~~~How do you pitch 483.2 minor league innings by only facing 1,193 batters~~~

Again, I took it from B-R.com, so, maybe the data is incomplete?

~~~Something is wrong with your strikeout numbers… Lester has struck out fewer batters per 9 innings than Hughes in the Minors and the Majors. Hughes is at 10.18 per 9 innings, Lester is at 8.31 per 9 innings. Not sure how you came up with those percentages.~~~

I took the numbers off B-R.com…

Note my stats are K/PA and not per 9 innings…that could be it.

Hank says they are OFFICIALLY out:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/05/sports/baseball/05yanks.html?ref=sports

Something is wrong with your strikeout numbers… Lester has struck out fewer batters per 9 innings than Hughes in the Minors and the Majors. Hughes is at 10.18 per 9 innings, Lester is at 8.31 per 9 innings. Not sure how you came up with those percentages.

And as a general question: Who in their right mind would ever say that Lester is better than Hughes?

Also: No mention of the hamstring injury?

If anyone cares what GMs and scouts think. As per Jon Heyman:

“Some people here think the Twins would be better off going with the Yankees’ deal since it includes Hughes, who most view as No. 2 type starter in time. One AL GM summed it up this way: ‘Hughes is the best they’re going to do.’”

How do you pitch 483.2 minor league innings by only facing 1,193 batters?

None of those stats you have listed there really encompasses sabermetrics for pitchers. Take a look at VORP and some of the Runs Prevented metrics for a better sabermetrics take. Otherwise, you’re just rehashing averages against a sample size that’s too small to definitely conclude which pitcher will be better.

IF there is any talent evaluator on this planet that would evaluate Lester vs. Hughes based on their 144 and 72 innings pitched in the bigs I would be SHOCKED.

I would also suggest that Hughes 10+ K/9 is more impressive than Lester’s 8+. I’m not sure how I reconcile those numbers with the K/plate appearances, but it seems pretty clear that Lester just allows far, FAR more baserunners.

Today, tomorrow, and the day after.

I’m glad you went through this excercise. As Bailey put it in the other thread, apparently the difference between the Yanks and Red Sox offers is that they’re offering up a better third prospect (Lowrie) than we’re offering.

But now at least you can stop thinking that the Twins are turning their noses up at Phil Hughes. Whatever he becomes or doesn’t become, he’s one of the five best pitching prospects in all of baseball right now and well ahead of Jon Lester by all objective measures.

Is this serious? Would anybody actually pick Lester over Hughes other than Bawston fans?