2012 Phil Hughes Performance Thread

[Yankee Fan in Boston]

If he keeps giving up HR at the rate he's doing this year, it will be pretty much impossible for him to be an effective pitcher for a whole season.

The home/road split is a killer for him - -13 at home, 6 on the road, with only 1 IP difference between the two. Admittedly small sample sizes, but it's striking that he's given up more HRs in YS than walks

[NelsonMuntz]

The home/road split is a killer for him - -13 at home, 6 on the road, with only 1 IP difference between the two. Admittedly small sample sizes, but it's striking that he's given up more HRs in YS than walks

That's been true for most of Phil's career thus far (50/22 H/R HR split) and why some have theorized that he'll always struggle to some degree as a Yankee (given the number of games he has to pitch at YS). With that said, I'm willing to give him a bit of a pass on yesterday's game given the conditions but still, it's hard to completely overlook the career splits.

[Art Vanderlay]

That's been true for most of Phil's career thus far (50/22 H/R HR split) and why some have theorized that he'll always struggle to some degree as a Yankee (given the number of games he has to pitch at YS). With that said, I'm willing to give him a bit of a pass on yesterday's game given the conditions but still, it's hard to completely overlook the career splits.

Hughes has shown enough to remain in the rotation for now. It would be very foolish to give up on him at this point, but clearly Hughes needs to refine his arsenal. His secondery pitches still need some work and he needs to create a little movement on his fastball. Those are things that can be improved with experience.

[snapple]

I think he'll be able to get it together. Considering how crappy he was at the beginning of the season, then be able to go on a good stretch like he has been.

[mbn007]

Tonight will be a good test for Phil. He needs a bounce-back game, and he probably will be facing a lineup of 9 lefty hitters (including the switch-hitters). Not much pop in the Indians lineup, but there are a few guys who can handle a bat.

[jcarey]

Nasty, nasty curve to Kipnis in the 6th.

[teknetic]

Get those homers under control homie.

[Yankeesfan811]

Masterful tonight. Well done Phil.

[dabomb2045]

3.63 era, 1.22 whip his last 10 starts. The only two bad ones during that stretch was last week vs Atlanta, and in Anaheim last month.

[unfamous loser]

second HR-less game of the year.

let's hope the follow-up game to this one doesn't go like the follow-up to the first one did.

[bomber999]

Well done, Phil. Our rotation is now an asset, and if Hughes pitches effectively and consistently, we could be in for a special season.

[NzYme]

What the hell did he do to his curveball? Instead of a 12-6 it's on more of angle (1 to 7 or 2 to 8)?

[AnA-bombforA-rod]

Hell of a performance. His curveball was awesome, and I thought it was interesting how he used the two different curves. The 12-6 get-me-over, and then the other curve which was a put away curve.

[False1]

Gotta love a Hughes start at YS with no HR. Niiiiice.

[dabomb2045]

Phil rediscovering the curveball he had in the minors, and when he was first called up is the biggest reason why he is effective right now. Yes the velocity being back up helps as does more consistency with location...but the improved curve by far is the key.

The curve he has now is a putaway pitch with a sharp break. Hitters respect it...and he gets swing and misses on it. The loopy curve, which fooled nobody, never got any swings and misses, and hitters just lined up and hit hard somewhere...is mostly gone. He uses it as a "get me over" pitch once in a while but thats it. The sharp curve...which he showed throughout the minors and in the near no-hitter vs Texas in 2007 has returned these last 10 starts or so. Where it went and why it dissapeared for several years, I have no idea. I'm glad its back though. It gives him a legit 2nd pitch, a legit offspeed pitch and a legit non-fastball putaway pitch that hitters have to respect. You no longer see Hughes get 2 strikes on people, and fail to put them away due to not having anything else to go to, thus driving us his PC making him at best a 5 inning pitcher. He puts people away quicker now and lengthens his PC. It makes him a viable starter again.

[HerbieLee20]

And also ...

He's grayer now, but pitching with a youthful ease, energized from the time off. Before Friday's game, Pettitte said that since his return, he worked with Hughes to have the right-hander hide the ball better as it comes out of his hand, so that he doesn't tip pitches.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?...s_mlb&c_id=mlb

[grizy]

Hughes' curveball is actually loopier than it was last year, by a fairly large margin.

This is the curve that got him rated as No. 1 pitching prospect in MLB. He struggled with it because hitters IDed it early.

They still ID it pretty well (you can tell this by low swing% by hitters vs. his curve) but with him hiding the ball a little better, finding the strike zone more often and having a higher fastball velocity , it hasn't mattered much recently.

[nnysiny]

And also ...




http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?...s_mlb&c_id=mlb

hopefully this is true. i always thought that he was tipping his curve

[Mr.Muhozi]

Ground ball and pop outs are encouraging but the best part of the start were some of the swing and misses he was getting on his curve. He made Santana look foolish and lose his temper.

[35Knucklecurve]

And also ...




http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?...s_mlb&c_id=mlb

It seems that since Pettitte arrived, the starters have made a nice turnaround. Hughes and Pettitte worked out together before he retired and I'm sure that's part of what's been missing for Phil. The entire rotation should be following him around with notebooks in hand.

[snapple]

Saying Hughes was washed up, to date, has been my favorite foot to put in my mouth.

[Yankee Fan in Boston]

And also ...




http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?...s_mlb&c_id=mlb

I want Andy around this team as much as possible, even after he retires for good.

[teknetic]

I totally expected him to get tattooed today.

[Yankees13]

He's still susceptible to the occasional clunker but he's been great lately.

[Yankees1962]

He's still susceptible to the occasional clunker but he's been great lately.

Well, that's most pitchers if not everyone of them. Nobody is saying he's an elite pitcher, but he's an effective pitcher that can be a cog in the middle of most rotations.