Pregame notes: Hughes feeling good after bullpen
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Notes on Sep 24, 2011 
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Pretty quiet day here at Yankee Stadium. The first person I saw in the clubhouse was Yogi Berra, dressed in a sharp suit for today’s Roger Maris ceremony. The last person I talked to in the Yankees clubhouse was Phil Hughes, having just sat down after a morning bullpen.
“I didn’t even feel it,” he said.
In this case, Hughes was referring to his lower back, which started causing him problems last weekend and cost him a start this week. Hughes threw 35 to 40 pitches and he remains on schedule — assuming no setbacks — to pitch next week in Tampa. There’s no date scheduled for that appearance.
“I think you really have to wait and see how he feels tomorrow and decide what we’re going to do,” Joe Girardi said.
Given the fact he hasn’t pitched since September 12, there’s a very real possibility that the Yankees will decide to simply move him into the bullpen for the division series.
“I think you have to think about that,” Girardi said. “I think that’s one of the things you have to think about just because he hasn’t thrown in a while and we’re not sure how it’s going to play out in the next couple of days after throwing this bullpen. Just a lot of decisions to be made by Friday.”
• Francisco Cervelli ran for about 10 minutes today. He’s still not ready to begin baseball activities, but he’s making progress. “I still would be a little bit surprise if we got him back,” Girardi said. “But, you know, maybe it stays away and maybe he’s able to help us.”
• Without Cervelli, the Yankees have to consider a postseason roster without a traditional backup catcher. “It changes the way that maybe you think about your roster a little bit,” Girardi said. “You know, when you think about your roster, the expectation is that Russell is going to play every day. You really have to think about how you’re going to do things and the combination of guys. There’s a lot of thought that’s going to go into this. The one thing about making a roster is you try to guard against everything, that’s what you try to do, but you really can’t.”
• A.J. Burnett will start the first game tomorrow. Ivan Nova will start the second.
• Girardi was asked today about the impact of Mark Teixeira’s defense at first base: “He saves us errors,” Girardi said. “Saving errors to me is important. It saves runs, No. 1. No. 2, it saves pitches for our starter. An inning ends up being prolonged and a pitcher throws 12 extra pitches, and it takes an inning away from them, and it affects your bullpen. It’s just kind of a trickle effect. So, being able to save pitches by saving errors is extremely important to me, and he does a wonderful job.”
• I actually have not yet seen Manny Banuelos, but I know he’s here. I’ve seen Adam Warren and David Phelps hanging around the past two days. They’re here to observe for the weekend, just to get themselves used to the big league environment.
“This is something that our club has done in the past where we bring young kids up that we think could have an impact either next year or the year after,” Girardi said. “(They) kind of get a feel what it’s like to be in our clubhouse, see all the media, understand our clubhouse — our clubhouse is something you have to learn – so when they do get here, they’re more comfortable. We all know that those first couple days as a big league player, a lot of times, there’s a lot of butterflies, but you try to get rid of some of that. But these are kids that we believe are going to help us, and that’s why they’re here.”
RED SOX
Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Carl Crawford LF
Dustin Pedroia 2B
David Ortiz DH
Adrian Gonzalez 1B
Mike Aviles 3B
Marco Scutaro SS
Josh Reddick RF
Jarrod Saltalamacchia C
Associated Press photos
I’ve said for a while that Hughes should be the game 3 starter. And if he comes through his next start healthy I still feel that way. But Girardi is already starting to get people ready for his move to the pen. I have an awful, awful feeling that AJ is going to get that start.
I have no problem with AJ starting game 3…give us 4 good innings, and then put Colon or Hughes in for 2-3 innings…craft together a good start from the pieces available.
Again, you just need 2 starters winning out to be world champ.
Great news on Hughes.
They aren’t likely to send Garcia or AJ to the pen. You’ve actually have 4 guys vying for 1 start in the ALDS.
Hopefully Hughes will be healthy and can contribute.
Hope Hughes feels good tomorrow.
Bojo, about the season ending:
Agreed. I can keep myself amused a little through the bowl season and the Superbowl, after that its a black hole until ST. NBA, if they even play, holds no interest, and college basketball, apart from a rooting interest in Villanova, the wife’s alma mater, only a little.
I feel we will be cobbling together more than a few starts. We have the pitching depth to do that.
“I have an awful, awful feeling that AJ is going to get that start.”
With the way Colon and Garcia have thrown the ball lately, is AJ that much worse? At this point, all 3 are a crap shoot. Colon’s stuff has evaporated
Aside from a healthy Hughes, i think our best bet as of right now to go in game number 3 is AJ ( Yikes!), Colon looks shot, garcia’s stuff wont play well against this good lineups….I hope they shut down Colon to see if he gets the mojo back. Both CC and Nova have to bring their A game if we are to win it all
I’m not familiar with the phrase “saves errors”. Would someone mind explaining that for me?
Tarheel,
He is refering to the bad throws that he picks up, that if someone else was fielding might get past him and would be charged as errors
“Saves Errors” is generally only used with first basemen and it means he’s so good at handling tough hops and offline throws that he turns what would have been a throwing error into an out.
Hughes to the pen for the post-season is a given. I agree AJ is likely # 3, but I’m not sure anyone other than CC and Nova can be counted on for a quality start.
CMW gets his first ML hit and RBI, leading Atlanta 40- in the 3rd inning.
Hope Hughes feels better, but I’d rather see him out of the bullpen into ALDS, particularly if we match against Texas. An extreme fly ball pitcher in Arlington? No thanks. If it’s Detroit, Hughes would stand a better chance in that cavernous park.
Happy Birthday Betsy
***4-0 lead after 4 innings.***
Thanks for the Cervelli update Chad.
As a fan, I would love to have him back. But I want whatever is best for his health.
Tucker,
Good point…..That’s why i am praying for Colon to get his mojo back
GReenBeret7
I guess he’s mastered running the bases – thank heavens! So happy for CMW.
It does seem that every time the Sucks are in a slump, playing the Yankees would save them. Every time this season. No ?
- Red Robin, from Rabbit Island
sent from phone
977364303807880000
Thank you, Luis and 86. You’ve taught me something new today.
That makes perfect sense! And I agree that Tex saves lots of them.
Philadelphia is being no hit through 6 innings (no score). 1 walk by RA Dickey.
Victorino just doubled wiht one out in the 7th.
GB7,
As soon as I tuned into the Dickey no-hitter, Victorino lines a double to left. Damn.
Shut out gone. Howard gets rbi single.
Victorino doubles to open the 7th inning. Phillie is really stumbling down the stretch while playing the worst of the NL East
I don’t remember – why are the PHillies wearing a “B” on their shirtfronts?
Tom, I’m so ashamed of myself. I feel responsible.
GB7,
You should be. Now I just want Dickey to get out of the inning.
Dickey deserves way better than he’s been given. Best starter on the Mets, loses 1-0, 2-1 all the time.
The mets offense it’s pathetic
The “B” is for two part owners who died recently…. I think their last name was Buck
Wow -
Pinch hit HR for Pascucci of the Mets. (I have no idea who he is, but he’s paisano!)
Thanks, 86w183 – I can’t remember hearing anything about it.
Too bad cervelli has his concussion issues. He showed gradual improvement with the bat this year. He would have been a useful offseason trade chip. Now, probably not, at least until he can prove he can play again. And perhaps he shouldn’t for his own sake.
I sort of agree that AJ may be the Yanks best bet for starter No. 3. When he pitched against the rangers last year, he started well. Joe just left him in too long. Start AJ, bring in colon or Hughes at the first sign of trouble. Either that, or start Garcia in game 3 followed by AJ in game 4. The key is be quick to the pen.
When AJ’s hook is working, he has the best pure stuff in the rotation other than CC.
TominGA, that’s exactly how I feel about sabre stats – I appreciate the good old fashioned stats found on the backs of baseball cards.
Comet, Austin, Luis, Bojo, 86- thank you! 86, Happy birthday to your daughter!
Odds, thanks also!
Great news on Hughes………..I don’t think anyone has really been worthy of the #3/4 spot, but I still think Freddy should be the #3. Hughes has hardly pitched and even if he can make the one start in Tampa, I’m not sure that it’s enough to have him as the #4 going forward. He’s pitched ok, not great IMO – but Colon, IMO, is toast and I just can’t see him starting. In fact, I can’t see him being effective even out of the pen – guy has little to nothing left. AJ has the best stuff of whomever we’re now talking about, but he’s just way too erratic. It’s not just a matter of being inconstent within a game inning to inning – but even pitch to pitch. Hughes, on the other hand, has had his best games against weaker teams and I don’t really trust him in a big spot. We’re talking about pitchers with serious flaws.
That said, it appears unless Hughes is dominant next out, he’s going to the pen.
I think you might have to try and get a few innings out of AJ – and then, the moment he gives an inkling, just an inkling of trouble, get him out – use Hughes as the long man. Problem is, out of all these pitchers, AJ is the one who is most prone to blowing up without any warning sign…….so that’s problematic in terms of getting him out of the game before it’s out of hand.
with all these guys going to the pen, who is getting kicked out???
ayala,wade????
would be a major mistake and thoughtless, which is par for the course here, to eliminate givens for ???like hughes or aj in the pen…..esp when the PS pitching roster is shorter .
preemptive removal of aj??? when does that occur??? if he puts a man or 2 on, you yank him??
never happens, won’t in playoffs.
carrying aj and hughes means colon and garcia are off the roster
usually they carry 11 pitchers for the alds
that’s morosolo, cc, nova…..thats 8.
ayala, wade, noesi/valdes (if boston, most likely)
if phil is in the pen then cc must go game 4 if necc.
Lets see how the pitching staff will look:
CC,Nova,AJ/Hughes?/Garcia/Colon, the last four are vying for one spot on game three because i think CC is going for game four if needed.
BP: Mo,Drob,Sori,Logan/Valdes,Wade,Ayala, Noesi, Hughes/Colon/Garcia/AJ
Three starters and eight relievers IMO for the ALDS
BryanHoch Maris and Mantle families say that MLB should still consider 61 the legitimate record
Cards walk off on a WP.
Well, the PHillies have just lost their 7th in a row. 2-1.
Villa,
i rather would have liked that the losing streak happened during the Postseason,
Predictions are the best, and funnest, part of baseball.
Do you have a prediction for this series?
I foresee the Red Sucks will sweep.
- Red Robin, from Rabbit Island
sent from phone
977364303807880000
luis -
Yes, me too.