Phil Hughes Last 18 Starts
Posted by Steve L. on August 25th, 2010 · Comments (16)
From May 17th (of this season) through, and including, tonight, August 25th, Phil Hughes has made 18 starts for the Yankees.
In these 18 starts, he’s thrown 105.3 innings and has an ERA of 5.13 (facing 450 batters).
Basically, for 70% of his season to date, Hughes has pitched to an ERA over five.
Yeah, I know…but he’s an All-Star!
The turning point of this season was the failure to make the Cliff Lee deal. There is no evidence to suggest Hughes will be an effective postseason pitcher. He was horrible last year. He has not pitched well since the early part of this season. AJ has been bust this year, and Javy is Javy (no one should be surprised). Andy has been hurt and even if he returns I don’t think it will be enough. The only hope (and it’s a longshot)is somehow, someway AJ pulls it together.
Actually, Hughes had pitched pretty well his last 6 starts before tonight. Bad location tonight; he was stronger than usual, and had better stuff. Jays got two keys hits on pitches well out of the strike zone. It happens.
Again: there is no reason to call the failure to trade for Cliff Lee a turning point. In fact, over his last 5 starts Lee has been hit pretty hard.
I suppose Steve will repeat this post each time Hughes has a disappointing start. He wrote a similar piece a couple of weeks ago, comparing Joba and Hughes. Lather, rinse, repeat.
As for me, I’ll wait until the season is over to size up his full body of work.
Joseph Maloney wrote:
I concur, 100%.
Evan3457 wrote:
What’s a better sample size: 6 games or 18 games?
You realize Lee has pitched to Hughes’ season numbers since going to the Rangers right? (Walks aside, of course)
Steve Lombardi wrote:
Then 24′s a better sample size…
Scout wrote:
His 2010 season is 78% in the books now. You won’t have to wait for long.
Corey Italiano wrote:
Lee’s resume, overall, is light years better than Hughes’ to date.
@ Steve Lombardi:
But, isn’t baseball a “what have you done for me lately” kinda sport?
His problem seems to be the same as Joba’s was as a starter: Foulability. Phil Hughes is just about the most foulable pitcher in the Bigs these days. Yes, you can say it was location. He kept throwing the ball where they were swinging. Even his 0-2 waste pitch to Wells was a bad location: Left Field Seats.
@ Jim TreshFan:
foulability? u may have coined a new word
His problem is an out pitch. He doesnt have one. Would be nice if they mixed in a few curves and change ups.
I don’t know what this says about the rotation but Hughes and CC are the LEAST of my worries.
Jake1 wrote:
That’s what they were doing.
Steve Lombardi wrote:
cliff in his first full year in the rotation: 14-8 5.43 ERA 179 IP
phil hughes so far in his first full yr in the rotation: 15-6 4.12 ERA and will end up somewhee around 180 innings.
the kid is still young give him a break he’ll learn how to be constitent. and i not tryin o say hughes will be cliff lee in a few years. just makin a point that even some of the best pitchers have to learn how to be consistent at the ML level
and cliff lee hasnt pitched well at all in the month of august for the most part and especially in his last 4 starts