Hughes, Robertson Recalled September 14, 2008
Posted by Pablo Zevallos in David Robertson, Phil Hughes, Sidney Ponson.add a comment
After his dominating performance, RHP Phil Hughes was recalled yesterday and will start on Wednesday against Chicago. This move was done at the right time, as Hughes, after two ghastly outings at AAA, has settled into an awesome rhythym and this was very much earned. Robertson’s struggles continued a bit, even allowing his first homerun in the minors, but made an adjustment in his mechanics and settled into a nice groove letter in the playoffs.
Hopefully Hughes replaces Sidney Ponson, who, since joining the Yankees, has posted ugly numbers–6.71 ERA, 1.70 WHIP, 0.91K/BB rate. Just go! Leave! Bye!!!
Minor League Playoffs Abstract September 14, 2008
Posted by Pablo Zevallos in Austin Jackson, Ian Kennedy, Jhonny Nunez, Justin Christian, Minor League Playoffs, Phil Hughes.2 comments
The Minor League Playoffs are over. Now time to briefly recap the Yankee affiliates’ fortunes in September (all awards are post-season only):
AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre won the Governor’s Cup, which means they are the best of the International League. They beat the stacked Durham Bulls (David Price, Wade Davis, Jeff Niemann, anyone?) 20-2 in the finale and 3-1 in the series overall.
MVP: OF Justin Christian. There’s not much to choose from, but he orchestrated the comeback after Niemann’s dominating performance and also was instrumental to start the beating in the final game (3-7, 3 RBI).
Best Pitcher: Phil Hughes. Is there much of a competition. I think 25 Ks in his 13 IP (one run) would do that for you. ‘Nuff said.
Scranton will now face AAA Sacramento (A’s) in the Bricktown Showdown. It’ll be on ESPN2 on Tuesday, and the MVP will receive the first-time ever Bobby Murcer Award. Ian Kennedy will start that game (h/t Chad Jennings and Mike at RAB)
AA Trenton is the Eastern League Champion after defeating Akron (CLE) 5-1 in the final game, and 3-1 in the series.
MVP: Austin Jackson. He homered off laptop thief Clay Buchholz earlier in the postseason, and also did so again yesterday. He also robbed two homers yesterday and drove in a run today.
Best Pitcher: There’s a few intersting candidates, but I’ll go with RHP Jhonny Nunez. He was manager Tony Franklin’s go-to guy in the postseason and flat-out dominating since coming here. (h/t Mike Ashmore)
SS Staten Island didn’t make it out of the first round of their playoffs.
LVP: Casey Erickson, for allowing six runs in 2IP in his start.
HiA Tampa, LoA Charleston and GCL Yankees did not make the playoffs.
Thoughts: The Rehabbers August 9, 2008
Posted by Pablo Zevallos in Carl Pavano, Phil Hughes.add a comment
Injured righties Phil Hughes and Carl Pavano are on the rehab trail, each having made two starts in the minors, and both have done very well. Now on their potential impact (or lack thereof…) in the majors.
As the Yankees are trotting out the shaky Sidney Ponson and Dan Giese–we may add Ian Kennedy later–and don’t have Joba for the time being, the Yankees need to get a better pitcher who can make an impact on the team. Phil Hughes has the ability to be that pitcher. Despite struggling earlier in the year, Hughes showed flashses of what he could be, particularly with that nasty curveball. He now comes back with a new cutter and increased velocity (93-95), as well as glasses to see the catcher’s signs better. I think Hughes will come back with a strong September akin to last year’s (18/10 K/BB rate, 1.18 WHIP, .229 BAA, 2.73 ERA, 29.2 IP).
Pavano, on the other hand, won’t have any impact, in part because the Yankees won’t let him have any impact. While he has put up solid numbers in the minors, he should, anyway, as he is a Major League veteran. At his age (32) there won’t be any improvement. At best he could pass through waivers and be dealt for a bag of balls.
Injury Updates June 11, 2008
Posted by Pablo Zevallos in J. Brent Cox, Phil Hughes.1 comment so far
Yesterday, on his blog, Phil Hughes declared that he is pain-free and has been for about a week. He still has to wait until x-ray results come back negative so he is cleared to pitch. He’s also received his new glasses to help on the mound. Either way, this is great news, and hopefully he can be back by August and be dominant.
On the other side of things, according to the indispensable Chad Jennings, J.B. Cox has been placed on the 7-day DL. I believe that there is also a 15-day DL in the minors, so the fact that this is just 7 days is a good sign. Jennings isn’t with the team so he couldn’t ask about the injury. My guess is that this is just elbow soreness after coming back, and that he should return soon. No word on any replacements for the Scranton roster.
Dramatic Endings Are Nice, But Questions Remain June 7, 2008
Posted by Pablo Zevallos in Andy Pettitte, Chien-Ming Wang, Dave Eiland, Ian Kennedy, Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes.add a comment
In two of the last three, the Yankee game has ended with a walk-off hit of some sort. On Thursday, it was a monster Jason Giambi homerun 15 rows back in the upper deck, and today it was a Johnny Damon double down the line to beat the Royals. Giambi’s homer came on a day that was almost lost and ruined by Chien-Ming Wang, who continues his struggles, and Damon’s 6-6 day (tying an American League record for most hits in a 9 inning game–truly amazing!) and his last double made everything right for the Yankees, who bunted Derek Jeter in the first inning (why???) and Andy Pettitte. Pettitte’s struggles continue, as he gave up 10ER and two HRs after surrendering three leads in his last start in Minnesota.
Wang and Pettitte are the anchors of this rotation. They both have enough stuff to get it done, Wang of course moreso than Pettitte. Wang’s GAS (glove side shoulder), according to pitching coach Dave Eiland and catcher Jorge Posada, has started to fly open, preventing his trademark sinker from sinking, and inhibiting proper command. Pettitte has lost about 2MPH from his fastball, now being 87-89 instead of 88-92 like last year. That prevents proper separation from his cutter, which checks in at 84-87, more often on the higher side than the lower side on that range. That can be explained by age and throwing the cutter so much, as throwing the cutter can cause reduction in velocity earlier than usual. In addition, he also looses command of his cutter at times, preventing him from establishing it and thus his other pitches. However, he doesn’t use his other pitches enough at times. He can go too cutter-heavy and then hitters know what to look for, so they just sit on it. He needs to use his curveball and changeup more, and stop being quite so desperate.
This raises the question of the effectiveness of Eiland. This year was supposed to be a transition year, with the offense a year older and Mike Mussina supposed to be somewhere between his stellar 2006 and shaky 2007. Chien-Ming was supposed to win 19 games (again) and Andy Pettitte was supposed to solidly hold the fort for the younger players. Phil Hughes was supposed to take a step forward from his 2007 debut, and Ian Kennedy, while not expected to put up numbers like he did in the minors and September of 2007, was supposed to be a reliable #4/#5 starter.
Almost none of it has happened consistently. Mussina has been great and leads the AL in wins with his slow, slower, slowest approach (Jamie Moyer, anyone?). Hughes and Kennedy are on the DL right now, and both were lit up for almost the whole season (though Kennedy was improving before his DL stint). Wang started well before flopping since the beginning of May, and Pettitte has been looking bad since the Mets series. Even Joba, who has done great, has walked almost 4.5 per 9. Eiland was supposed to be great, as he worked with the Big 3 in Scranton. However, retrospectively speaking, the three weren’t together for more than a month. Hughes was in Scranton for the first three weeks of the season before getting promoted, and was already an uber-prospect. He then returned for two rehab starts in July. Kennedy spent half of August and September there, while Chamberlain was there for a week. So his impact on the trio can’t be that big. Eiland, a former pitcher himself, seems like a nice guy, but in my book he’s on a short leash. I’d like to give him until Independence Day to see what happens. Wang and Pettitte should straighten themselves out by then, Kennedy should be back, and we’ll see how keeps Mussina keeps on doing. By then J.B. Cox and/or David Robertson is certain to be in the bigs, and we’ll see how that goes.
Hughes DL’ed, Kennedy Demoted May 5, 2008
Posted by Pablo Zevallos in Darell Rasner, Ian Kennedy, Phil Hughes.add a comment
When I first saw Phil Hughes on the DL, I thought that it was some sort of conspiracy just to get him to stop pitching while not having to deal with the potential ruckus of sending him to the minors. Turns out there’s more than just a quad strain, but also 2 broken ribs. Where’s the hammer, Brian 
? He’ll be out until July.
This is a shame, because while he wasn’t pitching well, pitching is better than not pitching, and he needs to get himself squared away with his mechanics (which SabreScouting and Carlos Gomez have detailed well), and he definitely needs to throw more sliders and changeups.
In the meantime, Ian Kennedy was optioned down to AAA. While he is a nice prospect, he is hurting the team with his loading the bases seemingly once every start and showing too much Mike Mussina-ness (nibbling) in him. Darrell Rasner (0.87 ERA) is the better choice, and did well on Sunday.
Pitching, #34…Phil Hughes February 9, 2008
Posted by Pablo Zevallos in Phil Hughes, Sean Henn.add a comment
Per his blog, Phil Hughes is close to changing his #65 to what was Sean Henn’s #34. Hopefully this gives both pitchers good luck, particularly because this may be Henn’s last chance.
Mailbag #2 January 27, 2008
Posted by Pablo Zevallos in 30-rule for Pitchers, Alan Horne, Andy Pettitte, Chien-Ming Wang, Ian Kennedy, Jeff Marquez, Joba Chamberlain, Mike Mussina, Phil Hughes, Robinson Cano.add a comment
Presenting…our second mailbag.
What will the Yankees do with the six major league starters they have on the roster? Does Kennedy get demoted? Or do they skip starts with Chamberlain and Hughes using Kennedy to fill in?–Eric
No one has a definitive answer on that one yet. I think they could extend Hughes to about 160 innings, considering he threw ~146 in 2006 and ~110 this year. Ian Kennedy will be able to throw ~195 innings after throwing ~165 this year. Joba Chamberlain, who threw 112 innings this year, won’t go more than about 140 innings this year. Assuming a healthy starter throws 200 innings a year, and Andy Pettitte and Chien Ming-Wang match their innings total from last year, that leaves 147 innings to be accounted for. This number increases if you account for Joba Chamberlain either starting or finishing the year in the bullpen–let’s say he pitches 100 in the rotation and 40 in the bullpen. That now leaves us with 187 innings to fill. Mike Mussina doesn’t have the stuff, endurance, or adaptability to pitch that much, so let’s say he pitches 140 innings. That now leaves us with 47 innings. Jeff Marquez and Alan Horne will probably be major-league ready by October, and either could pitch in the bullpen in 2008 to start or end the year, and their innings cap will be around 180-185, so either one could step in. So, if you really think about it, you would need seven pitchers to get through the year–meaning Mike Mussina needs to come through.
Maybe you could show some of the commenter’s why the 30 rule is new wave. Look up just a few of them;
W. Ford 112 r, 207, 210, 230 ave.
B. Turley 7.3r, 60.3, 247.3, 212 ave.
M. Stottlemyer, 96.0r, 291.0, 252.7 ave.
F. Peterson, 215.0r, 181.3, 220 ave.
Pettitte, 175.0r, 221.0, 215.7 ave.
Moose, 87.7r, 241.0, 227 ave.
Now, I understand there is much more money involved with pitchers. If the other guys could do it, why can’t the big 3? I realize that one would have to evaluate each pitcher on the merits of pushing them (just a little bit) longer.–Old Ranger
The 30-rule is in place because studies on pitchers have proven that increasing a pitcher’s woarkload by my more than 30 innings a year gives him a significantly higher injury risk for the following season. Throwing a baseball isn’t a natural motion–throwing underhand is. Since most pitchers pitch over-the-top, there is increased stress on the shoulder and elbows when pitching, so it must be controlled. Otherwise, again, there will be injury.
Will Cano be keeping his number, 24? or switching back to 22?–Aubrey
Probably 24–I see no reason to change numbers.
Some Questions I Answered January 25, 2008
Posted by Pablo Zevallos in Abraham Almonte, Andrew Brackman, Austin Jackson, Edwar Ramirez, Frankie Cervelli, Jairo Heredia, Jeff Marquez, Joba Chamberlain, Jose Tabata, Kevin Whelan, Phil Hughes, Prylis Cuello, Scott Patterson.add a comment
A fellow blogger asked me several questions regarding the Yankees and the system. These are interesting questions, and either point can be argued. Here are the questions and answers.
Who is your breakout candidate of the year for the Yankee farm system?
Kevin Whelan–I think he’ll get his control together.
If one player is going to disappoint this year in the Yankee farm system, who would you pick?
Jeff Marquez. I don’t think he’s that good, and AAA hitters may finally catch up to him.
Who is your sleeper?
Jairo Heredia–I think his stuff translates into serious results at a young age.
Which Milb-affiliate will be most interesting this year?
AAA Tacoma (Rays)–at various points throughout the season, most (or all) of Evan Longoria, Wade Davis, Jacob McGee, Reid Brignac, David Price, and Desmond Jennings will pass through there.
You’re Brian Cashman in the 2007 draft. Do you select Andrew Brackman? If not, who do you select and why?
I would select Brackman. Pitching depth in the system is incredibly deep, as by the time all of the veteran’s contracts expire, there will be enough spaces for the younger players/prospects, many of whom are turning out nicely. The way things are turning out, there are more prospects than spots, so there is no need for a player who will develop quickly, someone Brackman is not.
Prylis Cuello or Abraham Almonte?
Both are extremely raw and projectable, but I’ll lean towards Almonte, since their isn’t much OF depth in the system.
Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes?
Joba–I may be one of the few who think that injury concerns aren’t a particular problem with Joba–he’s dropped
significant amounts of weight, and he has very good mechanics (for what I hear). Joba’s two (going on three?) plus pitches are better than Hughes’s two. Joba is superior in stuff, strikeouts, and hittability, and, from what we saw last year in the majors, the control is a crapshoot between the two. That said, both will be very good/excellent pitchers for a long time.
Austin Jackson or Jose Tabata?
AJax–he’s a surer bet once his tools translated into success last year. If Tabata develops good power this year, though, I might lean towards Tabata.
Scott Patterson or Edwar Ramirez?
Edwar–he’s the younger of the two Indy leaguers, and his changeup is a plus plus pitch. He can add a little frame to get some juice on his FB, and I think he can add another pitch (curve?). Patterson is in his prime as we speak, and won’t be around for long.
Francisco Cervelli, great catcher or greatest catcher ever?
“Merely” great. I think Cervelli has plus defense, and although he hasn’t shown much power, he has improving contact skills and solid on-base skills. If he adds some power (12-15 HR power)–well, you never know.
On a different note, the mailbag will be up by Sunday–thanks for the responses so far, and keep them coming! Everyone’s questions will be answered.
Phil Hughes Starts a Blog January 17, 2008
Posted by Pablo Zevallos in Phil Hughes, Yankees: Looking to the Future.add a comment
Phil Hughes has started a weblog. It happens to have the same theme as YLF, and in limited posts he seems to be a strong writer. I left a comment in his first post.
I’m really excited when fan favorites start blogs–it’s amazing, and the fans feel an almost personal connection with the player. This is especially true for the much-hyped and much-beloved Hughes. I think we all wish him success.
On another note, thanks for all of the responses at my pinch-hitting post over at PeteAbe’s blog. Thanks for all of the positive responses, and I welcome all you new readers to the YLF community.
