I pitched in the Arizona league, and while it is a hitters league, a quality pitcher can shut them down. The problem with Hughes is the same problem we saw while he was up… His fastball has no movement, and he has trouble commanding his off-speed pitches.

Both of these problems can be fixed to certain degrees. My concern is that they haven’t been fixed yet. I still don’t see Hughes as a frontline, or even a backline guy unless these problems are fixed. As for Kennedy, I still think he’s a better pitcher than Hughes—whatever that means at this point. His problem is between his ears, and that is something that may never be fixed.

Hughes may not have the 95-96 blistering heater that was originally touted by the Yankees PR department (obviously they were using the fast gun when doing their research), but to say his fastball has no natural movement and can’t be upgraded to a high quality fastball is simply not true.

Will he ever dominate with his heater? Probably not. But subtle mechanical changes can give him tailing and even sinking movement. However, as I say that I am concerned that it hasn’t already been done. Hughes seems like a smart, coachable kid.

Even if his fastball only gets nominal movement, the more important aspect, and frankly my greatest concern is his inability to effectively change speeds off of it and spotting it in, out, up and down, whenever and wherever he needs it. I haven’t seen that kind of command from him.

Hughes’s out-pitch seems to be his curve which is dazzling. Using his fastball effectively as mentioned above negates the need to throw it at Joba speeds. Unfortunately, and for whatever reason there seems to be a disconnect between what he is doing and what he needs to be doing.

If I were Dave Eiland, I handcuff Hughes to Mussina’s left wrist and pray that some of Mike’s savvy and know-how rub off on Hughes. With pedestrian stuff, he needs to learn the art of pitching, and as we all saw last year, Mussina has proven to be the Monet of the staff.

I wouldn’t have voted for George Bush … Hows that?
Looking back and playing the “what if” game is futile, and leaves one with cold sweats. It also leads to drinking and pill dependency—none of which are very good. However, for the sake of argument, and the fact that it’s 9:18am and I haven’t yet had my morning drink, I’ll play. I would have sat on Hughes, Kennedy and Cabrera. I would not have parted with them for Santana. Here’s why … I believed Melky was about to have a breakout season. I was enamored with Hughes and his near no-no, and I absolutely loved the way Kennedy went about the game. Unfortunately though, no one could have foreseen that all three would succumb to an invasion of the body snatchers type of thing and blow huge for the season.

Now I’m sweating … Are you happy now. Where are my pills, dammit.

I wouldn’t have made the deal either and said so many times within these walls. And I still wouldn’t because I think Hughes is going to be fine.

Never give up on young talents like that. We Yankee fans should have learned that this past season watching other young arms struggle then blossom from around the league such as Lester, Volquez, Matt Garza, Sonnanstein, Ervin Santana, Mike Pelfry, etc, etc.

The deal wasn’t made because of the numbers expected out of them in 2008. It wasn’t made because of the long term expectations from the young arms – most notably Hughes.

Keep in mind that Theo Epstein also declined to make the deal for Santana for the same reason Cashman did. Theo didn’t want to give up Buchholz or Lester.

but there’s a reason why Hughes was the best prospect in baseball just a couple of years ago. It wasn’t simply because Cashman liked him.

It took a few years before things started clicking for Lester, Garza, Santana, and Volquez. He’s only 22 years old and has less experience than all of those guys.

But you go ahead and bury him now.

If you actually read my post, you’d have realized I put Gooden in a class with Sam MacDowell—a guy you probably never heard of (even though you know pitching talent). Gooden had a thunderbolt for an arm, and should have been a 250+ game winner with multiple Cy Young’s. He was an enigma pure and simple.

Have an adult read you what I wrote. I never suggested Hughes was in the same class as Gooden. But I did say he was a major talent. … And unlike you, I actually do know pitching talent when I see it. What I said was his script has yet to be written, and he could end up like Gooden—an enigma.

Don’t just spout crap to hear yourself talk. As Mark Twain once said, “Better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you’re an idiot than open it and remove all doubt.”

I wouldn’t give Hughes or Kennedy a spot in the rotation unless they flat out earn it in Spring Training.
I think we need to consider each of them as well as some other good arms that we saw last season.