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Shape of Things to Come
2006-07-07 10:11
by Alex Belth

Bob Klapisch takes a look at Mike Pelfry and Phillip Hughes, two young pitchers with seemingly promising futures, today in the Bergan Record. Considering how Met and Yankee prospects tend to be over-hyped, the $64,000 question is: Will they be fo' real or fugazi? The Metropolitans get their first taste of Pelfry this weekend while Yankee fans will have to wait until 2007 until they see Hughes in the BX.

Comments
2006-07-07 10:45:49
1.   Simone
Goldman suggested that Hughes might be an option this year. After reading Klapisch's article, I think that isn't likely.
2006-07-07 10:49:29
2.   Dan M
I don't see why they can't bring Hughes up in a limited role. I know the Yankees want to limit his innings because he's never thrown more than 120 in a year, but I'm not saying he should come up to be the 4th starter (although he COULD be). Instead, you could bring him up and use him in the pen. That way he helps the team as he develops, and doesn't get overrused (insert snarky comment on Torre's bullpen usage here).

Works for the Twins.

2006-07-07 10:59:28
3.   Felix Heredia
If we learned nothing from Melky, it's that you have to give the kids a chance to adjust. Hughes isn't even in AAA. Why not wait until next year or later?

Bring him along right and maybe he'll be a top pitcher for years to come . . . .

2006-07-07 11:10:11
4.   Shaun P
2 I think bringing up Hughes to pitch middle relief is a fascinating idea. The old Earl Weaver "develop a starter in the pen" could work for Hughes, and I'd be thrilled to see it happen. But the kid has already thrown over 100 innings in the minors, and I'm guessing they don't want him to go much over 150. As you suggest, want to guess how quickly Mr. Torre would blow through those 50 innings over the next 3 months?

I can also imagine what Hughes (and Cashman) would hear from the press if Phil, oh, say, gave up 3 runs in middle relief to the Sox in a game this August. That's something the Twins never had to worry about with Liriano and Santana.

I hate saying the Yanks shouldn't do something just because of the media. But Hughes is potentially so valuable, I think the Yanks have to play it safe across the board here.

2006-07-07 11:17:07
5.   Dan M
Comparing the two, or taking "lessons" from Melky, doesn't make much sense. Hughes is on a higher level than Melky - no one ever hyped Melky as the next big thing, and for good reason. If Hughes really is a special talent, who's to say that he isn't "ready" before lesser talents are.

Finally, who's to say that bringing him up to the pen is not "bringing him along right"? Earl Weaver would argue that it is the right way.

2006-07-07 11:40:17
6.   Sliced Bread
Hughes is on the Yanks 40-man roster so I wouldn't be surprised if he comes up for a few weeks of bullpen relief in early Sept., after rosters expand.

Yanks begin Sept. at home against Min, then travel to KC and Baltimore before returning home to host TB.

That'd be a nice time to check him out, no?

2006-07-07 12:32:46
7.   Zack
You all forget that if Hughes is in our bullpen, he will face one of two fates: overwork or underuse. There is no alternative in the Joe Torre era of BP management. So either Hughes will rot on the bench, which I suppose is fine, or Joe will Proctor him, which is NOT fine...I say, let him stay in the minors for the year
2006-07-07 12:34:02
8.   BayRidger
I was thinking, would this guy, Hughes, be as highly touted if he were in the D-Rays system? Are we headed for a let down? The experts, even those not disposed to say nice things about Yankees' propects, seem to think he's the real deal. I hope all of this attention doesn't get to him. His name is in the papers almost everyday and it would take some mettle not to be somewhat affected by that exposure.
2006-07-07 12:39:16
9.   yankaholic
Time out.. No Hughes sighting this year plz..

as Cashman says in tht link.. Pelfrey is a college pitcher.. so he has got 2 more years of pitching behind him..

i read one of his interviews.. he seemed to understand his position and was humble abt it..

if one thing.. he will/can never think/feel bigger than the big guns we have..

its not Delmon Young thing.. where he knows no on in the Tampa roster is as big as him..

so am not worried of all this spoiling his ego..

i just hope he pitches af ewmore inings and then goes to columbus till august of next year..

september 07 is his ideal arrival time.. IMHO

2006-07-07 13:02:58
10.   tommyl
I'd also like to point out that pitching a few innings out of the BP is very different than being a starter. Why mess with the kids' mentality and progress? He's 20. Lester is 22, Liriano is 22 and Papelbon is 26. At that age two years is a big difference. If Hughes started in 2007 he'd be about same age that Liriano was when he started.

I'm all for finding solutions from within, but Hughes in 2006 is not going to be it. If they want to call him up in September to pitch a few extra innings that's fine, but it shouldn't be more than that. He needs regular work starting on a very tight pitch count right now. He cannot get that in the Bronx.

2006-07-07 13:43:41
11.   wsporter
10 I couldn't agree more.
2006-07-07 23:17:20
12.   Yankee Fan in Chicago
Hmm. Kinda disingenuous in the article to compare RJ to Lester in terms of pay. How bout comparing RJ to BloodySock and Wang to Lester?

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