April 11th vs. Seattle

[TGov]

back to Hughes, one thing that is interesting is his velocities.

 

4FB 92-95

2FB 90-93

Slider 80-85

Change 75-80

Curveball 65-75

 

He has a huge, loopy curve like Zito does and it is about 20mph or more slower than his heat. I have personally seen it (last yr at Trenton) be clocked in the 60s one pitch after Hughes hit the outside corner with a 96mph fastball.

 

what is it an ephus, haha...

[jacksonianmarch]

It is a very slow curve. Just like Zito's. One that is a nose to toes and is slow as hell. Thing is, Zito just throws his, while Hughes has been said to have better control of his than any other pitch. And Hughes is very accurate with his fastball, so that is saying a lot.

[MANNYHOF24]

is there a game today?

[jacksonianmarch]

4:05

[ORS]

Won't get played.

[jacksonianmarch]

lucky for you if it did get rained out.

[ORS]

It hasn't been called yet, but it will be.

[Cocos Disciples]

A couple things I noticed about Matsuzaka last night:

 

-He was inconsistent. Some batters he'd get ahead 0-2 easily, some guys 3-0. There didn't seem to be a rhyme or reason to this.

-He had trouble putting away batters once he got ahead with 2 strikes. This is shown by the 4 strikeouts.

-He is now a clubhouse hero for hitting Jose Guillen.

[TGov]

It hasn't been called yet' date=' but it will be.[/quote']

 

good, cause Im going to miss it if they do play...

[TGov]

A couple things I noticed about Matsuzaka last night:

 

-He was inconsistent. Some batters he'd get ahead 0-2 easily, some guys 3-0. There didn't seem to be a rhyme or reason to this.

-He had trouble putting away batters once he got ahead with 2 strikes. This is shown by the 4 strikeouts.

-He is now a clubhouse hero for hitting Jose Guillen.

 

He sure is hahaha...

[castigs850]

is he seriously? i havent heard anyone talk about it or read anything about it yet

[BoSox21]

if they play today, Coco is batting 2nd and Wily Mo is playing right....in Fenway....in the rain....uh oh....

[jacksonianmarch]

It hasn't been called yet' date=' but it will be.[/quote']

 

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/

 

looks like there is a window at 7pm. They will do everything in their power to get this game in since Seattle has already missed a boatload of games.

[jacksonianmarch]

GAME CALLED Will be Made up in May prior to a twins series.

[Gom]

Five pitch arsenal? The crack must be strong today. Latest reports I've read tout his change as a work in progress' date=' and he hasn't touched the slider in a couple of years now. He's a FB/curve pitcher right now, just like JB.[/quote']

 

For once we are in total agreement. Hughes is 90% Yankee front office hype. He is a two pitch pitcher with an average fastball. There are a lot of great pitchers in Double A who never go anywhere.

 

I'm a firm believer that you are never as good as you look when you win, and you are never as bad as you look when you lose. I never thought the Yankee farm system was so decrepit before, nor do I think it is a revamped powerhouse now.

 

The kid didn't impress me. Although you didn't know me then, I've made some great calls on players I've seen in the minors [Cano, Eric Davis, Wang, Pettitte], I've also made some stinkers [i loved Sam Militello, and I thought Gerald Williams had more potential than Bernie]. Hughes doesn't impress me. I don't care about the results he had in spring training, his curve had no bite, his fastball was straight and not overly fast, he didn't have a quick motion to the plate. The only thing I really liked about him was his form, and his release point. He will stay relatively injury free in his career due to his release point, IMHO, but that's about all I saw that impressed me. We shall see. I hope I'm wrong.

[jacksonianmarch]

For once we are in total agreement. Hughes is 90% Yankee front office hype. He is a two pitch pitcher with an average fastball. There are a lot of great pitchers in Double A who never go anywhere.

 

I'm a firm believer that you are never as good as you look when you win, and you are never as bad as you look when you lose. I never thought the Yankee farm system was so decrepit before, nor do I think it is a revamped powerhouse now.

 

The kid didn't impress me. Although you didn't know me then, I've made some great calls on players I've seen in the minors [Cano, Eric Davis, Wang, Pettitte], I've also made some stinkers [i loved Sam Militello, and I thought Gerald Williams had more potential than Bernie]. Hughes doesn't impress me. I don't care about the results he had in spring training, his curve had no bite, his fastball was straight and not overly fast, he didn't have a quick motion to the plate. The only thing I really liked about him was his form, and his release point. He will stay relatively injury free in his career due to his release point, IMHO, but that's about all I saw that impressed me. We shall see. I hope I'm wrong.

 

Do we need another reason to think you have anything useful to give here? How much have you seen of Hughes. Really, how much.

 

Cause if you are going to base a kids future on 3 appearances in the beginning of ST, then you are hopeless and stupid.

[riverside sluggers]

Very true Jackson, Papelbon didnt have a great ST in 06... but he did turn out to have a stellar 06 season. Spring training stats are a crapshoot because its just players doing practice

 

--

Finally back home, just a long ass day. Last night I ended up staying over a friends house and once I went to my car... the damn thing wouldnt start. I then had to have it towed, then wait at the acr repair shop, yadi yadi yada...

 

From what I saw last night the Sox bats ran into the wrong pitcher, Felix Hernandez on 8 days rest had f***ing no-hit stuff. Ive never heard a place be so loud when a player got a single such as new fan favorite JD Drew did so in the 8th inning. Big kudos to raul Ibanez & that sick infield stealing away hits from the Sox.

 

I wasnt that much turned off by Dice-K's Fenway debut. Plain and simple when a Red Sox starter give his team 7 innings/3 runs you expect them to win it. Like I said about Drew's hit, it was just so loud during his 1st inning. Everyone was on their feet during that inning and flashes kept going off as he wound up to pitch. Pure adrenaline fueling

 

Coco Crisp cmon dude get it going, the boo-birds were in unison during his last 2 outs

[schillingouttheks]

Last night was awesome. I went as well, and it was a great, great time despite the loss. Matsuzaka pitched a nice game, and covered first beautifully on that double play to end the 7th. There was really nothing that the Sox could have done about King Felix. He was just absolutely DEALING. I would have almost rather seen him get the no-no and witness something very rare. As gross as the offense looked last night, I don't think any lineup had a chance. A stud like Felix Hernandez on eight days rest just isn't the ideal matchup for anyone.

 

That being said, I expect that the Sox will be finding their groove and showing us what to expect in the next couple weeks.

[Remember the Titans]

i haven't seen that dominating a performance since the titans defense sacked the groveton QB ten times. julius n gary had 3 each.

[mar_022]

i haven't seen that dominating a performance since the titans defense sacked the groveton QB ten times. julius n gary had 3 each.

 

well played

[ORS]

For once we are in total agreement. Hughes is 90% Yankee front office hype. He is a two pitch pitcher with an average fastball. There are a lot of great pitchers in Double A who never go anywhere.

 

I'm a firm believer that you are never as good as you look when you win, and you are never as bad as you look when you lose. I never thought the Yankee farm system was so decrepit before, nor do I think it is a revamped powerhouse now.

 

The kid didn't impress me. Although you didn't know me then, I've made some great calls on players I've seen in the minors [Cano, Eric Davis, Wang, Pettitte], I've also made some stinkers [i loved Sam Militello, and I thought Gerald Williams had more potential than Bernie]. Hughes doesn't impress me. I don't care about the results he had in spring training, his curve had no bite, his fastball was straight and not overly fast, he didn't have a quick motion to the plate. The only thing I really liked about him was his form, and his release point. He will stay relatively injury free in his career due to his release point, IMHO, but that's about all I saw that impressed me. We shall see. I hope I'm wrong.

I haven't seen him, so I can't dispute your opinion. That said, I'm not sure we agree as much as you might think. I don't think the Yankees can get a top-5 pitcher in return. So, given his success thus far, I think the best bet is see what he becomes. Either that, or if ARod goes this offseason, put together a mega-package for Miguel Cabrera.

[AlexanderTheGreat13]

For once we are in total agreement. Hughes is 90% Yankee front office hype.

So the Yankee front office got him on the front cover of the baseball america hand book and ranked the best pitching prospect in baseball? There are many cases of the Yankee front office hyping up prospects. Brandon Claussen was an overhyped prospect. Hughes is highly touted by not only the front office but by BA, Baseball Prospectus John Sickles ETC.

 

The kid didn't impress me.

Im curious when have you watched him pitch?

 

EDIT: I dont think every Yankee prospect is great either. I think Tyler Clippard is a tad over hyped. I'd like to see Humberto Sanchez get healthy before i call him the greatest also but I cant knock Hughes proformence in the minors so far in his career.

[jacksonianmarch]

So the Yankee front office got him on the front cover of the baseball america hand book and ranked the best pitching prospect in baseball? There are many cases of the Yankee front office hyping up prospects. Brandon Claussen was an overhyped prospect. Hughes is highly touted by not only the front office but by BA, Baseball Prospectus John Sickles ETC.

 

 

Im curious when have you watched him pitch?

 

EDIT: I dont think every Yankee prospect is great either. I think Tyler Clippard is a tad over hyped. I'd like to see Humberto Sanchez get healthy before i call him the greatest also but I cant knock Hughes proformence in the minors so far in his career.

 

You want to talk about hype, Hughes got NO hype until this yr. It was guys like me and other web sites who were touting his brilliance since he was in Charleston.

 

As far as overhyping people, there are a few that come to mind. Two being Steven Jackson and Hmberto Sanchez. Both with loads of talent, but problems with control and really only one good minor league season under their belts.

 

Clippard is underhyped in my opinion. He continues to be doubted when he comes out and throws double digit K/9IP on the board and hardly walks anyone. People seem to think that a pitcher needs a 95 mph fastball to be a major leaguer these days. But a guy like TClip is an innings eater with great breaking stuff (and his heat sits 88-92, which is fine) who could hold down the middle of a rotation.

[ORS]

Oh can it, Jack. Touting his brilliance? Without having seen him pitch you've been "touting" Betances. Be real. You read the scouting services and eat up every complimentary opinion about a guy the Yanks drafted. There's nothing wrong with that, but let's be honest here.

[jacksonianmarch]

Oh can it' date=' Jack. Touting his brilliance? Without having seen him pitch you've been [b']"touting" Betances[/b]. Be real. You read the scouting services and eat up every complimentary opinion about a guy the Yanks drafted. There's nothing wrong with that, but let's be honest here.

 

 

So Hughes hasnt been brilliant in the minors?

 

As for Betances, the hype is all we have to go on right now as he lingers in EST instead of Charleston where he belongs.

[ORS]

So Hughes hasnt been brilliant in the minors?

If you can find where I say that, then you read between the lines in the strangest way I've ever seen.

 

As for Betances, the hype is all we have to go on right now as he lingers in EST instead of Charleston where he belongs.

I thought guys didn't get hyped right out of the draft, like Hughes wasn't according to you?

[jacksonianmarch]

If you can find where I say that, then you read between the lines in the strangest way I've ever seen.

 

 

I thought guys didn't get hyped right out of the draft, like Hughes wasn't according to you?

 

Hughes wasnt hyped when he was drafted. Betances was hyped out of this world. Betances had a full page article written on him when he arrived at camp. Phil Hughes didnt get anything written about him in major media until late last season when his name kept coming up in trade ideas.

 

The reasons are obvious. The Yankees send out RJ and they have a kid that throws like him and looks like him (size wise) in the minors. Anything to catch a readers attention. Doesnt mean I dont think he'd be fantastic, just that he has been hyped.

 

Now onto Hughes. Cmon now ORS. For a guy who has essentially dominated, absolutely obliterated every level of the minors, I'd assume he'd have gotten more press than he did. Thankfully, he didnt cause he, Wang, and Cano could easily have been sent to ARI for Randy.

[ORS]

Hughes and Betances received similar levels of attention after being drafted within the baseball community, and that is where I go for baseball news, so perhaps my perception is different because I could care less about mainstream media. And, your big-tall pitcher parallel between Betances and RJ is probably much less likely than the fact that Betances is a local boy and got attention for that, a la MDC.

[jacksonianmarch]

Hughes and Betances received similar levels of attention after being drafted within the baseball community' date=' and that is where I go for baseball news, so perhaps my perception is different because I could care less about mainstream media. And, your big-tall pitcher parallel between Betances and RJ is probably much less likely than the fact that Betances is a local boy and got attention for that, a la MDC.[/quote']

 

True, local product helped.

[Gom]

Do we need another reason to think you have anything useful to give here? How much have you seen of Hughes. Really, how much.

 

Cause if you are going to base a kids future on 3 appearances in the beginning of ST, then you are hopeless and stupid.

 

Ok now you have annoyed me. How many starts have you actually seen of this guy? I do a lot of travelling, so I have seen about ten of his starts throughout the minors when I was passing through.

 

Have you ever seen a start of his that wasn't broadcast on YES?

 

In fact, have you any information of his that hasn't been spoon-fed to you by the Yankee front office?

 

You know Jacks, you really aren't better than the red sox fans that get on here and proclaim what everyone tells them as the gospel truth.

 

Believe what you want, but realize one thing, just one thing....if he was as good as they said he was, he would be starting in NY. So, do me a favor..go back to being a closet Sox fan, and leave the real Yankee analysis to the people who know the Yankees.