Yankees dispatch Hughes, three others to minors

[JetNation 5,214]

Right-hander Phil Hughes was one of four players optioned to the minors by the New York Yankees on Saturday.

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[Borgoguy 157,276]

Not a good sign for Hughes' potential and future as a Yankee. What the hell happened to this guy? I thought he was a lock prospect.

[Arsis 15,918]

Not a good sign for Hughes' potential and future as a Yankee. What the hell happened to this guy? I thought he was a lock prospect.

Wasn't he doing well this preseason? What happened?

[Borgoguy 157,276]

Wasn't he doing well this preseason? What happened?

That's what I thought. Your guess is as good as mine. I want so bad for him to pitch well.

[Morrissey 12,647]

There's no room in the rotation, that's what happen.

He had a really good spring, and he'll be the first called up when there is an injury.

[Borgoguy 157,276]

There's not room in the rotation, that's what happen.

He had a really good spring, and he'll be the first called up when there is an injury.

Thanks, Tyler. So your information is that he is pitching well? Please say yes.

[Morrissey 12,647]

Thanks, Tyler. So your information is that he is pitching well? Please say yes.

Yeah, he's pitched as well as anyone would hope. In 15 innings of work this spring he has a 3.00 ERA, given up only eight hits, and walked 7 and struck out 10. He gives the Yankees really nice depth in the rotation. If someone goes down, and we know someone will, Hughes will be a nice guy to slot in. He's 22 years old, building up some confidence in AAA will do him some good.

[Arsis 15,918]

Thanks, Tyler. So your information is that he is pitching well? Please say yes.

He had a bunch of good outings from what I read in the paper. Hopefully he can be our #5 next year when Andy goes and ****s himself.

Edited March 21, 2009 by Arsis

[Borgoguy 157,276]

Yeah, he's pitched as well as anyone would hope. In 15 innings of work this spring he has a 3.00 ERA, given up only eight hits, and walked 7 and struck out 10. He gives the Yankees really nice depth in the rotation. If someone goes down, and we know someone will, Hughes will be a nice guy to slot in. He's 22 years old, building up some confidence in AAA will do him some good.

Good post. Thanks for the insight and calming my nerves.

[Guido Monzino 10,967]

No need to panic. The kid needs consistent innings. He will be a significant contributor before season's end.

[ECURB 165,024]

The cant use him in the bullpen?

[AFJF 40,907]

Girardi was quoted a couple of months ago as saying he thought Hughes would be best served spending a full season in AAA.

The Yankee FO still views him as a front of the rotation anchor with no intentions of bouncing him back and forth between the rotation and the 'pen. They want him to start every fifth day.

Edited March 21, 2009 by AirForceJetFan

[Arsis 15,918]

The cant use him in the bullpen?

They want him as a starter for years to come. They don't want to **** that up by putting him in the pen.

[faba 118,227]

I guess madmike is back tracking on his statement that he will be a superstar right now=probably not.

[ECURB 165,024]

They want him as a starter for years to come. They don't want to **** that up by putting him in the pen.

Why not? He could come in for the starters when they get pulled 4-5 inning in and pitch 3 innings at a time without the pressure of being the starter...

I would think that is a better way to ease him in than letting him face inferior talent...

[Arsis 15,918]

Why not? He could come in for the starters when they get pulled 4-5 inning in and pitch 3 innings at a time without the pressure of being the starter...

I would think that is a better way to ease him in than letting him face inferior talent...

What about that stupid thing where the person is not allowed to pitch a greater number of innings from year to year. He would not get enough innings for them to use him the whole year next year. Going by their stupid logic.

[Morrissey 12,647]

Why not? He could come in for the starters when they get pulled 4-5 inning in and pitch 3 innings at a time without the pressure of being the starter...

I would think that is a better way to ease him in than letting him face inferior talent...

Hughes needs innings. His injuries the last 2 seasons have set him back, putting him in the bullpen, regardless of what role, is useless. He needs to be out there every 5th day logging innings. Besides, with our rotation, he could go 2 weeks without being needed. Also, the long man is a job for someone who frankly isn't very good. Dan Giese will do that job for us, when needed.

Edited March 21, 2009 by Tyler Durden

[ECURB 165,024]

Hughes needs innings. His injuries the last 2 seasons have set him back, putting him in the bullpen, regardless of what role, is useless. He needs to be out there every 5th day logging innings. Besides, with our rotation, he could go 2 weeks without being needed. Also, the long man is a job for someone who frankly isn't very good. Dan Giese will do that job for us, when needed.

Why not lighten the load on the starters... if you have hughes to come in... you can keep the pitch counts down...

I do not see the plus side of him pitching against no talent... if its "innings" he needs... keep him in the pen and have him toss pitches during the week more often...

Nothing can replace facing real MLB bats... he will get destroyed when he comes up...

[Morrissey 12,647]

Why not lighten the load on the starters... if you have hughes to come in... you can keep the pitch counts down...

I do not see the plus side of him pitching against no talent... if its "innings" he needs... keep him in the pen and have him toss pitches during the week more often...

Nothing can replace facing real MLB bats... he will get destroyed when he comes up...

Because he's not going to log enough innings being a bullpen arm. Hughes needs to be stretched out. Eventually we are going to have to let him develop, and he can't do that by coming in every other week in mop of duty. You can't one day have him throw 3-4 innings (40-60 pitches) and then the next time thrown 1 inning (10-20 pitches), and then the next time throwing 3-4 innings (40-60 pitches) again. That's just not how it works. If he's going to be a starter he needs to be stretched out and working on all his pitches. If he's coming out the bullpen, he's not going to use all of his pitches. Hughes isn't needed right now, the BEST thing for him is to go down to AAA and log innings on a consistent basis, and build up some confidence while he's at it. He an also continue to work on his change up. He's still 22 years old, it's not like we're letting him rot down in AAA.

[Blackout 63,285]

this isn't a shock, he's only 22 or something

[Morrissey 12,647]

[quote name='Blackout

[Jbro22 95,172]

We knew going into Spring Training that he wouldn't make the final roster, no shock.

The Yankees could put together a pretty dominant minor league rotation.

Hughes

Kennedy

Coke

Iqawa

Who'd be the fifth?

[Morrissey 12,647]

We knew going into Spring Training that he wouldn't make the final roster, no shock.

The Yankees could put together a pretty dominant minor league rotation.

Hughes

Kennedy

Coke

Iqawa

Who'd be the fifth?

Coke is actually being used as a reliever, Yankees changed there mind on him just before spring training starter, so he's going to make the club out of spring training. He's going to be a very vaulable arm in the pen.

Scrantons rotation will probably be...

Phil Hughes

Ian Kennedy

Alfredo Aceves

Kei Igawa

Alan Horne

Edited March 21, 2009 by Tyler Durden

[Maxman 531,087]

Girardi was quoted a couple of months ago as saying he thought Hughes would be best served spending a full season in AAA.

The Yankee FO still views him as a front of the rotation anchor with no intentions of bouncing him back and forth between the rotation and the 'pen. They want him to start every fifth day.

I think they got together (Girardi and Cashman) and changed the way they think about these kids. Nothing will be handed based on potential any longer.

And that is the way it should be. I am a HUGE supporter of Hughes. I think his upside is tremendous. Definitely like them making him work for it. And there will be plenty of opportunities for him to help out this year. Injuries happen.

[Maxman 531,087]

Coke is actually being used as a reliever, Yankees changed there mind on him just before spring training starter, so he's going to make the club out of spring training. He's going to be a very vaulable arm in the pen.

Scrantons rotation will probably be...

Phil Hughes

Ian Kennedy

Alfredo Aceves

Kei Igawa

Alan Horne

If Igawa isn't the highest paid AAA 4th starter ever I would be shocked.

[Morrissey 12,647]

If Igawa isn't the highest paid AAA 4th starter ever I would be shocked.

Zito should probably be a AAA starter, but there i just way too many years left on that awful awful awful contract.

[Maxman 531,087]

Zito should probably be a AAA starter, but there i just way too many years left on that awful awful awful contract.

Zito would be a # 2 at AAA. Igawa can't even handle that. Yes, Zito does make more. But if I was running a AAA team I would be comfortable with Zito pitching game two of a big series.

[Morrissey 12,647]

Zito would be a # 2 at AAA. Igawa can't even handle that. Yes, Zito does make more. But if I was running a AAA team I would be comfortable with Zito pitching game two of a big series.

Igawa has actually done really well in AAA. He was 14-6 with a 3.45 ERA in 2008. He's also having a very good spring training. In 12.1 innings, he's only given up 1 run and struck out 13. Yankees should see what they can get for him, admit your mistake, and just eat most of the contract.

[Thai Jet 161,034]

I guess madmike is back tracking on his statement that he will be a superstar right now=probably not.

Maybe he meant at AAA .

[Scott Dierking 132,009]

HOF careers are sometimes just so hard to kick start. (That was for Madmike).

That the Yankees felt they had to go out and bring in AJ Burnett, should tell you pleant where the Yankees view Phil Hughes.

[Arsis 15,918]

HOF careers are sometimes just so hard to kick start. (That was for Madmike).

That the Yankees felt they had to go out and bring in AJ Burnett, should tell you pleant where the Yankees view Phil Hughes.

That they view him as the replacement to Andy Pettite next year?

[Scott Dierking 132,009]

That they view him as the replacement to Andy Pettite next year?

Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow, you're always a day away.

[Matt39 39,600]

I really dont understand how these young guys have non arm injury issues. Like a 21 year old kid with a bum hammy? COme on.

Reyes finally shed the injury prone label...I just see Hughes as extremely soft. His stuff isnt that good either.

[Scott Dierking 132,009]

I really dont understand how these young guys have non arm injury issues. Like a 21 year old kid with a bum hammy? COme on.

Reyes finally shed the injury prone label...I just see Hughes as extremely soft. His stuff isnt that good either.

You develop major league baseball pitchers by letting them pitch in major league baseball.

AAA does not develop young pitching. It onaly takes it so far. You have to let them take their lumps, and they are going to get lumps. No way around it.

The Mets hung with Pelfrey, and are bing rewarded nicely. But you have to take a little risk, in order to gather the gain.

Or, you just keep signing FA pitchers.

[Matt39 39,600]

You develop major league baseball pitchers by letting them pitch in major league baseball.

AAA does not develop young pitching. It onaly takes it so far. You have to let them take their lumps, and they are going to get lumps. No way around it.

The Mets hung with Pelfrey, and are bing rewarded nicely. But you have to take a little risk, in order to gather the gain.

Or, you just keep signing FA pitchers.

I'm just frustrated with all of these young guys getting hurt. Whether it be Wang last year running the bases, Gallo on the Knicks who at 19 has a bad back(I mean, really?) or Phil Hughes- who looks out of shape to begin with...pulling his hammy, injured ribs...where does it end?

Soft coddled dudes these days I tell ya.