Let him get his work in down there, let him develop as a pitcher.
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Sooner or later, he’s going to have to take his lumps in the majors. If he has another season like 2007, he’s going to get the call. If he performs like he did in 2008, he won’t. Same can be said of Kennedy.

Barring trade or injury, you will see both next year.

Raf, the Yanks should leave Hughes at triple A for the entire season. Let him get his work in down there, let him develop as a pitcher. The 2009 pitching staff plans should not include Hughes in any way.

That’s why 30 starts down at triple A would be of value. It would give us a chance to see what we have (or what we don’t have).
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If he does well, he’s not going to get 30 starts @ AAA. If he blows through like he did in ’07, you will see him a couple of months after the season starts.

If he makes 30 starts @ SWB, or otherwise spends a full season there, then something is wrong.

A couple of comments to the Hughes defenders, I don’t think most of us are ready to give up on him. That said, acknowledge the fact that things are not going well right now. He’ll be 23 in June and the once billed top of the rotation marquee level talent needs to get his mojo working. We need to see something this season. That’s why 30 starts down at triple A would be of value. It would give us a chance to see what we have (or what we don’t have).

“There are so many scouts that one is bound to say something terrible”

I agree with you but if you think about it, when he was called up at the end of the regular season he featured a straight fastball. His velocity has been missing all year. This is not the same guy that had a no hitter going in Texas(07).

As far as concerns about exposing himself–it’s too late.

According to a Scout
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A ‘scout’ is the worst source ever. A SCOUT. There are so many scouts that one is bound to say something terrible about him. You could go ask ANOTHER scout and he would tell you that his velocity is great, he has great movement, and is developing nicely. And you could find hundreds more scouts somewhere in the middle. What ‘a Scout’ (I’m not sure why you capitalized it) says, doesn’t mean anything.

According to a Scout, Hughes’ velocity is down, his movement is virtually non-existent, and his mechanics are a mess. I’m just hoping we can package him before he totally exposes himself…

Did you ever think that maybe Hughes is working on some things down there and maybe that is why the results haven’t been very good? Who knows…that may or may not be the case. But, it is something to consider. But harping on his every start esp. when the results really do not matter seems a little foolish. He’s there to get innings and work on things. I’d much rather he take some lumps now and work on things, but become a better pitcher for it then just go down there and dominate guys, but not get any better. I know he’s been trying to add a cutter. Maybe he’s just working on that or something else. We don’t know. He may or may not fulfill expectations, but analyzing every AFL start is a bit much. Relax and let the kid develop.

I think your right right about leaving him at triple A and seeing how it goes. The one thing the team can’t afford to do is count on him in any capacity for 2009.

Roy Halladay threw up a 10.64 ERA in his Age-23 season with the Blue Jays. 19 Games, 13 Games Started, 2.202 WHIP, ERA+ of 48. You could look it up.

Phil Hughes’ Age-23 season isn’t until next year.

In addition to your speculation about less-experienced vs. more-experienced hitters in the AFL (which you could actually look up to verify), I suspect that Hughes is working on an assortment of third pitches, trying to determine which he commands best and is going to focus on developing next year. I’m not sure that his changeup is a plus pitch. It doesn’t necessarily have to be, but it would help. Also, from an account of the game last night, it seems Hughes was throwing both his slider and his curveball in his bullpen. I don’t know if he just uses the slider to warm up, but Nardi Contreras got him to shelve the pitch a couple of years ago, presumably because of injury concerns, and start throwing a curveball, which Hughes took to immediately. I’d read that he doesn’t throw his slider in games anymore, since he’s said he finds it hard to command more than two offspeed pitches.

In any event, here’s an account of last night’s game.

http://www.dugoutcentral.com/blog/?p=2035