Pregame notes: “You just have to talk about it and decide”
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Notes on Aug 02, 2011 
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Today’s pregame topic of discussion was pretty much the same as yesterday’s: What happens to Phil Hughes after tonight’s start? What happens if he pitches well? What happens if he struggles? Where would he go if he lost his spot in the rotation?
Joe Girardi’s answer to all of the above was basically the same: Wait and see.
“There’s a lot of things we gotta talk about,” Girardi said. “The best thing that could happen is that he pitches really well, and then we have a tough decision to make in what we’re going to do. There are some different scenarios. (Ivan) Nova really hasn’t pitched out of the bullpen as much, and we’re going to need a starter August 27 when we go to Baltimore, so you want someone built up. There are some things after today and tomorrow we’re going to have to talk about.”
Hughes has been hit-and-miss since he came off the disabled list. He’s had one really good start, one really bad start, and two so-so starts full of ups and downs. Nova was very good in his return from Triple-A, and he’ll get another start on Thursday to further plead his case.
When the Yankees cut their rotation down to five starters, the most obvious changes would involved Hughes to the bullpen or Nova back to Triple-A. Girardi hasn’t said those are his top options, but he does talk a lot about Hughes’ bullpen experience and the Yankees desire to have someone stretched out for that Baltimore double header.
“What I am saying is that you gotta have someone built up,” Girardi said. “Maybe it’s not even someone here to make that start on the 27th. We’re going to do what’s best for everyone involved, what we think is best for people’s futures, what’s best for this team now, and what’s best for this team in the future. I’m not saying one of them would necessarily go down.”
Basically, anything is possible. Both Hughes and Nova seem to know and accept that.
“I thought (Hughes) made some progress his last start,” Girardi said. “But I think his stuff can even get better. He can give us more distance. His curveball wasn’t as sharp in his last start. CC’s slider wasn’t as sharp (last night) as it’s been, but when it’s Phil, we gotta get this guy on a roll, too. He’s had his struggles this year, so more red flags go up. His curveball wasn’t as sharp and we gotta get that going… It’s something that we have to talk about. You watch how he throws tonight, and you just have to talk about it and decide what’s best for everyone involved.”
• Derek Jeter gave his usual, as-expected responses when asked about his finger. He said it’s fine. He didn’t test it before getting to the ball park today. He feels ready to go. You can pretty much fill in the rest.
• The forecast is no good. No good at all. Word is that the Yankees and White Sox would play a regular double header tomorrow if today’s game is rained out (not a split double header). So far, there’s no rain, but the sky is starting to get a little bit dark.
• Has this rotation situation gotten in Hughes’ head? “I haven’t really noticed it,” Girardi said. “But we pay attention to it if a guy’s trying to do something out there. I haven’t really noticed it.”
• Has it been tough to get Rafael Soriano innings since he came back? “It hasn’t been tough,” Girardi said. “We him in on Saturday. It would be a good thing if we needed him tonight. It hasn’t really been tough… We still want to continue to develop the arm strength, he’s had five appearances (counting rehab), but I think more would be beneficial for him.”
• Alex Rodriguez is still on schedule to begin rehab work on Thursday.
• It seems clear that Brett Gardner has lost platoon status and is now playing pretty much every day regardless of lefty/righty. “It is hard to take him out,” Girardi said. “Even on those days (when he used to sit), I didn’t necessarly want, to but I wanted to get Andruw going and I thought that was the best way to do it.
• Manny Banuelos makes his Triple-A debut tonight, and obviously the Yankees will be paying attention. “We’re looking at anyone and everyone who we feel can help us down this last 50 games or whatever we have left,” Girardi said.
WHITE SOX
Juan Pierre LF
Omar Vizquel 3B
Carlos Quentin DH
Adam Dunn 1B
Alexi Ramirez SS
A.J. Pierzynski C
Alex Rios CF
Alejandro De Aza RF
Gordon Beckham 2B
Associated Press photos
Actually, no, the most obvious move would be Phil to AAA – sending him to the pen makes no sense
But the writing is on the wall……………..it’s a mistake if they put Hughes in the pen
Gary sanchez homers for the 2nd straight game. (12)
Yeah, Betsy we heard you the first time.
When Hughes fastball has “late life”, especially up in the zone, it rises slightly at the end and that is the extent of it.
——-
It’s not physically possible for the pitch to rise genius.
Yet you insult Betsy’s intelligence…
Ok, lol….like I care
banuelos pitches around an error and a botched DP. Ends 2nd inning with his 3rd strikeout. 30 pitches, 21 strikes
It “appears” to rise to the batter, it is pretty obvious what I meant.
luis August 2nd, 2011 at 7:34 pm
Betsy August 2nd, 2011 at 7:26 pm
That’s the diference between a regular pitcher and very good one.
JAP,
It seems he is getting squeezed big time.
FREE JESUS!!!
LGY, nature’s laws of physics aren’t good enough for him so he decided to make up another set
Thanks for the full updates from Collins Prufrock.
pitches can’t rise? Tell that to the poor batters that faced Koufax and Ryan
Luis, I can’t even see how a pitcher with mediocre command can really even be a good pitcher. If you can’t put the ball generally where you want it, you’re kind of at the mercy of the hitter
It “appears” to rise to the batter, it is pretty obvious what I meant.
——
Right…
You were trying pointing out the movement of the pitch, not what it appears to do.
“It’s not physically possible for the pitch to rise genius.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1VClnk3l-k
Manny through 2 at Scranton.
2 innings, 1 hit, 0 runs, 2 walks (both in the 1st), 3 strikeouts
30 pitches/21 strikes
Pretty impressive.
Mason Williams homered and the weak hitting Cito Culver triples back to back
GreenBeret7 August 2nd, 2011 at 7:39 pm
pitches can’t rise? Tell that to the poor batters that faced Koufax and Ryan
**********
Pitches cannot rise unless thrown ankle high from a submariner. They “appear” to rise.
You too GB?
Who’s pitching for the Yanks tonight?
3,445 post analyzing Phil Hughes pretending to know what they are talking about – but not knowing the difference between command and control. Mind boggling.
Betsy,
Mostly 4th or 5th SP are regular pitchers, but most never make it to the big leagues or become relievers…. comand is usually learned, look at freddy or Gregg Maddux, they were throwers and became pitchers as their stuff started to decreased
luis, they do sometimes get squeezed, doesn’t come up in the final line, which is all I’m saying. I’ve seen both kid aces have innings from hell but more often they’re not missing by all that much. Dare I say, “it’s a process…”???
what pisses me off is people shooting their mouths off to knock these talented kids but they never trouble themselves to go see an outing. That’s fine, you can’t get there, but then don’t come on strong & try to tell people these kids don’t have the goods, y’know?
Very exciting time around these parts, & I think Dellin’s really building on his last excellent start (final line means s***) where he threw 44 pitches in five innings, & also he’s probably pumped seeing his amigo Manny B get promoted. Doesn’t want to f*** around, wants to move fast, too.
Luis, I don’t think Maddux was ever a thrower………..
D.Brown takes Banuelos deep to right. Cashman didnt even lift his head from the Ipad. He must not be too interested in calling him up anytime soon. Was very aware during Monteros AB.
Hey SCRANTONYANKEE, please change threads!
“Hughes should decapitate AJ with a katana and quickening AJs curveball into his repertoire”
Nice! Or DRob’s……there can be only one!…..of course they need D Rob though.
Betsy August 2nd, 2011 at 7:49 pm
He had good velocity like Moose ( 94-95 ), but then it started to decrease. You are right that he was never a thrower like R Johnson was, but he did have premier stuff
Free Montero! Go Manny…..sounds like he’s throwing some cheese…..im not at home so I can’t watch unfortunately.
What happens if he pitches well?
… He has to be really good and better then Nova, or hebasnished to the BP.
What happens if he struggles?
… Banished to the BP.
“Hughes is banished,
There is no end, no limit, measure, bound,
In that word’s death. No words can that woe sound.”
/stabs self in chest
For what it’s worth: with the addition of Erik Bedard, the Sox have decided to keep Miller and are going to a six-man rotation, looks like for the next few weeks.
I don’t know how the math works out, but maybe it’s possible to keep CC and AJ going every five days with the other four getting the occasional extra day/days between starts.
That of course if Hughes can prove he deserves to stay. I don’t think there’s any question about Nova anymore, and I probably had more than anyone about him early on.
J. Alfred Prufrock August 2nd, 2011 at 7:47 pm
You are probably right, the boxscore doesn’t tell the whole truth. I wish i could go and see them though. The promotion of ManBan has to come as a result of him succeding on that level, and probably FO thinks he is ready for better hitters already so thats encouraging. I always thought that the increased BB per nine had to do with him working on his curveball and getting squeezed from time to time
great to see manny doing well.
the key question is how close he is to where the catcher sets up. if he’s in the pen this year, martin or the bench will call his pitches and he’ll throw what they tell him to throw. catcher sets up, he hits it and he’ll have a ton of success.
Banuelos with a long 3rd inning. homer to D. brown, walk, single 2 strikeouts. 1-1 in the 3rd. 62 pitches, 32 in the third inning. 40 strikes, 3 groundouts, 0 fly outs
luis I think it’s more that Manny suddenly was able to throw his FB up to 95. Commanding the extra velocity comes next. I have no worries at all about him in that regard.
GB,
Are you watching? Is he getting squeezed…..how’s he look?
GreenBeret7 August 2nd, 2011 at 8:01 pm
If he is getting squeezed, i wouldn’t put too much stock on the pitch count, but 66% S To ball ratio is very good. thoughts?
Montero with a line single over short
Montero rips single of ss glove. Cashman likes it
blake, a lot of close pitches. Not really wild, but just missing the corners. The homer to Brown was the first time that a left handed hitter has homered off of him all year.
“Hitting homeruns? Easy.”
-Jose Bautista
Rain delay with no rain….great
Odds, I love the delay. I’m stuck somewhere with no plugin to watch Manny or Dellin or Hughes. My hope is they continue to delay so I can make it home in time to see most of the game.