Phil Hughes' first rehab start tonight

[VinnyTheMick]

Abraham says he is a start or 2 away from being ready for the call up at least in regards to his pitch count.

[nykgeneralmanager]

He threw a little over 50 pitches last night, so maybe they would push him to 75 next time out and then 90. Two or three more rehab starts depending on results before he is considered for a spot in the rotation. With Wang now definitely done, Hughes can play a huge role.

[HCYanks]

I'm fine with giving him another shot so long as it's on a short leash. Wherever he pitches the rest of the season, he needs to be putting in a good amount of innings to help his workload get at least partially back on track. If he's still having trouble and getting pulled early, there's no benefit to him being in the majors, no matter how bad we want to put Ponson on a rocket and shoot him into the sun.

[Jstarks3]

better change that sig nykgm.

[TKF]

Hughes just finished up his second rehab outing, going 3.2 innings allowing 1 hit, 1 BB, and striking out 5. He got Ks on both his fastball and curve, both looking and swinging.

What was really interesting was that the radar gun was showing 95+ consistently, even with a 98 and 101 on there. Now we all know Hughes wasn't throwing that hard, but even if the gun is slightly off, he is obviously throwing harder than he was earlier this year or last year after the leg injury. Also, the same gun was showing Pavano at 90-93 and the opposing pitcher at 90, so it clearly wasn't juiced as would be your first reaction.

Now let me say this...I am one of the few people not concerned about his velocity and don't think he has to throw 95 to be successful. However, I would be VERY excited if he was throwing 94 consistently once again as he was in 2006, for one reason: mechanics. When Hughes was throwing 94-95 at times in 2006, he was doing it with perfect mechanics and pinpoint command that got him to the majors at just 20 years old. Naturally, cleaner mechanics leads to more velocity and the best command. Hughes went south when his command went south, and his velocity followed. When a pitcher loses both of those things at the same time, you can more often than not point to mechanics being the issue, which would be reasonable as he began to favor his leg last year (it was in a brace even after months of recovering) and that led to bad habits as he built up his leg strength over the winter. So I'd be thrilled if he is throwing 94/95 because that means his command is likely coming back as well, which is what he will need more than an extra tick or two on the radar gun. Hughes always had a late life fastball, so 93 for him looks like some other guy's 95. I just hope this is all true, because if so, then we may have the #1 prospect in baseball Phil Hughes back on our hands.

wow, great news. If hughes can hit that 94/95 consistently with his curve, he is going to be scary. He and joba can be a great 1-2 punch with wang and kennedy on the back end of the rotation. we would be set up nicely.....

[nykgeneralmanager]

better change that sig nykgm.

I'm on it

[ReggieFULLeffect]

I love how everyone is smashing Ponson when Darrel Rasner has really been the glaring hole in our rotation. It won't happen often, but Ponson shutout the Angels through seven the other day. If anyone is to be replaced, it's Darrel Rasner. I also think that Ian Kennedy will get called up before Hughes does, and he'll replace Rasner. Ponson earned himself atleast two more starts with this weekend's performance.

[cmaff051]

Phil Hughes is in Scranton now and he will finish up his rehab there.

I would assume he would be up in the big leagues by the end of August, if everything goes to plan.

[nykgeneralmanager]

Somebody made a really good post over at lohud and I think it is worth posting here...

Phil Hughes, last year and the 1st game of 2008: 5-3, 4.35.

Then came the 0-4,11.25 stretch when he most probably was pitching with the broken rib. I don’t think he was lousy then broke the rib. I think he broke it, didn’t realize it was broken, and pitched with pain, which he shouldn’t have done.

Whatever. He didn’t forget how to pitch. How about throwing out that stretch and concentrate on a 5-3, 4.35 for what was a 21-year old? That’s not bad. That’s not counting the 1-0, 1.59 postseason he had.

The first start of the year was good. 2 R in 6 IP. Sometime before the 2nd start, or during it, he got hurt. I tend to think something may have happened in the bottom of the 2nd of his 2nd start. At KC April 8th. A 3-1 putout. Was the throw bad? Was there a collision? Did Phil have to stretch awkwardly? I don’t know. But a look at the gamelog shows that almost IMMEDIATELY following that play, there were two walks and a HBP. That’s not Phil Hughes. The next inning he walked two more batters. It was the start of his “slump.” To me, it’s an indication of when that injury may have occurred. He had 13 walks in 22 IP this year after 29 in 72 2/3 last year. In 281 2/3 minor league IP, just 68 walks. ERA 2.04. A minor league WHIP of 0.86.

He is just 22. Concentrate on the 5-3, 4.35 before the injury and hope he stays healthy.

[Jitpal]

Somebody made a really good post over at lohud and I think it is worth posting here...

Phil Hughes, last year and the 1st game of 2008: 5-3, 4.35.

Then came the 0-4,11.25 stretch when he most probably was pitching with the broken rib. I don’t think he was lousy then broke the rib. I think he broke it, didn’t realize it was broken, and pitched with pain, which he shouldn’t have done.

Whatever. He didn’t forget how to pitch. How about throwing out that stretch and concentrate on a 5-3, 4.35 for what was a 21-year old? That’s not bad. That’s not counting the 1-0, 1.59 postseason he had.

The first start of the year was good. 2 R in 6 IP. Sometime before the 2nd start, or during it, he got hurt. I tend to think something may have happened in the bottom of the 2nd of his 2nd start. At KC April 8th. A 3-1 putout. Was the throw bad? Was there a collision? Did Phil have to stretch awkwardly? I don’t know. But a look at the gamelog shows that almost IMMEDIATELY following that play, there were two walks and a HBP. That’s not Phil Hughes. The next inning he walked two more batters. It was the start of his “slump.” To me, it’s an indication of when that injury may have occurred. He had 13 walks in 22 IP this year after 29 in 72 2/3 last year. In 281 2/3 minor league IP, just 68 walks. ERA 2.04. A minor league WHIP of 0.86.

He is just 22. Concentrate on the 5-3, 4.35 before the injury and hope he stays healthy.

I read that earlier today and I was thinking about copying it here. It would make a lot of sense. It would be really weird for Hughes to go from completely dominating in Texas to almost single handedly saving last season to being a huge bust. I strongly believe that he got hurt after his first start because he looked good in Toronto, just to be tough and stay in the rotation. Hughes might be having a string of bad luck with injuries but he is no Carl Pavano. Hughes wanted to power through, he just wasn't able too. -Jitpal

[nykgeneralmanager]

That person broke down the numbers comparing last season to this season, but if you take it a step further and break it down from last year through the Toronto start, compared to the KC start and beyond (assuming the injury took place against KC as is a distinct possibility) then the gap is even wider.

Last year (including playoffs and first start this year), Hughes pitched 84.1 innings, allowing 71 hits, 30 walks, 68 Ks, and 2 hit batters. That is 7.5 H/9, 3.2 BB/9, and 7.25 K/9. Then after an offseason of strengthening his leg back to where he wants it to be, you'd expect even better results, but after his first start of the season (which was 6 innings, 2 runs in 38 degree weather), he did this...

From his 2nd start and beyond, he threw 16 innings, allowing 30 hits, 12 walks, just 9 Ks, and 1 hit batter. This is 16.8 H/9, 6.75 BB/9, and 5 K/9. There is a distinct drop off, and the person who made that post shows what happened IMMEDIATELY after that 3-1 put out. I am really really curious about what happened on that play, because I was unable to watch that game (I remember it was a day game and I was in class at the time). I wonder if like that person says, Hughes had to stretch awkwardly to receive the throw from the first baseman (which was probably Giambi, who certainly does not make accurate throws to a moving target).

Really a great observation by the poster over at lohud. And it just has to make you feel more confident in a healthy Hughes.

[Sashobe]

Does this mean he will pitch Wednesday? I have tickets to the Pawtucket game on Wednesday because I will be on a New England trip. (Also will see the Boston Red Sox) If so, I am totally stoked.

[Jitpal]

People are live blogging his start on Peter Abraham's blog. 21 pitches in the first inning, 1K, 2GOs and 1 hit. They said he was sitting 93-96 and he threw quite a few changes and a nasty slider to get the K. -Jitpal

[Jitpal]

Leadoff 4 pitch walk in the 2nd inning. 3 outs right after. 32 pitches total with 20 strikes. Solid work by Hughes so far. -Jitpal

[nykgeneralmanager]

http://emedia.thetimes-tribune.com/Blog ... fault.aspx

Did you know Phil Hughes (left) has scrapped his slider in favor of a cutter? I did not. But once I found out, tonight's outing made a lot more sense.

Throughout the game, Hughes kept having success with an 87-89 mph pitch that seemed to have more movement than his regular fastball but too much velocity for a slider. He used it to strike out George Kottaras in the first inning, he used it to get a double play in the second, and he threw it off the plate to setup a 93 mph fastball for his final strikeout in the fifth. I thought he might be taking something off his fastball and getting a little extra movement, but no. New pitch. New to me, anyway.

The slider I thought I saw in the third inning was just a cutter with a lot of movement.

My own ignorance of the Phil Hughes arsenal aside, the guy pitched pretty well tonight. His fastball touched 95 four times in the first inning, and regularly sat 93-94 most of the night. He leaned heavily on the fastball and cutter through the first three innings before mixing in his other pitches more often in the fourth and fifth. He threw three straight changeups the second time he faced Chris Carter. The first two missed up. The third got a routine popup.

Pretty interesting, a cutter should help him a lot more than a 2-seamer, which he can also throw. His change obviously still needs improvement, but that is often the case with a rookie. If he can throw two or three different types of fastballs, and his two different types of curves, he can just use his change as a show me pitch here and there as well as his slider at random times. But all of this is moot if his fastball command isn't what it was.

[Jitpal]

http://emedia.thetimes-tribune.com/Blogs/SWBYankees/tabid/552/Default.aspx

Did you know Phil Hughes (left) has scrapped his slider in favor of a cutter? I did not. But once I found out, tonight's outing made a lot more sense.

Throughout the game, Hughes kept having success with an 87-89 mph pitch that seemed to have more movement than his regular fastball but too much velocity for a slider. He used it to strike out George Kottaras in the first inning, he used it to get a double play in the second, and he threw it off the plate to setup a 93 mph fastball for his final strikeout in the fifth. I thought he might be taking something off his fastball and getting a little extra movement, but no. New pitch. New to me, anyway.

The slider I thought I saw in the third inning was just a cutter with a lot of movement.

My own ignorance of the Phil Hughes arsenal aside, the guy pitched pretty well tonight. His fastball touched 95 four times in the first inning, and regularly sat 93-94 most of the night. He leaned heavily on the fastball and cutter through the first three innings before mixing in his other pitches more often in the fourth and fifth. He threw three straight changeups the second time he faced Chris Carter. The first two missed up. The third got a routine popup.

Pretty interesting, a cutter should help him a lot more than a 2-seamer, which he can also throw. His change obviously still needs improvement, but that is often the case with a rookie. If he can throw two or three different types of fastballs, and his two different types of curves, he can just use his change as a show me pitch here and there as well as his slider at random times. But all of this is moot if his fastball command isn't what itwas.

Hughes is building quite the repertoire. 4SFB, 2SFB, Cutter, Slider, Changeup, and Curve. That should shut the 2 pitch pitcher guys up. I'm not too worried about his command. I was following it on the MiLB gameday and based on what it was showing there, he wasn't getting some borderline calls. Plus, it was not optimal pitching conditions in Scranton, Chad Jennings said the tarp came off just before the start because it had just rained. Even when they tarp the major league fields it really isn't ideal after, I wonder how the minor league fields would be. -Jitpal

Edit: Also Hughes has the best teacher in the world for the cutter. No one better than Mo. -Jitpal

[Sashobe]

Does this mean he will pitch Wednesday? I have tickets to the Pawtucket game on Wednesday because I will be on a New England trip. (Also will see the Boston Red Sox) If so, I am totally stoked.

Is Wednesday his next scheduled start?

[nykgeneralmanager]

He is pitching Tuesday. Even though Scranton has an off day on Monday, the Yankees want him pitching every 5 days, so somebody in the Scranton rotation will be skipped for Hughes to pitch Tuesday.

[Sashobe]

That is so bull. Pisses me off.

[Jitpal]

Two innings, two hits. 31 pitches and 26 of those strikes.

He better be pitching on Saturday in Baltimore. A friend of mine has some great tickets for that game so I will be driving down for that one. -Jitpal