2012 Phil Hughes Performance Thread

[ajra21]

They could. I'm only a poster on a Yankee board, WTF do I know?

[Mr.Muhozi]

They could. I'm only a poster on a Yankee board, WTF do I know?

Welsh.

[ajra21]

Welsh.

Da iawn!

[Mr.Muhozi]

Your keyboard's broken again.

[bomber999]

One of the most frustrating pitchers I have ever seen. I fear he will never be consistent enough to be anything but a #4 starter.

[R.V.47]

One of the most frustrating pitchers I have ever seen. I fear he will never be consistent enough to be anything but a #4 starter.

That he pretty consistently works ahead of hitters and has good command of the strike zone but is then unable to put hitters away a lot of the time is just something he needs to fix to ever really fulfill his potential, its kind of the last piece of the puzzle but an extremely important one.

[teknetic]

Yea, that and the whole keeping the ball in the park thing. Maybe he should go back to his slider from high school. Yanks will probably scrap it, but whatevs.

[#7comet]

Trade fodder. Wasted WAY too long on this guy who will never be a consistent quality starter.

[BRNXBMRS]

Needs an out pitch, very frustraighting. 100+ pitches in 4 1/3 is ridiculous.

[ieddyi]

That he pretty consistently works ahead of hitters and has good command of the strike zone but is then unable to put hitters away a lot of the time is just something he needs to fix to ever really fulfill his potential, its kind of the last piece of the puzzle but an extremely important one.

But, he's shown an inability to develop new pitches. His recent good outings were based on his using the FB and curve w/ an occasional CU. He did away w/ the cutter. At this point is it realistic to expect more growth as a pitcher? His FB is a great pitch, his curves less so. It leaves him w/ very small margin for error- off a bit and we get results like last night. He's got the curve that works in on lefties, but nothing similar for righties. Righties have a .359 OBP and OPS of .979 and slugging of .620 this year - scary #'s

A 2 seamer would be a great weapon for him, but............

[bomber999]

But, he's shown an inability to develop new pitches. His recent good outings were based on his using the FB and curve w/ an occasional CU. He did away w/ the cutter. At this point is it realistic to expect more growth as a pitcher? His FB is a great pitch, his curves less so. It leaves him w/ very small margin for error- off a bit and we get results like last night. He's got the curve that works in on lefties, but nothing similar for righties. Righties have a .359 OBP and OPS of .979 and slugging of .620 this year - scary #'s

A 2 seamer would be a great weapon for him, but............

The problem with his fastball is that it is a straight, flat pitch essentially without movement. When his curve isn't working, batters can sit on the fastball and do serious damage. Were he pitching in short bursts, he probably could dial the fastball up another couple of MPH.

He is either going to spend his career as a mediocre back-end starter or potentially a high-end late reliever.

[ieddyi]

The problem with his fastball is that it is a straight, flat pitch essentially without movement. When his curve isn't working, batters can sit on the fastball and do serious damage. Were he pitching in short bursts, he probably could dial the fastball up another couple of MPH.

He is either going to spend his career as a mediocre back-end starter or potentially a high-end late reliever.

I was surprised just now going to Fangraphs. His FB had always been a highly rated pitch

In 2009/2010 it was rated 11.4/14.6

2011- 5.3

2012- 0.4

It was always straight, but effective because of his great location and " late life "

W/ that kind of effectiveness of his FB and the weakness of his other pitches- cutter - -6.7 ( negative 6.7 ) and curve -1.3 it's amazing he's done as well as he has this year in spots- doesn't bode well for him long term though

[bomber999]

I was surprised just now going to Fangraphs. His FB had always been a highly rated pitch

In 2009/2010 it was rated 11.4/14.6

2011- 5.3

2012- 0.4

It was always straight, but effective because of his great location and " late life "

W/ that kind of effectiveness of his FB and the weakness of his other pitches- cutter - -6.7 ( negative 6.7 ) and curve -1.3 it's amazing he's done as well as he has this year in spots- doesn't bode well for him long term though

Not long-term as a starter. But if he is able to dial the FB up a few more MPH and have decent command of the curve, he could potentially be an excellent late-inning reliever. I have always felt he had the repertoire of a reliever and that this was the role in which he would ultimately be most effective.

[ajra21]

He's fine where he is. Leave him in the rotation.

[LIYanks]

He's fine where he is. Leave him in the rotation.

Absolutely. It's not like we have better options.

[ajra21]

Absolutely. It's not like we have better options.

Given that he's our third or fourth starter, Phil is doing just fine.

[NelsonMuntz]

Meat.

[2JAY]

What a pitiful start by Hughes today that is made even worse when you consider just how compromised the Jays line-up was to begin with. Phil was wild everywhere except down the middle of the plate.

[yarosh25]

He misses his location consistently with his fastball. Ump didn't help today, but missed location is on him. His change doesn't have downward break needed to get people off your fastball. Like I said before, he is a good # 5 as long as he doesn't start in the playoffs. When is he a free agent?

[teknetic]

Man, RHH just tee off on this guy. If it was Girardi managing against him, he'd load up w/ lefties.

[89FoxBody]

Terrible.

[TheScooter]

Hughes is arbitration eligible this winter. He can become a free agent after 2013. Phil is one of the numerous decisions awaiting Cashman. They want to slash the payroll to under $189M by 2014.

[Young Steinbrenner]

the most frustrating thing about Hughes is he gets ahead 0-2, 1-2 and then...... nothing

no out pitch

before u know it he's at 100 pitches

It's between him & Nova for the 4th playoff spot and both of them make me nervous

I doubt it but here's a hypothetical.....is there a chance Phelps pitches well enough in his starts that they add him to the rotation???

[bomber999]

Hughes is arbitration eligible this winter. He can become a free agent after 2013. Phil is one of the numerous decisions awaiting Cashman. They want to slash the payroll to under $189M by 2014.

He's a back-end starter in the AL East, nothing more. He might be an attractive trade chip in the offseason since he still is cost-controlled next year. If the Yankees could package him for a young 3B or OF, eg Headley, I certainly hope they explore this possibility. He would have greater value in a larger park like Petco instead of the HR-friendly parks of the AL East. If we bring back Kuroda and get another season out of Andy, both of which are realistic possibilities, and Pineda is able to return to at least the back end of the rotation, we should be fine rotation-wise in 2013.

[DJ27]

He's a back-end starter in the AL East, nothing more. He might be an attractive trade chip in the offseason since he still is cost-controlled next year. If the Yankees could package him for a young 3B or OF, eg Headley, I certainly hope they explore this possibility. He would have greater value in a larger park like Petco instead of the HR-friendly parks of the AL East. If we bring back Kuroda and get another season out of Andy, both of which are realistic possibilities, and Pineda is able to return to at least the back end of the rotation, we should be fine rotation-wise in 2013.

Agreed....... and Pineda's return is a major key for the future, especially the $189 million payroll goal. A C.C., Kiroda, Pettitte, Pineda, 5th starter would be pretty good. Nova is another one who could be dealt being he is cost controlled also.