While I’m not the biggest Phil fan, I hoped he would have a solid start that would allow me to exhale. Towards the end of last season I couldn’t help but to think what the team would be like if Melky and Hughes weren’t there and Johan Santana was. I was constantly being reminded of that by the gaggle of Twins fans surrounding me tonight. I had hopes tonight, but didn’t know what to expect from Phil and I don’t still don’t know what to do with him now. It seems that his value peaked during that trade talk and he’s our problem to solve. Looks like Evan3457 has a plan and I hope the Yankees do too because it’s clear they need to try something different with him.

However, I am starting to see what I should expect from Melky in 2009. This was the first time I felt some sort of electricity in the new stadium reminiscent of across the street and it was most def. sparked by Gardner’s inside-the-park HR and exploded when Melky hit that walk-off single. I politely reminded all those Twins fans surrounding me, some in town for the weekend, that it’s never over until it’s over and I don’t give a shit if Joe Nathan is on the mound. Welcome to NY.

Here’s what you do with Phil Hughes:

When and if Wang is ready to go, you send him back to AAA until mid-season, and you have him work on some sort of change to use against lefties, over and over again, the way the Tigers handicapped Porcello last season in A ball, until he can command it.

Then, sometime around July, you CUT either Veras or Ramirez, whichever is pitching the worst, and you use Hughes in middle/long relief, twice a week, to finish his development by letting him throw a couple of innings 2 or 3 times a week, (on his “start” day, and on his “throw” day) to learn how to command his stuff at this level, and get major league hitters out. Hopefully, this will leave him ready to be the #5 man next year, after Andy retires.

That’s how Earl Weaver used to do it.

If you don’t do this, you’re going to wind up trading him for 10 cents on the dollar, because he’ll never escape the “AAAA” branding, and he’ll finish his development for some other team…(“Can you say, ‘Oakland A’s’? I knew that you could.”)…who will then trade him as a finished starter just approaching arbitration/free agency for something really valuable.

And the Yanks will have minimized their maximize….yet again.

It’s mid-May and Brett Gardner now has twice as many homers as Alex Rodrguez. Baseball is a funny game, huh?

That’s an excellent theme. I think I can improve on it, though…let’s see…

Brett Gardner also has…um…infinitely more times as many HRs as David Ortiz, who as far as anyone know (*snicker*) has never, ever, ever, ever, ever used (*snort*) steroids.

HR Challenge Scoreboard as of May 15, 2009:

Brett Gardner: 2
Alex Rodriguez: 1
David Ortiz: 0