Video: Phil Hughes’ first time playing catch since back injury
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Mar 03, 2013 
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First a reminder that I’m hosting a chat at noon tomorrow. Stop by the blog and we’ll talk all about the Yankees center field situation, the catcher competition and the early injuries in camp.
Second, the video above is of Phil Hughes playing catch this morning (he’s the one on the far right of your screen, throwing to Scott Aldred). Because these guys are professional baseball players, there may be some idea that their version of “playing catch” is somehow different from what everyone else grew up doing in park or the backyard. As you can see, it’s not. When a guy says he’s been cleared to play catch, it literally means, play catch. As in, throw a baseball back and forth with someone, often from not very far away.
“It was light,” Hughes said. “First day, they didn’t want me to go crazy, especially in the cold. Twenty five easy throws and we’ll ramp it up from there.”
Of course, throwing a baseball isn’t the only thing Hughes is doing in his recovering from a bulging disc in his upper back.
“Heat, massage, all that stuff,” Hughes said. “There’s a back strengthening program and a stretching program, and I’m doing all of that every day as well. This is now the third back issue, so it’s something that I’ll have to monitor and keep an eye on and do everything I can to strengthen that area and hopefully not have any more issues.”
Hughes was pretty far ahead of the other big league starters at the time of his injury, and he said it’s too early to know whether that will accelerate his return.
“It’s hard to say,” he said. “I’ll just base it on how I feel. First time I get on a mound and each step after that, I just have to feel where I’m at. I’ll know if I’ve picked up right where I left off, or I’ll know if I went backwards a little bit. I think the real test will be getting on the mound the first time, then I’ll really be able to assess where I’m at.”
I don’t really care either way but Girardi’s binder, page 358, paragraph 1.7.2 specifically states, ‘if a center fielder you are thinking of moving to either left or right field suffers a debilitating injury during the spring and is disabled for the start of the season keep him in centerfield, I repeat, keep him in centerfield’
You can’t defeat the power of the binder, my LoHud friends…
“@DanBarbarisi: Joe Girardi says the Gardner/Granderson CF/LF switch is basically kaput.”
Hold your horses, hold your horses. Let’s try a little creativity here and a little out of the box thinking and not be so hasty to put blinders on (to continue the horses theme). Could it be that Girardi is so enamored with Mesa that he’s not going to bother with the switch right now and wants to keep Mesa in center so is not going to be switching Gardner over right now and just isn’t announcing it that way? I mean it is possible. Doesn’t it strike you odd that this kind of came out of the blue when it was pretty much accepted that the switch was going to happen?
@Giancarlo818: Proud to be a part of this! #USA #WBC ???????? http://t.co/fwnuCdAVNK
Pat M. March 3rd, 2013 at 7:09 pm
“Personally I think The Yanks and Giradi are still not sold on the fact that Gradner is an everyday ballplayer and if there’s going to be a rotation with a right hand hitter they rather it be swung in leftfield.”
This guy nailed it and the whole chat room glazed right over this statement determined to whine and cry for the entire comment thread. This is some pathetic stuff here.
So they’re not sold with one of the WAR leaders in the majors not being an every day player? So the answer is that they are stupid? Very good.
Consensus elite defender who gets on base above league average vs both sides of the plate and who is a top base stealer in the game is not an every day player?
I disagree that Gardner isn’t going to be an everyday player. I think this has more to do with the current CF situation and that Girardi might be seriously considering keeping Mesa up.
In any event, and to once again quote my very sage dad – don’t go around borrowing trouble.
I hope no one goes to the stadium and then just maybe things will change. This team is a snooze fest. Just more boring Cashman who has zero creativity.
I don’t know that Cashman has zero creativity. After all, it’s usually slow but steady that wins the race. HOWEVER, I do believe he is somewhat of an enigma. Cashman has/had always appeared (to me, anyway) as someone who is kind of lowkey, conservative, trustworthy, and a pretty honest and honorable guy. I’m talking Cashman in his business dealings. But this is the same Cashman who rappels off buildings and is next going skydiving. A person who does those daring things would seem to have a personality and temperament that is a lot more brash. So maybe appearances are deceiving?
I admit that I really have no idea who the real Brian Cashman is. Having said that, it isn’t critical that I figure it out. So this is just an observation that has recently coalesced for me. Is all.
Trisha. I think you might be onto something that makes sense to start the season. Mesa in center rearranges the outfield. Rather than just biching about decisions and pulling numbers to simply support ones viewpoint, try to understand these decisions. You might actually learn something. Sculley’s drunkard and lampost analogy applies once again.
Whatever you think Gardner’s ceiling is, it’s obvious that they don’t have a better CF candidate. Everything else is noise.
” Rather than just biching about decisions and pulling numbers to simply support ones viewpoint, try to understand these decisions.”
You disagree with a lot of their decisions. That doesn’t make you wrong, just as anyone who disagrees with some of their other decisions are wrong.
*aren’t wrong*
Pat M, that’s one of my biggest frustrations here – the immediate jump to conclusions and the attendant blitching or criticism that goes with it. At least wait to find out if you have it right before going off the deep end – especially when there are other possible explanations! Smart money says that a sudden decision that flies in the face of what had been previously announced probably mean that there are other things at play. There really does seem to be a pretty widespread refusal/inability to attempt to think things out beyond the basic black and white print. Maybe it’s my profession but we’re taught to consider all possibilities. Some of us actually paid attention that day in class!
Trisha,
It doesn’t matter if they want to keep Gardner in LF because of Mesa, that is also a strange and unnecessary move. This news is pretty clear, Gardner is going back to LF. Why does there need to be more information? Gardner is their best player for CF. Put him in CF.
I mean duh its obvious that Mesa being taken north could be one of the reasons, or the Yankees mistaking LF for an impossible to learn position for Granderson. No one who is dissing this move does not understand those things.
Its that those things do not matter.
The Yankees didn’t care about Melky or Gardner’s feelings when they came up, easily moved them around the diamond. Why care about Mesa’s? The Yankees moved Ichiro to LF, which he never played in the majors, in the heat of a pennant race with no practice. Why does Granderson need to be babied?
Gardner is a very well respected defensive outfielder whose natural position is CF. There is a common sense bottom line in this.
“Why does Granderson need to be babied?”
Beyond that, if defense is so important to them, why not exploit the talents of their best defensive player by position, by far?
Face……Once again, I wonder if they view Garnder as the everyday ballplayer. I’m not saying that he isn’t an outstanding glover, it might be that he’ll struggle against lefthand pitching again. Granderson at least supplied run production even with his warts last season. Hi Trisha
Granderson struggles v. LHP. Tex struggles v. RHP. Martin was awful v. RHP.
The handedness thing doesn’t hold up.
Pat M,
He has gotten on base above league average vs LHP every season. He doesn’t hit for power against them but he doesn’t make outs. He will put up some good ABs vs a lefty, work walks, get some hits now and then. Shoot I saw him take Beurhle out of NYS for a granny IN PERSON. Last season Grandy put up a .308 OBP vs LHP. Gardner’s career OBP vs LHP is .360! 2011 it was .344. Both above average.
Gardy deserves to be in the lineup every day, but I wouldn’t mind him sitting every now and then as long as Granderson and Ichiro receive the same treatment, since both fair worse against lefties than he does. They could get plenty of PA for a RHB between all 3 spots.
What doesn’t sit is going with the correct move to send Gardner to CF, then dumping it the moment Granderson gets hurt. The idea is that Granderson is too sucky to learn LF without 100 ST innings, but is good enough to man CF? Its unbelievable. As is the idea that Melky Mesa deserves to be in CF over Gardner, who has put in his time.
The MLB XM guys say the same thing. Most of the Yankee blogs and fans say the same thing. This isn’t exactly controversial!
“It doesn’t matter if they want to keep Gardner in LF because of Mesa, that is also a strange and unnecessary move. This news is pretty clear, Gardner is going back to LF. Why does there need to be more information? Gardner is their best player for CF. Put him in CF.”
Because you consider it strange and unnecessary doesn’t make it strange and unnecessary. For everyone always bleating about “the kids” not being given a chance, IF that’s the immediate reason for the announcement, then it makes all the sense in the world. If creativity isn’t your strong suit, oh well.
“I mean duh its obvious that Mesa being taken north could be one of the reasons, or the Yankees mistaking LF for an impossible to learn position for Granderson. No one who is dissing this move does not understand those things.”
Again, a stultifying lack of creative thinking. I think it would strike someone of even average intellingence odd that the decision to trade off positions was suddenly considered verbotten.
Pat M gets it. That’s good enough for me.
Here’s a real high-level, totally shrouded possibility – Girardi isn’t quite ready to announce his decision for immediate CF but if it is Mesa, it would mean keeping Gardner in LF at least temporarily. And jinkies, there’s even the possiblity that Girardi could have shared that with Gardner and that Gardner’s potential move to CF WILL come after Granderson comes back. But to make all of that known might be tipping Girardi’s hand too soon and so he is telling the part of the story he wants to tell! Imagine that. Wowee, that’s a bunch of real esoteric thinking going on there!
On the other hand, it may be something totally different. But it’s senseless to (over)react until you know for sure what’s going on.
Gardner has played the majority of his major league games in – LF!!!! Playing there a little while longer surely won’t damage him.
“Gardner is a very well respected defensive outfielder whose natural position is CF. There is a common sense bottom line in this.”
I agree there is. I don’t think you’ve begun to sniff it.
Its that those things do not matter.
I want the kids to play, that doesn’t mean putting Melky Mesa in CF over the better and more experienced defender who will actually play every day.
Did you read the article Chad wrote?
It was no accident that Brett Gardner started in left field today. Girardi explained that, if Melky Mesa takes Granderson’s spot on the roster, then the Yankees will likely use Mesa in center field — against left-handers, anyway — and put Gardner back in left. But if the Yankees temporarily replace Granderson with a corner outfielder, then Gardner will stay in center until Granderson rejoins the team.
Gardner is moving back to LF for Granderson. I don’t understand why you think playing a sub optimal defensive alignment is ‘creative thinking’ or somehow beyond my understanding? It seems you do not understand the benefit of premium defense and that the Yankees should be trying to maximize every ounce of production from their batters.
You keep mentioning this lack of creative thinking, but none of what you are offering fits the description. Sorry, try again.
Gardner has played a lot of LF, because the Yankees moved him to accommodate a veteran. Now they should do the same with Melky Mesa if he makes the team. And in respect to Granderson’s declining defense, which is noticeable to anyone who pays attention to defense( which you have written you cream your jeans over), he should be moved to LF.
With Granderson’s injury they stated the experiment was over and Grandy will be in CF. For now that is the information we have, and I disagree with it completely.
The problem with the Mesa theory is that unless you think he’s going to play every inning while Granderson is out ( I think he will be pinch hit for a lot) you will still be messing with the OF alignment.
Better to park Gardner in CF and let them platoon LF until Grandy comes back. Then he can take over LF. As blake said LF is definitely the easiest of positions on the field.
Ichiro is still a better defensive OF than Granderson. So the Yankees, in their infinite wisdom, want their worst OF in CF.
Yes, that too, Tar. You’d still have to play Gardner most of the time in CF with Mesa on the team, because Rivera/Matt Diaz cannot play those positions. Nor can Mustelier or Almonte if they somehow make the team.
So you’re adding multiple moving pieces instead of just letting Gardner take command of the OF in CF with his superior defense. Every old dog in the OF moves to a corner eventually. Granderson’s declined each of the past 2 years in his defense, its time to move on. If Ichiro, Damon, and Bernie can do it. He can do it.
Isn’t it also possible that a switch will be made once Granderson returns and he will go to LF and Gardner to center, despite what we’re hearing? I read a lot of “maybes” and “mights” in Girardi’s statments I guess you missed that part of the “creative thinking”. Nobody really knows what Girardi has up his sleeve. Girardi isn’t totally sure what he has up his sleeve.
“It seems you do not understand the benefit of premium defense and that the Yankees should be trying to maximize every ounce of production from their batters.”
It seems you missed the part where Girardi said that Granderson’s bat was very important to the lineup, i.e. “the Yankees should be trying to maximize every ounce of production from their batters”. You’ve probably also missed instances where players trying to learn a new position end up suffering on either the defensive or the offensive end. While I’m not advocating for Curtis to remain in center let me play devil’s advocate here and suggest that since Gardner has learned LF and Curtis CF, both will have both their offensive and defensive talents maximized by remaining in those positions.
Again, nobody knows for sure what’s going to happen, and there are many branches on the decision tree – which was and still is my original point.
You’ve probably also missed instances where players trying to learn a new position end up suffering on either the defensive or the offensive end
–
Where does this happen with outfielders? Its not a new position. Its outfielding.
I hope that Girardi plans to keep Gardner in CF, but the Yankees tend to defer or go path of least resistance. The opposite of creative thinking and out-side-the-box-ism. That is why Juan Rivera is going to make the team and not a pair of exciting kids most likely.
I can totally understand if they were moving Granderson to a new position on the infield, but its just left field. They moved Ichiro in the middle of a damn pennant race to Leftfield and he had never played there before!
Granderson HAS played leftfield before. 122 times.
Bottom line Trish is you’re right, we do not know what Cashman is going to do.
But if they go the route they stated, Mesa then Grandy in CF, I do think that makes them a noticeably worse team defensively. Mesa won’t even be a full time player so that also adds in a lot of switching around.
You want your best defense up the middle, thats Gardner in CF.
Good night all.
“which you have written you cream your jeans over”
Classless and disgusting comment.
Tar, then here’s a novel idea. Let’s wait to see what actually happens. I’m still not convinced that Gardner doesn’t end up in center – which of course doesn’t mean that he will. But there’s a lot yet to watch play out.
Trish
But thats why we have a blog to talk about this stuff. So we can give our different opinions on it.
“It seems you missed the part where Girardi said that Granderson’s bat was very important to the lineup, ”
One more thing, this is actually a very dumb thing for Joe to say. To suggest that Grandy is going to suffer offensively because of a switch to LF is mind boggling to me. I also think its a real put down for Curtis. It’s not going to affect him unless he lets it affect him. Thats just craziness and probably a smoke screen to hide whatever real/stupid reason they have.
How about this, I suggest a move to LF will actually HELP Grandy because it will help take his mind off of K’ing so much. ( I know equally absurd, but hopefully you see my point).
Good night again
Face to the Penality Box, major foul !@!!!
Tar, I guess I missed the discussion posts. All I saw were the etched in stone posts and the bliching that went with them. I’ll have to try to take out my magnifying glass next time to find the ones that showed that they considered at least attempting to think beyond their “obvious”.
******************
“I can totally understand if they were moving Granderson to a new position on the infield, but its just left field. They moved Ichiro in the middle of a damn pennant race to Leftfield and he had never played there before!
Granderson HAS played leftfield before. 122 times.”
Which is why I’m not convinced that Gardner won’t end up in CF. However I was responding to this:
“There’s a chance I’m going to abandon it,” Girardi said. “… I don’t know how many games he would have in his rehab coming back, and that’s a concern for me. So I want him to be comfortable wherever he’s at, because his bat’s real important to us.”
But again, there’s a lot of ST left. And a lot that will go into the eventual decisions.
But I’m happy to dump myself into the group that believes they don’t have all the answers and are actually willing to acknowledge that and wait to see what actually shakes out.
Good night all.
Pat M – thanks for understanding the liberal arts approach to baseball!
Night.
That above paragraph is now replaced by what he said this morning:
Girardi told reporters in Fort Myers, Fla. that he has decided to abandon the experiment of playing Granderson in left field with Brett Gardner moving to center field. Granderson is sidelined until May with a fractured right forearm.
“We don’t really have the chance to work on it,” Girardi said. “It’s just something that I’ve thought about. I don’t know how many games he would have in his rehab coming back, and that’s a concern for me. So I want him to be comfortable wherever he’s at, because his bat’s real important to us.”
Thats from MLB.com.
There is no creativity involved in doing the same old same old and leaving Granderson in CF.
Trish you have your opinion, other people have different opinions. Surely you not going to get upset because people are entrenched in what they feel like is the right thing for the Yankees. Even if things have not been decided yet. Of course we could wait until everything is decided first, but what fun is that?
This is a place for discussion and debate. I certainly don’t want it to be a Yankee FO “rubber stamp blog”.
“So I want him to be comfortable wherever he’s at, because his bat’s real important to us.”
This statement does not show much confidence in Curtis Grandersons abilities as a ball play.
How about I have every confidence that Curtis Granderson will do whatever it takes to make the Yankees better this year. Even if that means changing positions.
I like that a lot better.
Either Girardi actually believes that crap about Granderson needing practice to play LF (which he could still get in rehab), or he is concerned with helping Granderson out with his contract year, neither of which is good.
I’m going back to calling him Retardi if he goes through with this.
My criticism of the Yankees are actually kind of tame compared to some here. More numerous, sure, but definitely more low key.
Melky Mesa has played 153 games in the minors in RF, but is too fragile to move to LF for the more experienced Gardner.
If the Yanks think and believe that Gardner is an everyday ballplayer then I agree that he should be in center ….. However if they don’t and then he’s the swing guy in left once again.
Gardner had 171 PA in 2010 vs lhp and 124 PA in 2011, 569 and 588 PA overall. If they don’t think he is a full time player, then they are doing that wrong too.
I really don’t understand why Girardi’s comments turned out to be so controversial. The situation is obviously unsettled, and Girardi is trying to feel his way through the problem. Judging from his comments, it sounded to me that he was explaining his rationale for playing Mesa in center and Gardy in left. And it would make absolute sense that he would leave Mesa in center if he made the club. The transition to the big leagues would be tough enough for Mesa without having him learn left field in YS. It sounds to me that Girardi doesn’t think that Gardy needs much practice to play center or left field effectively, but that he feels his options with the others (Granderson, Mesa, Almonte, Mustelier, etc.) are somewhat more constrained for whatever reason.
Ghost
I get all that. But the bottom line is the Yankees are a better team defensively with Gardner in CF. Every thing else is just noise. Mesa is not going to be full time and could easily handle sliding over. All noise.
And to say “He wants Curtis to feel comfortable” is not showing a lot of confidence in Granderson or his Baseball abilities. It tells me they are worried about him and are for a lack of a better term are babying him to get the most out of him.
To me this has Cashman written all over it. I would bet he made this decision.
Ghostwriter, they weren’t controversial. At least not to those who haven’t already determined that everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, the Yankees do or say is not only wrong, but completely stupid.
RT @EyeOnBaseball: Report: Nolan Ryan could soon leave Rangers http://t.co/c8hI7sCYh9 via @cbssports
I think this stance the Yanks are taking on keeping Grandy is CF is silly….but if they are worried it’ll affect him offensively then that is legit reason to avoid it…..because they really need him to hit when he comes back.
Granderson wouldn’t make an issue of it…,but perhaps they worry if it’d affect him mentally? I don’t know….they know him better than I do…..I tend to think he’d be fine
Whether Granderson and a Gardner shift positions will not decode if the season will be successful.it will depend on offensive production.
Tyler Austin may be ready for RF this time next year
Grandersons a free agent come November. Moving him to LF could cause his stock to fall. I think that’s the mental aspect that may affect his offense. Which is fragile enough already.
It’s possible Granderson himself lobbied to stay in CF.
This is all Cashman and the eunuch Joe can’t do anything without calling Cash first. Cashman is good at somethings but being GM isn’t one of them as he has little creativity or vision. He’s not a builder he’s a maintainer. If the Yankees want to win going forward they will need a new voice. Both Joe and Brian have been here to long this team needs organizational change as things are boring and stale for the fans.
They also may want to keep Granderson’s trade value higher by leaving him in CF. Doesn’t mean I have to agree with it.
“Grandersons a free agent come November. Moving him to LF could cause his stock to fall”
I really think this is overstated…..whoever signs Granderson is probably gonna view him as a corner guy going forward regardless of where he plays this year….his contract is totally tied to how he hits IMO
Basically my guess is they know how badly they need Grandy to hit this year and they probably want him focused on that when he comes back rather than thinking about playing LF…..
Blake,
That too would be my guess about Granderson. He didn’t sound too happy about the move. He has to hit for the team to have a chance.
“It’s possible Granderson himself lobbied to stay in CF.”
hal and cashman has made granderson a dead man walking in centerfield. he’s gone. not part of the team. not part of the future.
of course this problem in centerfield comes from hal’s austerity plan. it’s part of the unintended consequences of his plan that he has a center fielder who should be playing left field , but doesn’t want to do it because it doesn’t fit into his personal financial goals for himself.
the real problem is that hal has made granderson have to think about himself first. granderson needs to ACT like a team player because it’s good for his free agency, but first and foremost on his mind is having a good year for himself.
just like swisher last year and cano and hughes and joba this year.
the yankees have turned players who should have been signed a long time ago into mercenaries who are out for themselves first, and rightly so. why shouldn’t they? hal and the yankees have shown they put themselves first. why shouldn’t the players who couldn’t get the time of day from hal on an early extension that would have let them know the yankees were interested in them as being part of the team.
with the new yankees under hal, it’s every man for himself. the players are just following hal on that one. two can play that game, and the players are. they’re leaving. some before they actually acte the laundry. emotionally, the yankees are no longer a team.
@SnapDragonMonty: Another week! Another sunrise, always be thankful. God is good.
Girardi’s full comment on this (per SNY) is that the reason he might abandon the switch is that he wants Granderson to be as comfortable as possible coming back. I don’t know how much of an adjustment it would be, but what are you gonna do.
Just read through Sickels and BAs prospect lists for the yanks…. Neither mentioned Jose Ramierez….I know he’s had injuries but has nobody but Keith Law seen this kid pitch?
i have banged on this drum a few times before, but Yanks ought to trade for Travis Snyder while his value is low.
Ramirez has been very impressive so far. Twice worked out of jams yesterday, and Girardi said it wasn’t his fastball but his changeup that most impressive. Possible we could see him and Banuelos in the rotation at some point next year. Would have liked to have seen Bryan Mitchell again but he was one of the first cuts the other day. Meanwhile, minor league camp opens today so we’ll start to see more cuts coming in the coming days. I beleive Greg Bird was sent out yesterday.
Cashmoney March 4th, 2013 at 9:09 am
i have banged on this drum a few times before, but Yanks ought to trade for Travis Snyder while his value is low.
_________________________________________
Not sure the Blue Jays would want to deal with a team in their own division though.
btw, I think Mesa’s bat is not ready for MLB pitching.
Anypne hear Tim Kurkijan on Sportscenter yesterday? Says the Blue Jays are theam to beat this year in the AL East. Said Josh Johnson is actually their number 4 starter and Romero is number 5. Labels Dickey as their ace. If Morrow is their number 2, then who is # 3 ahead of Johnson?
Tackel, he was traded to Pit last year.
“btw, I think Mesa’s bat is not ready for MLB pitching.”
he’s a lot older which obviously skews things, but he has a higher career OPS than cano had in the minors.
if he’s not ready at this age , he’s never going to be ready.
randy I, he might never be, that’s what I am saying, but despite his age, i think he needs more time tooling in AAA.
cashmoney-
what’s wrong with his recent minor league stats?
Randy I, nothing, he has demonstrated he could have finally translated his tools into a viable MLB candidate, I would like to see more consistent contact tangentially less SO and a bit more higher average, I think he could use at least half of season more in the minor which is not to say he can’t do when Grandy come back. I am simply saying I think he is not ready to face mlb pitching as of now.
Everybody is picking the Jays….because they had the big offseason and because they probably are the best team on paper.
But as we know the division isn’t win on paper and they have some questions like everyone else…. Namely in their bullpen and health concerns in the rotation.
If Johnson and Morrow are healthy and Romero bounces back they are gonna be tough…..those are big ifs though…..Buerle is gonna pitch like a 5 in the AL east most likely…..
That team also has to learn how to win….none of them have ever won anything
Question:
Do you give Robinson Cano 8 years at $27 per year or do you split that $27 to sign say Ellsbury and McCann each to 3 year $40 mil deals?