Phil Hughes Archives - Page 3 of 6

Bulging Disks And Other Maladies

February 20, 2013

Well, that was fast. Only a few days into camp and we’ve got our first real injury: Phil Hughes’ bulging disk in his upper back, taking him out of commission for awhile. Let’s hope this isn’t a nagging problem and that after his time out he’ll be ready to go. It’s his contract year – his moment to show once and for all that he can pitch effectively and consistently as a starter. It’s also important to the Yankees that he be the phenom Cashman’s always projected him to be.

The other “malady” I was referring to is Nunez, aka Eduardo Scissorhands. I kid the kid, I know. But when it comes to Nunie I can’t help myself. Put him at shortstop and he’ll make errors. That’s how it’s been. And now that Jeter’s recovering from his ankle surgery, we’ll be seeing more of Nunie. Will we be seeing more of his errors too? There’s no question that he can be a terrific spark in the lineup, getting hits and running the bases well. But his glove scares me. I think Nix will be a fine backup at third and first (and short), but I have to say I miss Chavez already.

And finally, am I the only one who resents the WBC just a little? I completely understand that players want to represent their country and that it’s fun for them to play in competition, but to leave camp so early in the spring training season, interrupt their routines and disrupt the team chemistry feels off to me. I guess I’m just being contrary, but I’m not wild about hearing how guys like Cano and Tex, who need to get their timing down as hitters, will be running off to join their respective WBC teams.

The good news is that MLB.TV (and YES, for those who get it) will be televising spring training games in another week. Can’t wait.

Backs To The Wall

October 16, 2012

I’m not a cat person, but even I feel sorry for the kitty in that pic. He/she looks freaked out, which is how the Yankees look. They’ve been backed into a corner and their only escape is….Well, I have no idea how they’ll escape. CC could pitch the best game of his career tomorrow night, but they’d still have to hit.

And, as we know, they just aren’t hitting. The ninth inning was a bit of a tease after Nunez had that great at bat and then homered and then another run looked like it might be possible to tie the score against Coke. But Ibanez didn’t have the magic tonight and there was no happy ending. It wasn’t exactly a good omen when Hughes left with a stiff back. Sheesh.

The loss was such a shame for so many reasons. The pitching was sensational yet again and deserved better. Verlander looked more hittable than usual but he managed to get outs anyway. Cano actually got a hit and might finally be emerging from his slump. Chavez, in for A-Rod, didn’t help the cause at all.

So here we are, facing not only an elimination but a sweep. Two months ago I wouldn’t have thought it possible. I wouldn’t want to be Kevin Long right now.

Seriously, Joe?

September 25, 2012

I try not to second guess Girardi’s bullpen moves even though I think he’s overly devoted to his binder. My feeling is you stop worrying about lefty-righty match-ups if your starter is doing well and his pitch count is manageable, and you let him keep pitching. Especially at this time of year. Starters should be going 100-120 pitches (except Andy). They can rest their arms over the winter.

Tonight felt like an egregious mistake by the Yankees skipper. Hughes was zipping along until the 7th when he loaded the bases. But there were two outs and he was under 100 pitches and he’d handled Denard Span with relative ease earlier in the game. Why pull him for Boone Logan, who’s been iffy lately? And once Logan got into trouble, why leave him in? The camera caught Hughes F-bombing and I don’t blame him.

I was even less happy when the Yanks couldn’t come back and win, given the loss by the O’s. Talk about a missed opportunity. This one hurt.

A Hairier Janer Than Necessary

September 20, 2012

I was thrilled that my wish from last night’s post – that the Yankees would win again but by scoring lots of runs – came true. (Thanks to Ichiro, Swisher, Jeter, Nix and the whole bunch of them.) But when the Blue Jays made a game of it by scoring 7 runs to our 10, it got downright ridiculous. Girardi actually had Soriano warming, after the poor guy saved both games yesterday, but that’s the problem with having a starter who couldn’t go deep and middle relievers who couldn’t relieve. (Correction: apparently, Soriano was only “playing catch” and there was not a plan to use him.)

Let me elaborate.

Hughes got the win but scared me the way he often does. His third inning was weird and his pitch count got out of hand. Not what you want to see as the postseason approaches.

Lowe wasn’t good, but I would have left him in longer. Cory Wade isn’t major league material anymore, period. And Joba is just plain inconsistent.

Fortunately, Robertson put the Jays out of their misery and ended what could have been a nightmare of an evening. Clap clap clap for him.

She's Back – With Good Reason

September 13, 2012

Tonight’s win in the finale against the Red Sox wasn’t an easy one to watch. Pitcher’s duels/low scoring games never are. But the end? Pure bliss.

Phil Hughes was superb and I don’t often say that. I’ve never seen him look so good, especially when you consider that Fenway’s been a tough park for him. While it’s true that the team Boston put on the field tonight wasn’t packed with heavy hitters, Hughes got so many swings and misses that it was a thing of beauty.

And Jeter. Wow. We joke about how he’d play on one leg, but that’s what he did – not just play but hit and run and tie the great Willie Mays for hits. Amazing amazing amazing.

And Soriano. Clap clap clap. I’m assuming Cashman isn’t regretting that signing anymore. At all. The fact is, the Yankees wouldn’t be in the mix without Mr. Untuck.

And Nunez. LOL. When I saw his name in the lineup playing shortstop I cringed, having written in last night’s post that I feared it would happen. But he not only played error-less baseball; he showed his offensive talents. I bow down.

Elsewhere, the O’s had yet another stirring walkoff win, but the Yankees answered with a win too. We’re still in first. Whew.

But here’s the really good part: Andy’s coming back! Will he be the pre-injury Andy? Who cares. I trust him to give us everything he’s got and only get stronger with every outing this month. The Yankees are just better with him in the rotation. Period.

She’s Back – With Good Reason

September 13, 2012

Tonight’s win in the finale against the Red Sox wasn’t an easy one to watch. Pitcher’s duels/low scoring games never are. But the end? Pure bliss.

And Jeter. Wow. We joke about how he’d play on one leg, but that’s what he did – not just play but hit and run and tie the great Willie Mays for hits. Amazing amazing amazing.

And Soriano. Clap clap clap. I’m assuming Cashman isn’t regretting that signing anymore. At all. The fact is, the Yankees wouldn’t be in the mix without Mr. Untuck.

Elsewhere, the O’s had yet another stirring walkoff win, but the Yankees answered with a win too. We’re still in first. Whew.

The Muscles Were Flexed!

September 7, 2012

First Russell had muscle with that three-run shot to put the Yankees on the board. Whew. Then Pearce, whoever he is (yes, I know he was an Oriole) hit one out. Then A-Rod joined the evil homer party. It was swell to see the Bronx Bombers again, truly. Jeter had a great offensive night too.

Hughes was mostly good enough to keep the O’s in check. Cody Eppley? Not so much. Why Girardi keeps going to him is beyond me except that I guess there’s no one else. D-Rob must have read last night’s post because he was much better. And Soriano did his untuck thing. Game won. First place secured…at least for now.

I Was Hoping To Write This…

September 2, 2012

Today was the Chris Dickerson Show!

Unfortunately, I had to write this…

Today was the Bad Bullpen Show!

Not that Hughes didn’t end up with a figurative black eye. He seemed to be coasting until his homerun-itis condition kicked in. Baseball is a simple game, really, and when a pitcher throws a ball right down the middle of the plate he’ll get creamed. I wish Hughes could figure that out.

But the Yankees were still within rallying distance until the bullpen brigade came in to mess things up. Particularly galling was Derek Lowe walking in a run with the bases loaded. All hell broke loose after that, and no matter who Girardi brought in the result was baaad. So many arms, so little effectiveness.

The offense? Still sleeping. Dickerson was such a breath of fresh air with his hitting as well as his amazing catches. He wasn’t enough to wake up the slumbering Yankees. I congratulate the Orioles though for outplaying us. They’re not a fluke, it’s clear.

Now it’s off to that nightmare known as the Trop. Can’t wait.

Yanks Play Sparkling Baseball

August 28, 2012

My favorite moment of tonight’s win over the Blue Jays was the double play started by a leaping Cano. Just beautiful.

Hughes pitched very well. I worried as I watched him in the first inning; he was nibbling and his pitch count wasn’t efficient. But he settled down and got on a roll. I don’t think I’ll ever love his style; he frustrates me when he doesn’t put hitters away with two strikes. Still, he must be applauded for his performance tonight.

The offense did just enough to scratch out a couple of runs. (Where would we be without Swisher?) When I saw the lineup before the game, I said, “The new guy is batting cleanup? And Martin is fifth?” It made no sense, but with the others struggling and Tex and A-Rod out, I guess there weren’t a lot of choices.

Anyhow, good job by Robertson and Soriano. And good job by the Yankees to hold onto their division lead.

Our Lead Is Now Three Little Games

August 22, 2012

Getting swept is never fun, but getting swept on a night when your rival is celebrating a win is seriously not fun. Yes, our division lead is now down to three, following the Rays’ victory over the Royals. U.S. Cellular Field, it turned out, was a house of horror for the Yankees.

Hughes wasn’t bad at all. But the offense – and I have to keep excluding Jeter, who has been superhuman – was cringe worthy. I’d like to blame the lack of scoring on the home plate ump, who rang up Ichiro and Tex on questionable calls. No matter. The hitters just aren’t hitting. I hope tomorrow’s day off will be rejuvenating. They should all go to a spa or something.

And while they’re getting massages and mud masks, Nova will be getting examined by a doctor. Suddenly, he has a sore shoulder. Well, not “suddenly,” but after the sixth inning of last night’s game. Are pitchers made of glass? All they do is get hurt. It’s a miracle they make it through an entire season in one piece.

Getting back to our three-game lead, maybe the Yanks will go on a tear this weekend and put some distance between them and everybody else.

Or maybe the Baseball Gods just want a more exciting pennant race.

Great Timing, Boys

August 17, 2012

I had a 7:30 dinner reservation with friends tonight and when I made the date I knew I was cutting it close. The night games start at 4 pm here in CA – plenty of time to get to the restaurant under normal circumstances, but Yankees-Red Sox can take forever. Luckily, the game was over in relatively short order and I was there on the dot.

What’s more, my mood was cheerful since we won the series opener.

I admit I was down on Hughes in the early innings. He looked strong for the first two and then seemed to unravel after his error. I figured he’d be gone by the fifth, but he settled down and ended up pitching well. I just can’t figure him out.

Mostly, this one was about taking the lead, losing it, and then taking it back and keeping it. All credit goes to the homer happy boys in pinstripes: Swisher was on fire, Jeter hit a milestone, Granderson broke out of his slump and Martin showed he has a pulse. And then there was Jayson Nix’s clutch at bat. What a treasure he’s been for us. As soon as the Yanks demoted Nunez and installed Nix as the utility infielder, the team became more stable and sure-handed. I really believe that. He’s kind of the new Brosius. And how about Casey McGehee? Also a good pickup. And then there’s Soriano, Mr. Shirt Untucked. I miss Mo, but he’s done an admirable job.

Between the game and my dinner (grilled striped bass, sugar snap peas, fried onion rings, hot fudge sundae), a good night all around.

What Is With Hughes Anyway?

August 12, 2012

He’s looked good this season. He’s looked very bad this season. And the “very bad” is usually because he throws meatballs and the other team scores a lot of runs – early. When he’s very bad, he doesn’t give the Yankees a chance to win. It’s that simple.

Yes, the Yanks scored seven runs in today’s finale in Toronto and almost took Hughes off the hook. It wasn’t a horrible loss by any means. It was, however, a horrible game for Phil.

Which makes me nervous. Phil’s been shaky. Nova’s been shaky. Garcia’s been shaky. CC’s been shaky/hurt. Kuroda’s been our most consistent starter and who would have guessed it. If we have a prayer of succeeding in the postseason, we need everybody in the rotation to do his job. (If that includes Derek Lowe, I’ll be thrilled, but for now I remain skeptical.)

Tomorrow night we face the Rangers (gulp). I love Phelps. I’ll be rooting for him to keep the Texas bats in check. Somebody has to.

The Slide Is Getting Ever More Slippery

August 7, 2012

Remember when the Yankees had a huge lead in the division? Me too. It was bound to shrink over the course of the season, but I don’t like the way things are going right now. It’s one thing to get beaten by Verlander. Porcello is another story. He was vulnerable and yet the Yanks couldn’t break through against him. What’s more, Hughes….Well, what’s the point. He makes progress, then he regresses. I can only shrug my shoulders. I think the offense misses A-Rod. No, he wasn’t hitting with power like he used to, but he was getting on base and represented a presence in the lineup that made pitchers uncomfortable. Playing the Tigers feels like the ALDS all over again.

Fortunately, Chavez has a pulse. He’s been so terrific. He even figured into the play that actually made me laugh during that abysmal loss tonight. In case anyone missed it, go on Deadspin. I wouldn’t have laughed if Eppley had been hurt, obviously, but it was funny!

A Janer!

July 27, 2012

The evil home runs struck again. There’s nothing I love more than a grand slam, and the shots by Martin and Ibanez were entertaining, but the little things are what made tonight’s game really fun for me – from Tex’s hustle on what should have been a double play and Ichiro’s hustle on what should have been a double play to Jeter’s walk by Melancon after being down two strikes and Cano’s grab of that liner.

And then there was Hughes, who despite giving up the solo homers as usual, pitched great – fast, efficiently, with velocity. While it’s true that the lineup Boston put out there wasn’t exactly Murderer’s Row, Hughes kept them from getting back into the game. Good job.

Question for those watching on YES: Did they really need to cut away to Bobby Valentine every six seconds for a reaction shot? I mean come on. We all know it’s tense in that dugout. No need to belabor it.

Yankees Reminded Me Of This

July 22, 2012

At my house in California, we often see birds smashing into our living room window. Usually, they drop to the ground and are just stunned, not dead. After a few minutes, they get up and fly away.

In last night’s game, the last two-thirds of which I watched, the Yankees looked like birds that had flown into Oakland Stadium (or the Coliseum or whatever that ridiculously big place is called), gotten stunned and will, after today’s game, fly away.

The players and Girardi have anointed the A’s pitchers as being Cy Young Award winning caliber – pitchers who accomplish their domination by throwing strikes. Gee, aren’t major league hitters supposed to actually hit strikes?

Hughes pitched very well, except for the solo shots by Cespedes and Inge (why they even pitched to Cespedes is beyond me), but we do have a bullpen and in the good old days we would have seen Robertson in the eighth, even in a tie game on the road.

So much for Cano’s streak. So much for nipping the losing streak in the bud. So much for “We’re the hottest team on the planet.” I sure hope we don’t face the A’s in the playoffs. I also hope that Bartolo Colon, who is not a youngster we’ve never faced, will provide a much needed tonic today.

Those Evil Home Runs Are Pretty Great

July 16, 2012

I don’t know where the Yankees would be without the long ball, but I don’t care. Tonight was the perfect example of how much fun they are. Russell Martin’s put the Yanks on the board and Raul Ibanez’s sealed the deal, and it all had a happy ending.

Of course I have to take some credit for the Ibanez slam. The score was tied and I was getting antsy. Luckily, we had driven to the Bridgewater Market here in CT and bought one of their amazing blueberry pies earlier in the day, so I had some rally pie around 9 o’clock.

And yes, there was vanilla ice cream involved.

Anyhow, I finished my slice of pie and sat there with my purple teeth and Ibanez went deep. Mission accomplished.

Big game for Phil Hughes tonight. He pitched well and gave us innings. And Soriano continues to get the job done, although he might need to rest the arm at the rate he’s going.

Speaking of arms, what to make of the Brett Gardner situation. The guy doesn’t get better and keeps going for MRIs and consultations with doctors. What’s to find out at this point? He tries to play and feels pain. End of story. Get the damn surgery already and let Cashman trade for Victorino, Upton or whichever outfielder he’s targeting. I’d be sad if Betances were included in the package though. I guess we’ll know soon enough.

Yankees-Red Sox 2 & 3: A Split

July 7, 2012

If the Yankees had to split the doubleheader, I sort of wish we’d lost the first game and won the second. That way I wouldn’t have to go to bed with visions of Cory Wade giving up runs.

But oh well. The first game was fun. I owe Sweaty Freddy a big apology for doubting him; he pitched great. And what a show by Andruw Jones, who has such an appealing smile and gave us plenty to smile about.

Hughes wasn’t bad in the nightcap but he wasn’t stellar, and he was victimized by some shoddy defense. And the bats fell silent after their initial flurry of activity (except for Jones again). It was as if they decided they’d had enough scoring and just left the ballpark.

You know who I enjoyed watching, aside from Jones? Cano. He made some plays – those throws where he slings the ball to first – that made me shake my head with awe.

You know who I didn’t enjoy watching (aside from Russell Martin who needs to go to the glue factory at this point and the above-mentioned Cory Wade)? Darnell McDonald. Dreadlocks or no dreadlocks, I think that experiment needs to end.