Hughes Success Stirring Images of Mariano
By Mike Silva ~ July 24th, 2009. Filed under: Mike Silva.
Phil Hughes disposed of the Oakland Athletics in 28 pitches last night. It’s about the same amount that Joba Chamberlain needs to get through about two thirds of an inning. All year we have talked about Joba to the bullpen, but many, including me, never thought much of Phil Hughes. Not only has Hughes provided a solid bridge to Mariano, he has dominated, leaving many to wonder if this new role is one that should be permanent.
Mark Feinsand has a great quote at the NY Daily News Blogging the Bombers. When Hughes was asked, after picking up his first career save, how different it is pitching in the ninth he responded by saying that is was “no different” than the other innings he’s pitched. That is a huge mental hurdle for a reliever and one that can’t be minimized. As a reliever he now has a 0.74 ERA, walked 5, and struck out 28 in 24 innings. Yankees games have gone back to being 7 inning contests. We all talk about how well the Yankees have played since A-Rod returned, but it’s been bridge to Rivera, led by Phil Hughes, that has been the biggest reason for the Yankees surge into first place.
The talk has been how the big difference between the Yankees and Boston was the bullpen. While Boston was able to trot out young, hard throwing arms and solid veterans, leading up to Papelbon, while the Yankees collection of Veras, Ramirez, Bruney, and at the time, Phil Coke was floundering. Joe Girardi couldn’t even establish roles because he was performing chemistry experiments with the bullpen daily. Now he has a lockdown Phil Hughes, Coke performing at a high level against lefties, and Rivera being Rivera. This leaves the other members of the bullpen to do just fine in early inning situations.
There had been talk of the Yankees going after Heath Bell, Rafeal Betancourt, and Huston Street. That deals were all expensive, and right now, seem unnecessary. Do the Yankees have a bullpen answer? It seems so. They may even have just stumbled onto their successor to the greatest closer of all time. Isn’t it finally nice to be able to talk about a young pitcher without hearing excuses about their development, innings limitations, and about what they could be? Phil Hughes is showing you how good he is out of the bullpen and how this just might be where he belongs.
July 24th, 2009 at 10:08 am
Your logic doesn’t make any sense.
All season long you’ve repeated how expensive it would be to find a setup man on the trade market and the problem should be taken care of in house with Hughes or Joba remaining in the pen.
The only problem with that is now they need a starter because the rotation is thin without Wang and that cost will be far more than it would have been to get a decent setup man.
Who do you think would fetch the most on the trade market – Huston Street, Heath Bell, or Jarrod Washburn and Cliff Lee?
It’s not even close. A decent starter will cost the Yanks a lot more than a decent setup guy.
Starters are more valuable than relievers. Period. And now they need at least one starter because the team has decided to keep two of them in the bullpen (Aceves and Hughes).
All this crap about Hughes being the “heir to Mo” is moronic. Find a closer when Mo retires. Until then, Hughes goes back to the rotation next season where he should be because that’s where they are going to need him most.
Cashman needs to land a reliable setup guy during the offseason so we don’t have to continue this stupid Joba/Hughes to the pen argument another year.
July 24th, 2009 at 10:42 am
Phi Hughes has become and is the reliable setup guy. Why is that moronic? He’s been lights out and a huge reason why the yankees are in first. Hughes fastball tops out at 97MPH in the pen! He is challenging hitters and he does not even have to use his other pitches. He can be our Pappelbon. I can definitely see this guy being the heir apparent if Mo ever retires. However, I agree Hughes should be given a 2nd shot at the rotation next year. If he fails at it again then we all know what we can have for the bullpen.
July 24th, 2009 at 11:01 am
It’s moronic to talk about “the heir to Mariano” when Mariano is still the best closer in baseball and mowing down hitters left and right like he always has.
Mo may very well decide to keep going past 2010. Why do we need to talk about replacing him when we have no idea when he’s going to retire?
That’s why it’s moronic. Hughes is now being compared to Mo and last year it was Joba being compared to Goose.
Maybe next year Zack McAllister will be compared to John Wetteland or Jeremy Bleich will be compared to Sparky Lyle.
No team preps a would be closer with one of the best arms in the organization when he’s going to be needed in the rotation. That’s asinine.
July 24th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
I can’t believe people have seen yet another good starter be an elite reliever and think that relievers are harder to find or are more valuable.
Yes, people are moronic.