Pregame notes: Another six to eight weeks for Hughes
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Notes on May 04, 2011 
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When the Yankees put Phil Hughes on the disabled list, they technically labeled the injury as “right shoulder inflammation,” but until today, there was no indication that the inflammation was a serious concern. Joe Girardi always referred to it as a dead arm issue, and Hughes himself said time and again that he did not know of any traditional injury.
Turns out, the inflammation might have been a bigger problem than the Yankees ever indicated.
The possibility of thoracic outlet syndrome “was a much bigger concern” according to Brian Cashman, but on April 28, the Yankees gave Hughes a cortisone injection. Either because of that that shot, or maybe because of the extended rest, Hughes is now indicating to the Yankees and their doctors that he feels “110 percent” better, according to Cashman. How exactly he feels better, Cashman couldn’t say, but he said he’s far more optimistic today than he was when Hughes left for St. Louis a few days ago.
“It sounds like he’s in a much better mental place, so we’ll see,” Cashman said. “It doesn’t guarantee anything. Ultimately, with where we’re at, the recommendation has been another two weeks of rest and then we’ll get him going. Clearly he’ll have to build his arm strength up again, and that will be that true test if we’re through the woods.”
Cashman guessed that Hughes is six to eight weeks away from rejoining the Yankees rotation. Dr. Ahmad has recommended that Hughes rest for two more weeks before beginning a throwing program. There are no further tests planned.
“Hopefully this is just a bump in the road,” Cashman said.
• Highlight of my day at Comerica: Girardi was asked whether Mariano Rivera would be available today. “He was a little upset when we said he was off duty yesterday,” Girardi said. “So I think he’d probably want to strangle me if I told him he was off today.”
At that point, someone noticed Rivera was stretching right in front of us and suggested Girardi tell him — as a joke — that he would not pitch tonight. Girardi stood up, yelled “Hey Mo” and gave him a thumbs up.
Then Girardi slowly turned it to a thumbs down, indicating Rivera was down for tonight’s game. The look on Rivera’s face was positively murderous. I mean it. One of the kindest, classiest men in all of baseball, and Rivera looked like he would rip Girardi’s face off.
So, yeah, Rivera’s available tonight.
• Regular day off for Russell Martin. He’ll “probably” get another day off this weekend in Texas.
• Girardi is obviously encouraged by the way Brett Gardner is hitting and reaching base lately, but there are no plans to move him back into the leadoff spot at this time. “We always discuss our lineup,” Girardi said. “We discuss different ideas every day. Is that something that I have a plan to do? No, not really.”
• Francisco Cervelli hasn’t had much time with Freddy Garcia, but Girardi gave Cervelli advance notice that he’d be catching tonight’s game. “I told Cervi to watch his last couple of starts and see what he’s doing so he would have a better understanding,” Girardi said. “He doesn’t have much of a history, but you hope the learning curve would be pretty quick.”
• Victor Martinez is off the Tigers disabled list and batting fifth behind Miguel Cabrera. Does that change the way the Yankees approach Cabrera? “I think you look at the score, the time of the game, the situation,” Girardi said. “You have to remember, you have one guy that’s been down for a while, too, and none of us really know how Victor’s swinging. But we know how Miguel’s swinging.”
• Eduardo Nunez went through extensive fielding drills before tonight’s game. Girardi said those drills were planned for yesterday but the session was rained out.
Associated Press photos
Poor Mo.
It seems apparent that a team’s comments about injuries should always be taken with several thousand grains of salt.
Girardi’s lineup construction can be very idiosyncratic, not that he’s alone in that regard.
Very funny story about Mo and Girardi.
At this point, Hughes is probably in a February 1st training mode. Lots of work to be done in the next 6-8 weeks including fielding and situational drills to keep sharp in every phase of the game.
The best case scenario is he comes back strong and lessens the likelihood of Cashman needing to make a deal at the 7/31 trading deadline.
Sounds good…..though Im not sure how they could say he’s 110% better if he hasn’t thrown a ball.
It’s Hughes who says he’s 110 percent better, not the Yankees
But your point stands. I have no idea how he couldn’t possible know he’s better, but apparently Hughes says he feels better. Even though he never felt bad. Yet another weird moment in a very weird situation.
You certainly don’t need to be a former baseball player to do minor league scoring for BIS.
You just need to have “Demonstrated knowledge of baseball and baseball scorekeeping.”
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That’s the sweatshop of BIS. The gig pays like 20 to 30 bucks a game to cover some crappy minor league team in some crappy city in the middle of nowhere.
To work in the major leagues the qualifications and hiring process is much stricter.
Chad, isn’t it up to you do be more than a stenographer and write down what Girardi says and actually do some reporting? As in finding out what is really going on?
Tigers lineup
Jackson CF
Sizemore 2B
Boesch LF
Cabrera 1B
Martinez DH
Ordonez RF
Peralta SS
Avila C
Inge 3B
Scherzer P
It would seem that Hughes has had more pain/soreness than has been revealed to date.
Cashman’s comments about Hughes being in a “better place mentally” are a bit troubling.
The Yankees haven’t been able to find wrong with him physically, and now Cashman is saying things that make you question if this might be a “mental” issue.
Sure hope Hughes doesn’t turn out to be one of the endless line of guys who can’t do anything on the nights they don’t take their A+ stuff to the mound.
Does that change the way the Yankees approach Cabrera? “I think you look at the score, the time of the game, the situation,” Girardi said. “You have to remember, you have one guy that’s been down for a while, too, and none of us really know how Victor’s swinging. But we know how Miguel’s swinging.”
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So in other words, if it’s early in the game with RISP and a base open, you’re going to pitch to Cabrera again?
Chad,
Thanks for the info…..yea considering that Hughes said it never bothered him in routine life, I thought it was curious that it felt better now. I was under the impression it only felt different when he pitched.
“Chad, isn’t it up to you do be more than a stenographer and write down what Girardi says and actually do some reporting? As in finding out what is really going on?”
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How do you know that Chad is not currently attempting to track down the blackbox that contains all the Yankee secrets?
YankeesNmore May 4th, 2011 at 6:34 pm
Sure hope Hughes doesn’t turn out to be one of the endless line of guys who can’t do anything on the nights they don’t take their A+ stuff to the mound.
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Really? Wouldn’t it fit better into your narrative if he did?
So how bad with the BoSux beat the Angels tonight? 12-3 ?
(will)
The reason that Chad can’t figure out this Hughes thing is because he has never played baseball and stuffs his face with pizza all day.
/wrongnarrative’d
Sure hope Hughes doesn’t turn out to be one of the endless line of guys who can’t do anything on the nights they don’t take their A+ stuff to the mound.
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We can fix that by having Damon on a conference call with the media calling Hughes (baltimore game years back) out in public. It seemed to do the job the last time.
Niblick May 4th, 2011 at 6:31 pm e
Chad, isn’t it up to you do be more than a stenographer and write down what Girardi says and actually do some reporting? As in finding out what is really going on?
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My job is to do both. When Girardi told me and everyone else that it was a dead arm issue, I went to Hughes and asked him. He said the same. Cashman said the same. Then the team sent Hughes through a series of MRIs, circulatory exams and blood tests. Then they sent him to a specialist in St. Louis. After all that, they came back to the inflammation. No one seemed to believe this was strictly an inflammation issue — not the Yankees, not Hughes, not the media, and not me — but now the Yankees are thinking it might be just that simple.
Maybe I should have known that before today, but I don’t think anyone knew that before today. Clearly I’ve disappointed you. I’m sorry about that, but I’ll sleep alright tonight.
mmmm pizza
I think Chad and the rest of the media need subpoena power.
from espn.com:
“Were it not for the Angels, Boston might be deep in the AL East basement.
The Red Sox seek to improve to 7-0 against the Angels when they continue their four-game set at Fenway Park on Wednesday night.
With a fourth consecutive win overall in this game, Boston (14-15) can reach the .500 mark for the first time in 2011 — a significant accomplishment for a team that opened 0-6 and 2-10.
The biggest reason for the rebound is Boston’s continued dominance of the Angels (16-14). The Red Sox have won 15 of 16 meetings, including all six this season, and have outscored the Angels 16-8 to take the first two of this week’s series.”
Than Dan Haren goes on to “justify” the losses….amazing….
Chad, perhaps waterboarding will help.
MTU May 4th, 2011 at 4:43 pm
SoS-
Whenever a person can’t figure out what something tastes like it ALWAYS tastes like chicken.
Me. I don’t get why the Chickens always have to take the blame. They’re pretty darn tasty.
Doesn’t seem fair. People should pick on some other animal to rag on once in a while.
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MTU,
Did you know that today was chicken appreciation day? Seriously it is…
Beat writers aren’t investigative journalists.
The beat-writers need to violate Hughes’ hipaa laws.
Instead of a live chat couldn’t we have a live vivisection of Hughes?
The beat-writers need to violate Hughes’ hipaa laws.
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Sounds like a job for Selena Roberts.
Jerkface says:
May 4, 2011 at 6:50 pm
Beat writers aren’t investigative journalists.
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Unless I’m missing something, there’s nothing to investigate.
They don’t know what’s wrong with Hughes, HUGHES doesn’t know what’s wrong with Hughes, the doctors can’t find anything wrong, and the explanations offered have been somewhat inconsistent.
The only real part of this that interests ME is this … Colon has been awesome as his replacement.
There’s your story, niblick.
Trenton radio has a good interview on with Tim Norton. He’s really been pitching well and throwing hard this year. Hopefully, a solid bullpen addition by next year around mid-season. Looks like the injuries may finally be in the past.
I don’t think they’d give Hughes a cortisone shot without thinking it would address a physical issue.
I think Chad should have kidnapped Hughes, rendered him unconscious and then did some “investigative surgery”
Good evening –
1. I’m really not worried about Phil. He’s got another 10 years ahead of him in his big league career. Let him take the time now to do it right.
Oh, and one more thing on the subject of Phil Hughes. One thing I’ve learned, over the years, is to trust the patient’s judgment about how they feel. When someone tells you there hurting, or how they feel….believe them. It’s their body.
2. Mariano is one heck of a professional. Every time I go to a game, I hope I see him. I want to burn into my memory the vision of him playing. There will never be another like him.
Years from now, when I’m an oldtimer (like GB or randy
), I will be able to tell people that I used to go to Yankee Stadium and see the Great Rivera pitch. Just like oldtimers spoke of Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, and Mantle. Rivera belongs in that company. There will never be another like him.
3. Chad – if you’re reading this – That was a good retort. Bless you.
Niblick thinks Chad should shrink himself down in a tiny mechanical craft and be injected into Hughes bloodstream, where by Chad and the other beat writers will have a wild adventure until they find Hughes splanchnic ganglion
When someone tells you there hurting, or how they feel….believe them. It’s their body.
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What if they are lying to get out of school?!
“Niblick thinks Chad should shrink himself down in a tiny mechanical craft and be injected into Hughes bloodstream, where by Chad and the other beat writers will have a wild adventure until they find Hughes splanchnic ganglion”
Ever see “Innerspace”?
“I think Chad should have kidnapped Hughes, rendered him unconscious and then did some “investigative surgery””
I think an elite team of beat writers need to fly into the Yankee compound in Tampa..
This is usually the point where I say Splanchnic Ganglion sounds like a good name for a band but somebody already beat me to it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....re=related
Maybe Chad can leak the Osama pics after he breaks the Hughes case.
Solid hit by Jeter.
Rich in NJ says:
May 4, 2011 at 7:01 pm
“Niblick thinks Chad should shrink himself down in a tiny mechanical craft and be injected into Hughes bloodstream, where by Chad and the other beat writers will have a wild adventure until they find Hughes splanchnic ganglion”
Ever see “Innerspace”?
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Saw it. Good family movie.
However, for the ‘Hughes Affair,’ I think “Rendition” is more like it, with Chad playing Meryl Streep.