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New York Yankees: Garcia and Hughes nightmare continues

Posted by on 29 April 2012, 2:29 am

Following his last disastrous start, New York Yankees pitcher Freddy Garciahad another horrendous outing; as he gave up six earned runs

GARCIA - HUGHES

in less than two innings to the Detroit Tigers, who eventually won the second game of this three game set, 7-5.

Once again skipper Joe Girardi had to go to the bullpen in the second inning, just like he had to do three days earlier down in Texas when Phil Hughes couldn’t get the job done vs. the Rangers.

Following the Tigers win, the media asked Girardi, for the second time this week, what he was going to do about tonight’s starter, and he said, “I like to sleep on things before I really do a lot of stuff.”   

This is where I got confused because what exactly does Girardi need to sleep on?

All I keep wondering is what was Girardi thinking prior to this series?

When you think about it, no one is supposed to beat Justin Verlander as losing is to him is almost expected. So how do you feel good about starting Garcia in the second game with Verlander starting the first in a three game set?

Logically you would think the Yankees skipper is deciding how to replace both starters and dreaming of…whom to bring up from the minors? Giving David Phelps a go? And when exactly will Andy Pettitte be ready?

Enough time has been spent on Garcia and Hughes because reality is both need to go now, and there is no need to sleep on it unless you want nightmares.

Facts are Garcia is totally useless; and Hughes is as close to useless you can be. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Garcia and Hughes nightmare continues’ »

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New York Yankees: 2 possibilities to fix Hughes issue

Posted by on 28 April 2012, 3:37 am

Phil Hughes - crackling picture - 2010

With the news that prize acquisition Michael Pineda might never see the lights in Yankee Stadium from the pitcher’s mound, at least not this season, does leave the team in a bit of a pickle.

Less than a week ago, Pineda was still going to play a big part in the 2012 season.

Personally knowing that Pineda was coming, made enduring each Phil Hughes start somewhat tolerable, and I am sure many Yankee fans felt the same way.

Now that Pineda is out, fans will hang their hopes on veteran Andy Pettitte’s return but knowing the Yankees he will replace Freddy Garcia.

Like Hughes, Garcia has been terrible too but the Yankees seem willing to excuse Hughes because he won 18-games in 2010. I guess the fact that Garcia won 12 games and the team won 15 out of his 25 starts in 2011 doesn’t factor in at all; or that Garcia has experience.

Regardless, Hughes is a problem and will remain one until the Yankees wake-up and smell the coffee.

Hopefully skipper Joe Girardi and GM Brian Cashman will start believing that 2010 was Hughes’ exception before it is too late.

Now, the Yankees have other options but they will have to go out of their comfort zone to actually carry them out. Hey, you never know what can happen until you try right?

Here are two options that the Yankees already have, but this would entail sending Hughes to Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre because he can convince the Yankees from down there of why he should still be in the rotation. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: 2 possibilities to fix Hughes issue’ »

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New York Yankees: You Hughes you lose

Posted by on 26 April 2012, 4:19 am

Who has had enough of Phil Hughes?

Photograph of Phil Hughes taken on April 29, 2...

Photograph of Phil Hughes taken on April 29, 2008 at Yankee Stadium. 04:50, 1 May 2008 . . Mandalatv . . 1,272×954 (691 KB) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Hughes proved once again, vs. Rangers, to be a liability on the mound. But this doesn’t seem to faze skipper Joe Girardi as he told Mark Feinstein of the NY Daily News this after the game:Well, the New York Yankees certainly have not, which is a real concern.

 “We believe he can do it and I know he believes he can do it. But right now, sometimes the ball’s running back a little, he’s leaving the curveball up, the cutter’s sometimes not getting to where he wants to so it is frustrating. But you’ve got to keep working at it.”

And if you were wondering whether Hughes’ rotation spot was in jeopardy, Girardi clearly stated:

“Our plans are to send (Hughes) out there again. He’s got to keep working at it. We’ve got to try to find a way to get it right.”

Hughes is one lucky guy, as most teams with other options would definitely use them because it is not like things could get any worse.

Even in his earlier start against the Twins, Hughes was mediocre at best. He did manage to pitch five whole innings, and get a W courtesy of the Yankee bats scoring seven runs.

In case you forgot, here is what Hughes has done in his four starts this season (stats are courtesy of mlb.com):

All stats courtesy of mlb.com.

Does anybody know how many more games Hughes has to screw up for the Yankees to take him out of the starting rotation? Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: You Hughes you lose’ »

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New York Yankees fate hangs on Phil Hughes tonight

Posted by on 25 April 2012, 3:53 am
Photograph of Phil Hughes taken on April 29, 2...

Photograph of Phil Hughes taken on April 29, 2008 at Yankee Stadium. 04:50, 1 May 2008 . . Mandalatv . . 1,272×954 (691 KB) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Hiroki Kuroda had a solid night on the mound, as he limited the Rangers to just two earned runs but unfortunately the Yankees bats got shut out by his opponent Yu Darvish.

I called this outcome yesterday, as the Yankees line-up has a history of struggling when facing a pitcher for the first time but to his credit, Darvish played a part in this too.

Still, watching the Yankees strand 16 runners for nine innings was beyond irritating. It was around the third inning that I knew the Yankees odds of scoring a run were slim-to-none; and that nightmare came true as they lost 2-0.

So now the series is split, and the Yankees will hand the ball to Phil Hughes in the rubber match tonight, which is far from comforting.

For Hughes tonight might as well be Christmas Day, as this start gives him another opportunity to get a huge win against a top team, and come through when the Yankees need him.

Hughes has an impeccable track record in Rangers Ballpark, so everything is working in his favor. (Stats are courtesy of baseball-reference.com)

Phil Hughes career stats vs. Rangers at Rangers Ballpark.

As of now, I am 99% convinced that the 18-game winning, All-Star from 2010 was really just a mediocre pitcher who got lucky and a lot of run support.

Not very often do people get so many chances to prove their critics wrong, and Hughes has this one being served on a silver platter for him to do just that.

And don’t you think it is about time Hughes shows the Yankees that he was worth hanging on to? Continue reading ‘New York Yankees fate hangs on Phil Hughes tonight’ »

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New York Yankees: Saving Phil Hughes

Posted by on 20 April 2012, 5:57 am

making a Hughes funny....

The New York Yankees did what they needed to do, win the game and avoid losing a home series to the Minnesota Twins for the first time since 2001.

Phil Hughes was not totally useless on the mound but he was far from good. You wouldn’t know it listening to the YES commentating, as it was honestly painful.

The way Jack Curry, and even Al Leiter were talking about Hughes, you’d think he was the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Everyone knows that Eduardo Nunez made an error in the first, which kept the inning going longer but that is a circumstance not just in baseball but also in life; and pitchers should be ready for it.

Hughes really cannot complain, as he has caused the Yankees enough problems the last two seasons that it is kind of the pot calling the kettle black.

In the end Hughes got the win courtesy of the Yankees bats scoring seven runs. Hughes should buy Curtis Granderson dinner, as the Grandy-man went 5-for-5 with three homers and four RBIs.

This is the same way Hughes won the majority of his games in 2010, but putting a ton of pressure on the hitters to score and continually deplete the bullpen. He did pitch five whole innings in this outing, which makes 13 total innings pitched in three starts. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Saving Phil Hughes’ »

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Can Yankees Phil Hughes not tank tonight?

Posted by on 19 April 2012, 3:43 pm

LAST GAME vs. TWINS:

Phil Hughes during pregame warmups prior to a ...

Phil Hughes during pregame warmups prior to a game between the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles on August 29, 2011 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The New York Yankees are down 1-2 games to the Minnesota Twins, so at best they can split the four-game set but that entails winning the game tonight.

Winning is something the Yankees know how to do, and especially against the Twins, but other than CC Sabathia the starting pitching has made that almost impossible. The lack of innings pitched has depleted the bullpen and right before the team heads to Fenway Park and Rangers Ballpark.

The Yankees are sending Phil Hughes to the mound, which is basically as good as forfeiting the series, and handing the Twins their first series win in the Bronx since 2001.

What is mind-boggling is that the Yankee brass, and shockingly a majority of fans continue to support Hughes because they have fantasies that he can win 18-games like he did in 2010.

Yes his velocity is back in the low 90’s, but that is about it.

Hughes has pitched a total of eight innings over two starts, allowing three homers, eight earned runs, 11 strikeouts, four walks and posts an ERA of 9.00. Opposing batters have a .351 average vs. Hughes, so basically with the way the Twins M&M boys are hitting this could be a blood bath.

In his first two starts, Hughes is throwing 64% of his pitches for strikes, as he tends to start each inning with a strikeout. The first batter he faces averages a .182 against him, but after that Hughes gets shelled, so this accounts for eight of his 11 strikeouts.

And the reason hitters succeed vs. Hughes is because he cannot to finish them because off, as they figure him out very quickly. This became clear when I looked at pitch type, number of times thrown and how many resulted in a strike.

2012 - Hughes - types of pitches thrown/pitches thrown for strikes

Out of all the strikes he threw, only six Rays and nine Angels actually swung at the pitch, which indicates to me they watching his location on purpose because 15 total swings and misses is a low number.

Well that is what happens when a pitcher relies on one-strikeout pitch; for Hughes it is obviously his four-seam fastball, and hitters know it is coming inside. Continue reading ‘Can Yankees Phil Hughes not tank tonight?’ »

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New York Yankees: Things are about to get harder.

Posted by on 17 April 2012, 3:26 am

Pavano on the hill at Yankee Stadium - 04.16.2012

After a lovely weekend of taking two of three from the Angels, the Yankees looked good minus Phil Hughes.

Last night the Yankees opened a four game set in the Bronx against the Minnesota Twins with a 3-7 loss.

It didn’t help that Carl Pavano (aka. American Idle) was on the mound for the Twins, as considering his history in New York losing to him didn’t sit well with Yankees fans; of course not much does these days.

Minnesota is in town for three more games, and the Yankees have manhandled the Twins over the last decade, winning 33 of their last 44 meetings in the Bronx; so winning the next three games should be mandatory.

Reality is the Yankees cannot really afford to lose any of them, as things are about to get a lot harder starting this Friday when they head to Fenway Park.

Their schedule is about to get kicked into high gear and the Yankees could very well wind up in a hole come mid-May if they don’t take advantage when possible. Figuring out which way this team will go is the million, I meant billion-dollar question.

Attempting to come up with a logical formula of where any team will be a month from is fundamentally impossible and might even send Bill James brain into a tailspin.

Still, like every team, the Yankees have issues that need to be ironed-out sooner than later but time is not on their side…look for yourself. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Things are about to get harder.’ »

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