s say he was in the minors last year or even this…………would he still want to be working on his curve or change? I remember Eiland saying that getting him to throw his change was extremely hard – kid was stubborn. I think he’s given up on his curve as well. It’s all about the attitude – I think he loves his hard stuff too much.
“Buchholz was never a soft tosser ”
when he came up first he was throwing a devastating change up and about 90-91 if i remember correctly.
last summer he was hitting 95 at times, also from what i remember.
he’s gained mph on his fastball.
hughes hasn’t
as far as peter abraham goes, he’s a pretty good baseball guy witha prickly personality.
you just don’t like the truth sometimes betsy.
Hughes used to have a 12-6 power curveball when he was a prospect ….
Blake, not so with the change – it was developing at best.
Betsy,
It was a third pitch but wasnt bad.
Randy, don’t tell me I don’t like the truth – when that is hardly the case. I am not going to get into an argument with you – so let’s drop it. I’ll just say that I have said here before that Phil was going to struggle without his secondary pitches – and I’ve gotten killed. I’ve gotten killed here just for saying Buchholz is a very good pitcher. Don’t tell me I can’t handle the truth, lol. As to Pete, well you’re entitled to your opinion.
blake et al-
Read the attached article, and when you have time watch the video.
With Hughes 6’5″ frame he should be able to generate more velocity on his four seamer. Is it his lack of a longer stride? Flexibility issue?
http://www.pitching.com/blog/p.....-the-ride/
Its much easier to learn to pitch first and then add velocity later….that’s what happened with Banuelos.
Blake, I think he was rushed, but the fact is even so, the fact that Phil has no breaking pitches to speak of as a near 25 year old is not a comforting thought. I don’t know what kind of stuff he had in the minors, but outside of a few early starts last year and a stint in the pen (when he used only FB/cutters), I haven’t seen the kind of stuff from him that screams stud. I said last night that some kids mature earlier than others – and they stop developing. Maybe that’s Phil.
Blake, unlike many (or most) youngsters, Phil has not added velocity as he’s gotten older and physically developed. What did he sit at in the minors – 92/93? Something like that? That’s what he his now. However odd it is or isn’t, he has not added any velocity at all.
I still maintain that he’s gotten too big on top, though I’m not sure how that effects his arm.
Seems that there are a few folks trying to advance personal agendas.
How unusual.
Nova is confident. Asked if there is a toughest hitter in the Red Sox lineup to face, Nova said no. “For me, there is not a toughest hitter right now,” Nova said. “I’m focused. I can get anyone out.” Nova pitched against the Red Sox twice last year. In relief on Oct. 2, he took the loss giving up a run on four hits in 2 1/3 innings at Fenway. He started once against the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium, taking a loss when he could only go 4 2/3 innings, allowing four earned runs on four hits. From his relief appearance at Fenway, he learned an important lesson. “The first thing is here, you have to keep the ball down,” Nova said.
Jeff in Canada April 9th, 2011 at 10:04 am
Not sure if it has been posted already. Funny Sox/Yanks trash talk commercial:
———————————————————————–
Much thanks. Loved it. Especially because I’m a fan of Alec Baldwin and regard that other guy as sort of a ninny.
betsy-
no disrespect intended, but peter abraham did start this blog and i can say that he understood how the yankees sabataged wang behind the scenes much more than he actually wrote.
for whatever reason writers don’t let it all out they know. is abraham is saying that the yankees suck at developing starters he may not be far off.
yes there may be some studs coming , but will the yankee system or rather non system cause them to underachieve the way it has with hughes, joba, and kennedy.
hughes had a lot of wins last year , but his stats weren’t that great. good , but not great for his age.
the think i’m concerned about is that the yankees are just simply not getting it done with completing the process with prospects. for a while they’ve had the prospects always on the horizon waiting to break through.
they just seem to have trouble staying good. joba is a flop ,let’s face it. kennedy never mad it with the yankees, and hughes has regressed.
not good.
Betsy
Whether or not one thought Phil would struggle, no one thought that he would experience a large drop in velo and be compared to Jamie Moyer by his manager.
Let’s not lose track of the fact that Phil Hughes simply dominated the Minor league system to the point that very few in the past have ever seen……However it’ll always be talked about in many circles as to whether or not he should have stayed in Scranton for the remainder of 2007…..That being said, the big club needed him along with Joba and Ian Kennedy for the September stretch run as they battled for October’s Wild Card….And they did make a major contribution……
Trader,
That’s a good article…..I believe its everything though, its a chain of muscles, limb, etc that extends from the legs to the finger tips when the ball is released that needs to be in sync to put the max force onto the ball.
Funny how Joba’s stock has risen and Phil’s has dropped seemingly overnight.
At this very moment, and it is subject to change, Joba has greater trade value than Phil.
Ironic, how just last season, that was the opposite.
Joba, even though it’s just a 7th inning role, is throwing like he did a few years ago and some team could look at him as a future starter. He is being smart about it and realizes his future might not be here and has listened to those smart enough to know this. Not so sure about Phil, hope it’s just a phase but he seems like the stubborn type.
Randy, I have no problem disagreeing with you about Pete. You know I agree with you about Phil……….and Joba as well, but I know more about Phil, so it’s easier for me to talk about him. You know if you read this blog that I don’t think Phil had this great year last year. It was fine, not great. I do think the Yankees are to blame in some way, but I still think the development or not of a pitcher is mostly on the pitcher. If Phil doesn’t intend to develop his curve or change, that’s on him………….no one else.
Rich, that comparison was asinine. Joe is expecting Phil to pitch like Moyer at 24 when he’s never been that guy. Now everyone here and on other boards have always raved about his command in the minors, but Phil continues to say that he doesn’t have that kind of command (or control – whatever). So, either he never had it or he lost it between the minors and here.
Anyone see the west coast whack job around???? If he crawls in be sure to tell him I was asking for him. With a capital L!
“Trisha – 6th inning guy not 5th. There is no such thing as a 5th inning relief pitcher’s role. If you are going to ridicule yourself by pretending to know anything about baseball – at least get your facts right. Oh heck, why should you start now. Being snotty and acerbic has always been enough. Dismissed
Hey you pugnacious pathetic little twit troll. I was trying to remember the stupidity you put out, not decide what inning is for relief and what isn’t. You were so overbearingly condescending with your Joba trashing that it would have been more than appropriate for you to mention him as 5th inning relief.
DIMISSED???? I’ll come and drop kick you to China!
On another note, why didn’t I listen to the peoples’ opinions here I respect when they said you were nothing more than an annoying, condescending, self-absorbed trouble-making bag of wind!
They were right!
*********************
Good morning to everyone else!
BIG AL says: April 9, 2011 at 9:47 am MTU -Girardi got the message, Posada sits in favor of Chavez, thank you Lord. Let’s hope Eric sets the world on fire, and Posada announces his retirement!
——-
Seriously????
randy l.-
hughes had a lot of wins last year , but his stats weren’t that great. good , but not great for his age
——————————————————————-
The wins were helped substantially by the best run support in the majors at some 7 runs a game.
He needs to work on his mechanics tossing off a mound, not long toss, to generate velocity-after an MRI determines if his shoulder is sound. Every other pitch in his diminished arsenal is going to have to work after his fastball, which is not going to hack it right now.
Pat M, although I think Cash rushed Phil, I have to say that by the end of the year, I thought that his experience against major leaguers in 2007 would stand him in good stead. Well, the injury in 2008 really set him back. I admit that I don’t see a kid who is all that unflappable. I saw a kid with ice water in his veins in 2007, but a kid who struggled in the post-season in 2009 and last year.
“Whether or not one thought Phil would struggle, no one thought that he would experience a large drop in velo and be compared to Jamie Moyer by his manager.”
there’s something i want to say about catchers and girardi knows as much about catching as anyone. catchers know how to stop the ball from rolling to the back stop and returning the ball to the pitcher.
they do not know necessarily understand how pitchers throw pitches or what mechanics are necessary to pitch. yes , they are there to hear what pitching coaches say , but coaching the pitcher isn’t what gets them in the lineup.
so what i’m saying is that girardi isn’t necessarily the best judge of what’s going on with a pitcher.
a catcher can see good stuff or bad stuff catching it, but that doesn’t mean he knows how to create it.
Betsy,
I don’t think he was rushed, he had a good season last year and is experiencing a set back this year…..we all know that he need to improve his secondary offerings but the reason he’s struggling now.isn’t because of that…..it’s.because he’s.not the same.guy he was last year right now.
It looks to me as though the path to being a
a solid ML pitcher is not a straight line like on a graph.
Al said he thought Nova was better than Phil.
At this moment I think I would agree but the
Phil we all saw in the first half of last year was
way better.
I would love to see Phil get back to that.
And for Nova to keep stepping it up.
Randy-
I don’t blame you for questioning things.
Even if I don’t always necessarily agree.
It’s not easy to be a gadfly or a lightning rod.
At least it stimulates discussion, right ?
PA was overly personal and rude to some people. They didn’t always deserve it IMO.
He did police the blog well though.
Jeff in Canada – what part of Western Canada are you from?
The Yankees don’t seem intent on sending Phil for an MRI, which I don’t get. What can it hurt?
The disrespect that Posada gets from some Yankee fans is obscene.
randy
” also from what i remember.”
From what I’ve been told the memory is one of the first things to go when you get old.
Blake, I agree – he’s not struggling because of whatever happened in 2007; that was a long time ago – lord, it seems like a million years ago.
I love Posada; he drives me crazy sometimes, but you can’t question his passion and the guy has been a HUGE part of our championship teams. He’s almost a HOFer – whether or not he’s a great catcher, I still respect his knowledge of that position.
“so what i’m saying is that girardi isn’t necessarily the best judge of what’s going on with a pitcher.a catcher can see good stuff or bad stuff catching it, but that doesn’t mean he knows how to create it.”
That’s what Rothschild is for and why he is so important in this thing. I imagine Girardi and Cashman will lean on him heavily. Same reason why people can’t get on Joe for not recognizing mechanical flaws in pitchers in the game… that is on the PC, that is his expertise.
Jorge is getting a day off. He is not hitting. Something wrong with that?
If he doesn’t come around then he will sit permanently. Platoon Jones and Chavez if they hit, what’s the problem?
Posada is a HOFer and the Yanks would probably only have 25 or so titles without him.
MTU,
CB talks about this.all the time but it’s not a straight line at all…..point A to point B with pitchers probably looks like one of your hiking trips in many cases…..up down over under
MTU April 9th, 2011 at 10:55 am
It looks to me as though the path to being a
a solid ML pitcher is not a straight line like on a graph.
————————————————————————————
Same thing in life.
And judging from some of the posters here they haven’t made it yet. :lo:
I don’t get how Phil is going to be helped having short outings in starts when he says this is an arm strength issue – doesn’t he just need to keep throwing to fix that issue?
Hughes could very well be hurt. It is not Joe’s responsibility to inform the fans of this.
Sit tight and let this work itself out.
If AJ stays on track and Nova keeps progressing, we will work this out.
@ Mick it’s crazy how Joba and Phil go up and down yr to yr
07- Joba sets the world on fire. Hughes gets injured and is ineffective at a times
08- Joba pitches well as a starter/reliever but gets hurt. Phil has a terrible yr and gets inured
09- Joba struggles as a starter while Phil thrives in the pen
10 Joba is inconsistent in a relief role while Hughes wins 18 games(I know the 2nd half wasn’t good but he started off great)
11- Joba has regained his swagger while Hughes is searching. It will be interesting to see how this yr plays out
I wonder sometimes if Phil might not call his mentor, Eiland………even though he works for another team. I get the feeling that he and Rothschild haven’t “bonded” yet.
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports.....XYS3e95tMO
That sounds mature and reasonable and all the other elements you would like from an organization. Nevertheless, it also sounds a lot like what Yankees officials were saying about Chien-Ming Wang after two starts in 2009 and Javier Vazquez after two starts last year. And their fastballs never did come all the way back.
Wang, despite early protestations to the opposite, actually had a damaged shoulder. Vazquez never did grow back into his best fastball, as the Yankees had forecasted. Both proved rotation detriments.
So when manager Joe Girardi said about Hughes, “We have to get him right and we’ll get him there,” well, he essentially offered similar versions at like points of the season about Wang and Vazquez. More telling, Rothschild offered, “The arm strength was not there all spring and you would like to see it at some point.”
In other words, a 24-year-old’s fastball has gone missing, and the Yankees really have no timetable (or certainty?) for its return. The implications are massive if this continues both long term — because the Yankees envisioned Hughes as a top-of-the-rotation force for the foreseeable future — and the short term, should the Yankees have to play the Bartolo Colon card and figure out how to fix Hughes outside the rotation.
Against All Odds
I don’t won’t Banuelos in the pen…ever.
“so what i’m saying is that girardi isn’t necessarily the best judge of what’s going on with a pitcher.”
But you, an ex “bullpen catcher” are the best judge of what’s going on with a pitcher? Alrighty then…..
The only thing about Sherman is that I keep reading Phil has a straight FB and yet I’ve heard the opposite here……
pat m-
i like hughes a lot as a pitcher.
that’s why i’m angry that he’s reduced to throwing a fastball in the early season like some journeyman over the hill guy.
i do not trust the yankees ability to develop pitchers to completion. seeing phil go through this only adds gas to the fire with me.
i’m pretty ticked off right now with phil’s velocity especially after hearing yanee officials all spring saying there was nothing to worry about and that it would emerge on it’s own.
dumb asses.
on a happy note, i made some serious mechanical changes last week and i hit the ball incredibly pure yesterday. to test it out i was playing worst ball with three balls and was still getting more pars than not.
Odds-
What’s crazy is that, right now, Joba has more value to this team than Phil.
He also has better trade value, as a starting pitcher, than Phil.
I said all along , all Joba has to do is master the 7th, and he can write his ticket out of here.
I still think blake is onto something that makes sense as part of the problems….I few weeks from now, this will be alot about nothing other than the dreaded ” dead arm ” syndrome phase…..The zip and late movement will return, the key will be his talent to have the plus command that defines Phil Hughes……I’m amazed how Betsy can pull up with ease all these articles on Hughes….Betsy you must have some amazing computer file system
Betsy-
Phil has been very unlucky in some things that have happened to him.
The hamstring, the stress fracture of the rib.
I thought he dealt with all the adversity extremely well.
Let’s just hope that whatever the problem he now has he handles with the same distinction.
It would help if someone who is supposed to guide him has some answers to give him instead of just saying they don’t know.
Phil doesn’t know why either.
He could use some help. Obviously he can’t figure this out by himself or he would.
In the meantime, I hope the Yankees give him no more than 1 more start to show improvement.
If he doesn’t something will need to be done.
He can be successful with diminished velocity
as long as he has his usual pinpoint control of the FB. He hasn’t so far.
It’s hard to have swagger when your FB is totally lifeless. Joba’s stuff is good, so he’s good. Phil’s stuff is not and he can’t figure out where it’s gone – it’s no wonder he has no swagger.
MTU
I linked my blog back up through my name, I haven’t posted the picture yet because I have to finish my homework before I can update my blog. Priorities.
“But you, an ex “bullpen catcher” are the best judge of what’s going on with a pitcher? Alrighty then…..”
ray
He’s offering a perspective. He may or may not be right, but I think it adds to the discussion.
“But you, an ex “bullpen catcher” are the best judge of what’s going on with a pitcher? Alrighty then…..”
raymagnetic-
no i’m not the best judge as to what is going on with a pitcher , but i thought that most people on this blog were smart enough to know that was inferred in my comments.
Pat M, I google Phil a lot – and obviously now, I’m concerned about him. Forget how good he is or isn’t – I’m concerned about him, personally, as a pitcher. I don’t like to see any pitcher have these kinds of issues – it saddens me. It saddens me more that it’s happened to Phil – I really feel sorry for him.
Pat M.-
Guys usually know when they have “dead arm”.
And it’s way late for that I would think ?
MTU, he has been unlucky and I do not think he’s getting the guidance he needs – from either Joe or Rothschild. I’m sorry, but the PC’s job is more than just AJ.
TY-
Thanks for your efforts, and for sharing.
MTU, his next start is at Camden Yards, a park he never pitches well in even when he’s going well. It’s not a matter of giving him more chances – I do not want to see Phil possibly aggravate an injury or hurt himself by pitching through fatigue. He has no arm strenght – that means his arm is weak. Why? Is it all having to do with the workload from last year? Not to this extent, I don’t think.
” He may or may not be right, but I think it adds to the discussion.”
the discussion right now is what’s important.
something isn’t right with yankee pitching development to completion and it needs to be looked at.
i don’t pretend to have the answers, but i can see a few of the jig saw puzzle pieces.
the point of an open discussion is to try to put the puzzle together.
I mean, Pat, I’m concerned about him personally – for his career. I don’t want Phil to turn into just another pitcher – for his sake, forget the team’s. I expect the Yankees to send him for tests just to be sure nothing is wrong.
I do not think he’s getting the guidance he needs – from either Joe or Rothschild. I’m sorry, but the PC’s job is more than just AJ.
============================
How can one surmise this? What evidence is there?
Pat M.-
If Hughes has the “dead arm” syndrome, then why not get an MRI to make sure it’s not the “injured arm” syndrome!!
Funny how the play that broke the game open for the Sox was ignited by a bunt down the 3rd base line by their slugger, Gonzalez, against the shift. Why can’t Tex do that on occasion against the shift?
MTU, his next start is at Camden Yards,
=========================
Do you have a schedule? This is wrong. Someone else said this here, do you always go by what you read or do you even watch the game?
The talk about all the ups and downs and back and forth between Hughes and Joba really demonstrates how silly it was for the Yankees to have completely written off Joba as a starter after one questionable season.
Betsy,
He doesn’t have great fastball movement….but when he’s right what he does he is great life on his 4 seamer….it explodes at the end. That’s why despite the fact that hitters knew something hard was.coming last year….they had a tough time squaring him up.
“Wang, despite early protestations to the opposite, actually had a damaged shoulder.”
betsy-
no one will actually know if wang’s shoulder was damaged before or whether it was damaged by the process of pitching with an undiagnosed bad hip.
if you on purpose wanted to blow out a pitchers shoulder, i’m not sure a better way to do it would be to have him throwing all out with his arm with a bad hip.
that was a recipe for disaster.
tyanks,
The two pictures look almost exactly alike. Very little change in all these years.
From your entries seems like you have some new friends
Very exciting.
MTU…..Pitchers come across the dead arm several times a season….April even into early May is not unusual….And then it’ll pop up for a start or two come August……However by then it’s viewed as a rough start with zero stuff ……CB….Everytime I see the name Rory McIlory during the Masters, I think of Kevein Coster in the movie ” Tin Cup “…….And then of course I think about Randy I ( The Original Tin Cup )
“The talk about all the ups and downs and back and forth between Hughes and Joba really demonstrates how silly it was for the Yankees to have completely written off Joba as a starter after one questionable season.”
i agree.
i’d like to see joba have another opportunity to start.
Blake, what kind of movement should be expected on a good FB and can you give me an example of someone who’s FB moves? Thanks!
It is a long season. Phil will get his velocity back, as long as he’s physically sound.
Logan, otoh, I’m not so optimistic about. I’m afraid last season may have been an overachievement. And there’s not much else right now in the way of options.
Pat m,
If tiger doesn’t break Jack ‘s record then Mcilroy may be the reason why…..that kid is very good. Guess ill be watching golf this afternoon since stupid Fox is going to black me out.
Betsy-
Apparently the Yankee staff believe that there is no physical injury to Phil’s arm at this time.
We have to trust that they know that in a convincing way or they would DL Phil immediately I would think.
In addition, Phil is reporting no pain or discomfort. I hope he is not foolish enough to
hide any ?
As long as there is no physical injury the Yankees believe it is in Hughes best interest
right now to continue with his work and to take the mound.
If Phil continues to perform poorly I have to
think additional steps will be taken to improve his situation.
He can win sitting at 90 but his control becomes even more critical.
I he doesn’t locate @ 90 he’s pretty much a sitting duck.
Let’s hope the command and at least some velocity returns in his next outing.
His innings from last season may have been a bit too much ?
“something isn’t right with yankee pitching development to completion and it needs to be looked at.”
Because they do things like botch rehabs by telling Wang not to work out his leg (as Cashman admitted the team did for Wang). And cut short his AAA rehab stint because the team needed a long man (as if Albaladejo or someone wouldn’t suffice), then they were forced to rush him back to the rotation.
or make Joba go on a ridiculous, comical pitching schedule to control his innings that was mocked from every analyst to every ex-pitcher/player in baseball. Oh, and there was no reason to bring him back in September in 2008 after his injury when the team was going nowhere. Whether or not that did anything, it was still dumb.
Or bring Hughes up prematurely in 2007 (by Cashman’s own admission), then put him in the pen in 09, and are now planning on running him out there with no stuff for who knows how long and are not even giving him an MRI.
And as far as Kennedy – well, why were Darrell Rasner and Ponson getting important innings in the late summer in 08 while Kennedy was in the minors? They pulled Rasner from the rotation for Kennedy, Kennedy comes up and has 1 bad start, then Kennedy goes back down and Rasner is re-inserted in the rotation. Makes sense doesn’t it?
# Rich in NJ April 9th, 2011 at 11:05 am
Against All Odds
I don’t won’t Banuelos in the pen…ever.
——————————————–
Rich I visit other Yankee boards and you will not believe how many ppl are ok with Man Ban being a reliever at some point this yr. Saying things such as if he comes up as a reliever to get his feet wet it’s not a bad thing and it’s not like the Yankees are the only ones that do this. Now they aren’t the only ones that do it but we have seen how the pen to the rotation under Yankee supervision can have it’s drawbacks. I don’t care if Man Ban pitches to one batter every two weeks the kid should never see the pen under any circumstance at all. Let the kid pitch as a starter because if he pitches in the pen and succeeds you will hear fans and the media suggest he should stay in the pen SMH.
Randy,
Here’s the thing when it comes to Yankee pitcher development, the book is still being written. Kennedy was barely in NY so who knows what he might have become had he not been traded. Joba and Phil are still trying to figure things out on the ML level but it’s way to early to say what either of them will become at this stage of the game.
Randy……Wang’s shoulder injury, many in the game point to a bad off season conditioning program or lack of as the main culprit…..He was terrible during his March outing, so much so they had him pitching a B games at the Minor league field……..My point is the Organization should have recognize something was not right much earlier and there’s a good chance his shoulder injury could have been avoided…..We saw it during an outing one night…….The NY Yankees have not recovered from his demise
MTU, it’s just that the Yankees are SO insistent that he’s not hurt -how can they be sure? Is sending him for tests that inconvenient? Phil hid the injury when his ribs bothered him……….but I’d like to think he’s smart enough not to hide any discomfort or pain re: his arm.
# mick April 9th, 2011 at 11:06 am
Odds-
What’s crazy is that, right now, Joba has more value to this team than Phil.
He also has better trade value, as a starting pitcher, than Phil.
I said all along , all Joba has to do is master the 7th, and he can write his ticket out of here.
——————————————————————-
Oh yea Joba knows that he can set himself up well if he succeeds in the 7th inning this yr. Even his attitude is different. I can’t tell the last time I’ve seen him scream and fist pump. He just goes out there and get outs
I agree with randy, NYY seems to be improving in their ability to draft and develop pitchers but to this point the jury is definitely out on their ability to complete the pitcher’s development at the big league level.
When Hughes came up he had a plus curve-ball and a developing change along with a plus fastball and impeccable command. What happened to the curve? What happened to the change?
Who in the Yankee organization is going to step up and be accountable for the full development of pitching? Does Cashman take this seriously? Does Joe G know what the hell he is doing or judging with respect to SP?
When Joba came up he ripped through the levels throwing 97mph heat late in the game. All of a sudden as a ML he is not a SP anymore. So just relegate him as a reliever… they sure couldn’t use him now in the rotation…
Betsy,
I think what you’re talking about is 2 seamer movement. Hughes throws a 4 seam fastball which by design is supposed to fly straight and have the best velocity. That’s why infielders grip the ball like that as well….so the ball will fly true across the diamond. Now a 4 seamer can have late life and a riding action that makes it difficult to hit squarely. Halladay throws 2 seamers/sinkers, cutters etc and those are the pitches you see moving all over the place.
The Yankees have too many good pitchers in their bullpen for Girardi to be so submissive to the left on left matchup with Logan.
Logan needs to demonstrate he can get some easy lefties out before being thrown into the fire in Fenway again.
But unfortunately Joe will def go to Logan when the situation arises.
Pat M.-
I understand what you are saying but guys KNOW when they have dead arm syndrome
wouldn’t you think ?
And wouldn’t Rothschild use that term if he thought it was the case ?
No need to be mysterious about it.
He seems to not know what is causing Phil’s
lack of arm strength. He said as much.
I am far from an expert but it doesn’t seem
like a typical dead arm.
# LGY April 9th, 2011 at 11:16 am
The talk about all the ups and downs and back and forth between Hughes and Joba really demonstrates how silly it was for the Yankees to have completely written off Joba as a starter after one questionable season.
————————————————————
Unless there is more to the Joba situation than we know. That’s what everyone says when they bring up why he only had 1 yr
His innings from last season may have been a bit too much ?
==============================
MTU
exactly why the Yanks are covering up any twinge Phil is having.
why are they so self concious about what others might think about their ways of handling pitching is beyond me?
# randy l. April 9th, 2011 at 11:20 am
“The talk about all the ups and downs and back and forth between Hughes and Joba really demonstrates how silly it was for the Yankees to have completely written off Joba as a starter after one questionable season.”
i agree.
i’d like to see joba have another opportunity to start.
———————————————–
He might but it will probably be for another team
for pat m only-
totally off topic and off sport, but this is too good not to tell you. i was having trouble getting my old swing speed back so i was working on my weight shift. i often do a lefty baseball swing to see what i do with the baseball swing and then take that feel to my righty golf swing.
i noticed that when i swing a bat i lean in and coil as a “go back on my back foot” so i did some drills at the range where i was lifting my front foot in the air and then planting it and hitting the golfball. the backswing in golf is tricky because as part of you is going back part of you is going forward. this baseball drill illustrates this nicely for the golf swing.
this drill totally cleared up the weight shift problems and gave me the feel i needed.it’s what led to the good ball striking yesterday.
Blake, thanks – good stuff. Then these writers should stop harping on Phil’s straight FB. Halladay, of course, is a genius – but there is only one Doc. The missing late life on Phil’s FB is more disturbing than the velocity – his arm seems to be sooooo lifeless; it’s no wonder he’s resorting to the cutter.
One thing lost on Hughes, and I am one of his biggest fans… is that the 2H of last year, Hughes was really smacked around including twice smoked by TEX in the playoffs. Aside from the start vs. the Twins, Phil really struggled in the 2H, maybe he was tired but it was clear hitters were sitting on his FB knowing he had really no secondary stuff to fall back on and mix up with… Hughes became a one-dimensional pitcher with solid 93-94 mph FB with late life and great command but was still prone to getting wacked due to his lack of secondary stuff.
Even when Hughes’ velocity returns there is no guarantee that teams just won’t sit on his FB, I sure as hell would until he could prove he could throw strikes with his secondary stuff..
This is a tough assigment for Rothschild I hope he is up to the task..
In the short term, Girardi will have three choices when a lefty is coming up in a money situation. One – bring in Logan. Two – leave the preceding pitcher in the game. Three – disregard the percentages and bring in Robertson who has demonstrated past ability to get lefties out, (or another righty). I think he will most likely go with Logan, that’s Girardi.
I never understood Hiw playoff innings don’t court tiwsds
pat m-
wang did have previous shoulder problems so it may have blown anyway. we’ll never know for sure.
all i’m saying is that even if wang didn’t have a shoulder problem, having him pitch on bad wheels was as good a way to make shoulder problems as any way i could think of.
How does it make sense to have Chavez start today’s game as a DH? Why not give either Tex or Arod a half day, and have Chavez play 1B or 3B? I don’t get it.
I never understood how playoff innings don’t count towards the innings limit…
Colon’s ball runs away from leftys, as does Ayala’s.
# Pat M. April 9th, 2011 at 11:26 am
Randy……Wang’s shoulder injury, many in the game point to a bad off season conditioning program or lack of as the main culprit…..He was terrible during his March outing, so much so they had him pitching a B games at the Minor league field……..My point is the Organization should have recognize something was not right much earlier and there’s a good chance his shoulder injury could have been avoided…..We saw it during an outing one night…….The NY Yankees have not recovered from his demise
———————————-
Wang was so vital to this team. Yes they won it all w/o him but he was the stabilizing force in the rotation before CC joined the team.
Betsy,
That was the most worrisome thing for me yesterday ….when I saw him throwing mostly cutters because he was afraid of his fastball then you knew something was wrong…..he can’t pitch like that. Writers can say his fastball is straight all they want…..hitters sure had trouble barreling it up last year. We could argue that Hughes should add a 2 seamer bit that’s a different discussion.
What is 2H?
Mick-
I do not know the actual reasons.
Perhaps, SJ with his insider perspective, would be better equipped to comment on that, i.e. why is it so important to keep that info. so close to the vest ?
Could be all sorts of reasons.
Some good ones.
Some maybe not so good.
Blake, if Phil is afraid to throw his FB, then something is wrong no matter what he says. He’s going to keep going out there and throwing his cutter – and it’s on the Yankees then, not poor Phil.
2H, second-half of the season..
not poor Phil.
==========
It’s obvious you have a crush on this guy.
Not that it’s a bad thing.
Thanks! I agree with your all your points, but at this time the Yankees have try and figure out what is wrong. On the other hand, if they are going to continue to start him, then they have to work on sharpening up his other pitches.
I have every confidence Hughes will do whatever it takes to get himself right, his attitude and work ethic is off the charts and he has natural ability.. I have less confidence in NYY coaching staff to lead him out of the woods..
This season is going to be a grind when it comes to the Yankee’s starting rotation. I would bet at season’s end it’s not going to look like it does now.
The Yanks have to have some idea or plan for Phil.
If it means starting him, how many more times will they let him get shelled?
Where do they draw the line? It has to be 1 or 2 more starts or DL him or send him down.
By then MIllwood will be ready as Colon might be too valuable to remove from the pen.
Has Millwood pitched yet in the Minors?
Jeter vs Buttholz is a really bad matchup. Stealing, hit and runs, whatever anyone on base in front of Jeter needs to make sure to stay out of the DP.
Randy…That drill calls for great coordination and extremely good balance…….I’ve always agreed with you about the Yankee’s organizational theory of developing their pitchers…..Some club’s philosophy is dictated by the big clubs pitching coach….For instance, when Bud Black was The Angels pitching coach, his pitching philosophy was trickled down all the way to the Rookie leagues…..The Yanks have several ” gurus types ” that I question…..Billy Connors sees things differently that Nardi who sees things different than Larry or even Rothschild……There’s no continuity
LGY,
You feel better now that you’ve gotten your Jeter jab in there
Blake
I do
I can get back to talking about Phil now.
yankee21…Your points are interesting, however do remember that in late September Giradi had him pitch vs. Boston as a means to deliver a knockout punch to The Red Sox and he threw a great game…..The Blue Jay outings really damamged the basic stat lines in regards to his era especially…..
Wait. One more.
I still can’t believe that bunt yesterday! WTH was Jeter thinking?
WEST COAST HEYMAN SYCOPHANT
Just wanted to make sure you saw my post to you at 10:53.
Blake
You can prob find the Yankee game somewhere online.
Dissing Jeter is a good diversion to wallowing in the plight of the young master Hughes… so I’m with LGY on this point.
Jeter is no longer a very good player, he has become a very good icon.
Everyone else – see you game time!
GO YANKEES!!!!
Outta here ’til then.
Interesting that Chavez has never faced Buchholz.
Blake-
I just off the phone with a NASA official who shall remain unnamed.
He said a Star is about to go SuperNova in a little more than an hour.
He said I should turn to the YES channel to see it live.
Not that I owe you ANY response Mick, but you’re pathetic that you think that way based on a comment I made. Any human being with a sense of compassion would not want to see Phil or any pitcher go through what he’s going through. Now, back to my regularly scheduled ignoring of your posts.
LGY,
Yea I didn’t like the play….maybe if he would have dragged at Youk.
Where online….im sure Fox will black out MLB.tv?
Pete having another Cody Ransom moment tonight and kicking up the hyperbole for dramatic effect?
PEDs may be a crime against baseball but a crime against humanity?
“In what seems to be a crime against humanity, Alex Rodriguez is tied with Ken Griffey Jr. for 13th place all-time with 1,836 RBIs. He needs only four more to pass Al Simmons and Ted Williams. Yes, the Ted Williams.”
http://www.boston.com/sports/b.....nkees.html
It’s just over a week into the season and we’re already declaring Jeter DOA for 2011?
This season is going to be a grind when it comes to the Yankee’s starting rotation. I would bet at season’s end it’s not going to look like it does now.
================================
Why? You might be looking at replacing 2 pitchers, Hughes and the 5th starter.
If AJ and Nova keep throwing well, your 1-3 is set.
I’ve never been a big Nardi Contreras or Billy Connors fan. Both guys do more self-promoting than developing IMO.
I am a big Larry Rothchild fan. That guy knows pitching.
With the way the Yankees baby pitchers, if Hughes had ANY discomfort of any kind, even a hangnail, they would have him in an MRI tube.
He’s not hurt. At least not on a structural way.
You can always DL using the vague “arm fatigue” cause that allows it to pass MLB muster.
Another performance like yesterday and I’m sure that will be discussed.
# Pat M. April 9th, 2011 at 11:49 am
Randy…That drill calls for great coordination and extremely good balance…….I’ve always agreed with you about the Yankee’s organizational theory of developing their pitchers…..Some club’s philosophy is dictated by the big clubs pitching coach….For instance, when Bud Black was The Angels pitching coach, his pitching philosophy was trickled down all the way to the Rookie leagues…..The Yanks have several ” gurus types ” that I question…..Billy Connors sees things differently that Nardi who sees things different than Larry or even Rothschild……There’s no continuity
————————————————-
They need to get on the same page when it comes to pitching. Too many voices screaming different things.
Blake
I think that website adthe usually has the game.
I think its adthe.net
Pete has a bit of a problem with perspective if he thinks Alex (but not Jason Giambi, who he loves) is a crime against humanity. He’s so ridiculous.
MTU,
Awesome
LGY,
Thanks Ill try it.
Interesting that Chavez has never faced Buchholz.
—–
Chavez hasn’t been able to stay on the field the past few years when Buttholz has broken into the league.
He prob hasn’t faced most of the young pitchers in baseball.
Now, back to my regularly scheduled ignoring of your posts.
=====================================
You couldn’t help yourself, could you.
What is pathetic is you hiding in your room afraid to get called out for your unabashed opinions.
oh, BTW, it’s called Ignoring, only when you don’t respond, which you did.
And yes, you are the only one here who cares about Phil more than the team.
SJ, can an MRI detect when muscles are just weak? Phil thinks it’s an arm strength thing……….but since his pitches are so lifeless, it can’t be just a dead arm period. Shouldn’t they send him for an MRI even though he’s not feeling any pain? If the results show that his muscles are actually weak, then they can work on building them up instead of having him go out there on the mound even one more time.
Yeah, ok ___ick.
Betsy April 9th, 2011 at 11:56 am
Not that I owe you ANY response Mick, but you’re pathetic that you think that way based on a comment I made.
=================
What else do we have to go by?
Your comments are you.
You are in love with Phil.
Again, nothing wrong with that.
mick April 9th, 2011 at 11:57 am
This season is going to be a grind when it comes to the Yankee’s starting rotation. I would bet at season’s end it’s not going to look like it does now.
================================
Why? You might be looking at replacing 2 pitchers, Hughes and the 5th starter.
If AJ and Nova keep throwing well, your 1-3 is set.
**********************
Mick I think the odds of Cashman making a move for a pitcher is great. I don’t think it will be a top of the rotation guy but a 3-5 guy. Jury is out for me on everyone but Sabathia; as good as Nova looks, he hasn’t done it before and I have to see a consistent AJ for a lot longer – although I feel cautiously optimistic.
Jeter’s not being thought of as DOA based on the games this season. It’s the entire 2010 season, this spring and now this regular season. He’s all done.
I think Randy’s theories on building velocity by max effort ect….are very interesting.
It is alarming that Phil is throwing 88-90 but I don’t think it matters if he ever throws 95. Last year he was getting by fine early on and was actually blowing that fb by hitters. I won’t panic yet. But the Yankees need to figure out why he isn’t generating the zip he needs. The breaking pitches almost look worse. Let’s be honest though Phil should never be written off here. I sense that kind of talk at times.
I think Randy’s theories on building velocity by max effort ect….are very interesting.
===========================
blake
don’t you think Phil has tried to hit max effort/speed in a game or bullpen session?
maybe he just can’t…
Good point on Chavez and Buchholz LGY. Interesting Girardi is starting him with no track record but I like the move; you have Posada and Jones available to pinch hit if need be.
WCYF:
LMAO ! LMAO ! Good morning Juno !
It is ok to write off Hughes but not Jeter? Not saying either is ok. But sheesh.
Mick,
Not specifically talking about Phil….just in general……but it looks likes Hughes is guiding the ball more than just turning it loose early this season.
I’ve always thought Phil was a #3 type pitcher on the Yankees rotation as opposed to a top of rotation ace…and compared him in my mind to a Mike Mussina a great deal.
Having said that, the rush to condemn him is a little extreme. He may have a tired arm from pitching more than ever before last year–it happens. Happened IMO to 2008 Rays staff.
But Phil is not as bad as people are making out, and we all just need to be patient with him. No need to trade him away or give up on him. He’ll come around.
Bojo, I don’t read anyone condemning Phil – we’re worried about him. His lack of breaking pitches is an issue, but not the main one at this point – his health is the biggest concern.
Bets–
Someone earl;y on suggested Nova might pass him by and that he might be traded.
Bojo, well overall that’s kind of stuff I’ve thought about, but it doesn’t mean people are condemning him.
“I think Randy’s theories on building velocity by max effort ect….are very interesting.”
blake-
how else can you throw faster without throwing faster ?
i iunderstand how doing something like yoga can develop flexibilit if it’s not there or lifting weights can strengthen some muscles if they’re weak, but the way way to make something go fast is to go all out to making it go fast.
there is a little trick to this though. if you try to hard with the wrong muscles you can go slower.
that’s why you need an objective radar gun to tell you how fast you’re actually going with a maximum effort.
if you get a dud reading you try as fast as you can with a different swing thought or throwing thought. a pitcher can do things like tall and fall od dip and drive but they still have to go all out to get maximum velocity.
one simple reason is that it takes a lot of coordinated brain neurons to time the sequential chain it takes to throw fast, to snap the whip. you have to train the brain to go all out. the average person can not concentrate hard enough to go all out. they are too lazy in effect. throwing fast or swinging fast takes maximum focus and maximum effort.
there is this whole myth about backing off and swinging or throwing 80% whether it’s golf or baseball. i have people all the time telling me i should swing easier in golf, and then i hit my 5 iron off the tee past their drive.
i have had guys say “i used to swing like that when i was your age”. i ask them how old they are and they are younger than me. my point is the 80% things is pure nonsense for velocity. it’s right sometimes for accuracy, but not velocity.
velocity does not just take care of itself. even if it’s natural , it has to be worked on to keep it.
i think the yankees tend to be teaching the old 80% effort thing and not the let it rip thing.
when you see someone on the yankees throwing hard, they likely come from another organization or they are a short reliever.
“don’t you think Phil has tried to hit max effort/speed in a game or bullpen session?”
i don’t think he has.
if he did try to hit what he hit last year with velocity and couldn’t, i’d be really worried.
a pitcher hitting his maximum velocity shouldn’t be a difficult thing for one pitch or a few pitches unless there’s something wrong or he’s not in shape.
phil is in shape, so it just leaves being injured or simply not trying which very likely might be the case.