Phil Hughes pitched a nice game but he’s Phil Hughes so it wasn’t enough, not with a team that has a tendency not to score runs. Two solo home runs and the Yanks were down 2-1 and then in the 8th inning Hughes gave up a 2-run homer. It was just too much as the Twins finally beat the Yanks. This one went 4-1.
[Photo Credit: Balakov]
Someone in the game thread over on BBTF brought up that Hughes has a home HR/9 is 1.68 and a road .88 HR/9.
I think that if he goes to a more pitcher-friendly park next year, he'll have quite a nice year, but NYS is just about the worst possible place for him to pitch.
Not that this offense gave him the slightest bit of help this afternoon ...
I think he'll be traded shortly.
1) I've always liked Hughes, but yeah, he needs a bigger lawn behind him for sure.
2) probably, and I hope the Yankees get more for him than I expect them to. His value is certainly below its peak, but he's a serviceable pitcher, who can still give you more good games than bad, especially in a bigger park.
Not that I have any empirical evidence to support it ( you can stop right here if that's all that matters to you), but I don't have much faith this year in Cashman's ability to get value from trading any significant player, particularly Hughes. I hope I'm wrong, but so far his moves this season have not given me confidence.
[4] Cashman has seemed pretty good at swooping in and scoring surpise pickups, using the Yankees usual financial advantage to grab guys from teams looking to sell and shed payroll. He's also been not terrible at finding serviceable parts from trash heap pick-ups. But he's not often been in the position of "seller," so it's hard to guess how he'll do trying to move Hughes to (presumably) a contender. And what would his strategy be, short term (flip Hughes for a bat that helps this year, trying to climb into the wild card), or longer term (trade him to a contender for prospects)?
I think Cashman will try to move him for a bat to help this year, and it won't pay off, snot so much because he'll make a bad trade so much as no one move here or there can save this moribund offence. Meanwhile, the Yankees may have pitching depth---in theory---but I'm still not sold on Nova or on Piñeda's recovery. Meanwhile Andy continues to look old. Just how much depth is there? And as frustrating as Hughes can be, he's the devil you know.
TIm LIncecum with a no-no after 8 and 130 pitches after Hunter Pence robs a guy with a diving catch in right. Yowzers.
K. One out.
combined no-no for The Freak and some guy called Brad Brach!
9-0 SF
Lincecum had 4 BB's
duh. my bad!!!
doing too many things at once. Freak still pitching. wow, that's a lot of pitches. at 139 and counting.
never mind me, carry on as you were...
13 K's.
Fly to left. Two out.
What up thelarmis. Cheers!
shit sox finally freaking lost. shutout 3-0
2 outs!
[12] Slainte, Just Fair!
144 pitches.
Fly out to left. 3 out. 148 pitches. No-no for Lincecum. MY ELBOW hurts. Wow!
No-No for The Freak!
good job, kid.
148 pitches.
Cash should package Hughes and Youk. Perhaps the Lake Monsters or some other minor league team would pick them up.
I must not be the right kind of fan. How does a guy give up 4 homeruns and get credit for a strong pitching effort? How did Joe leave him in for so long? Not that it would have mattered. Can't win without runs.
Why doesn't Cashman deserve blame for his mess? Let's assume one of the owners deserves discredit for the A-Rod resigning. It cost money. So what? Read "Meet Your Teammates." Where did he come up with these players?
And, what does you all have to say about A-Rod, speaking of the biggest albatross of the bunch.
Check out Mike Pesca on VPR!
Holding your breath for 5-7 innings is really hard, but I have to do it everytime Hughes pitches.