Pinstripe Alley: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:



Sports blogs for fans, by fans.
Around SBN: Steve McNair Dead - Former NFL QB Shot and Killed


A Cutter for Hughes

From Chad Jennings:

Did you know Phil Hughes (left) has scrapped his slider in favor of a cutter? I did not. But once I found out, tonight's outing made a lot more sense. 

Throughout the game, Hughes kept having success with an 87-89 mph pitch that seemed to have more movement than his regular fastball but too much velocity for a slider. He used it to strike out George Kottaras in the first inning, he used it to get a double play in the second, and he threw it off the plate to setup a 93 mph fastball for his final strikeout in the fifth. I thought he might be taking something off his fastball and getting a little extra movement, but no. New pitch. New to me, anyway...

My own ignorance of the Phil Hughes arsenal aside, the guy pitched pretty well tonight. His fastball touched 95 four times in the first inning, and regularly sat 93-94 most of the night. He leaned heavily on the fastball and cutter through the first three innings before mixing in his other pitches more often in the fourth and fifth. He threw three straight changeups the second time he faced Chris Carter. The first two missed up. The third got a routine popup.

That's news to me as well.  I don't see any advantage or disadvantage to it beyond the psychological.  And if the cutter works for him and keeps guys a little more honest on his fastball, then it's a plus.

I praised Joba when I heard he'd been tinkering with a sinker, so now I feel obliged to tip my cap to the 22 year-old with a strong work ethic.  What he was doing before he got hurt wasn't good enough, so he set about making a few changes.

We have to hope it works because he gets another tuneup and then I bet he's in the Bronx.

0 recs | Comment 9 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

More from Pinstripe Alley

The Deal(s) I'd Make

Oct 2008 by jscape2000 - 31 comments

Thinking About Phil Hughes

Jun 2008 by jscape2000 - 1 comment

Thinking About Phil Hughes

Apr 2008 by jscape2000 - 7 comments

Around SB Nation

Keane v Hughes

Oct 2008 from Global Futbol - 0 comments

Comments

Display:

I think it's a big plus for Hughes

because he wasn’t throwing the slider very much anyways. Never seemed to have a whole lot of confidence in it at all.

If he’s now throwing a cutter along with his normal fastball, curve, and change – that’s a fine repertoire to attack major league hitters.

Now he just has to get the command of his change and he’ll be in good shape.

by anaconda on Aug 8, 2008 12:48 AM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

it should help

against lefties, who have killed him in his short career. .922 OPS vs. LHB and .626 OPS vs. RHB.

by Travis G on Aug 8, 2008 12:57 AM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

a good +

That’s a good thing to hear. He certainly has plenty of potential and could become a solid starting pitcher in the majors. Let’s hope everything works out for him. As long as he hits spots and keeps his confidence up he’ll be dangerous.

by Fluke on Aug 8, 2008 1:08 AM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

two interesting things about Yanks/Sox next year

seeing Manny in pinstripes

and watching Hughes/Lester match ups

by the way, Jscape, who was pitcher of the month in July?

by Frank Malzone on Aug 8, 2008 8:37 AM EDT reply reply actions actions   1 recs

Manny in Pinstripes ...

Yeah, when pigs fly. That will NEVER happen.
As for Hughes adding a cutter, I think it’s a smart move. Last season, his fastball was hard and straight. I never saw a great deal of movement. Adding a cutter gives him late the movement on a velocity pitch that I don’t think he really had last season.

"Baseball is the background music of my life." -George Will

by Ronster22 on Aug 8, 2008 9:16 AM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Actually

I’d sign Manny to DH if I could trade either Matsui or Damon (preferably Damon), or if either of those guys would learn to play first.

Manny on a two or three year deal would be a lot of fun.

"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."

by jscape2000 on Aug 8, 2008 5:05 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Manny a Yankee?

He’s a stud, but he quit on the Sox, and he disrespected the game. Seriously, I’d prefer Bonds over Manny.

"Baseball is the background music of my life." -George Will

by Ronster22 on Aug 11, 2008 10:03 AM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

CC Sabathia

Why do you ask?

"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."

by jscape2000 on Aug 8, 2008 5:08 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Welcome to Pinstripe Alley, an SB Nation blog about the 26-time World Champion New York Yankees.

Community Guidelines
Start posting about the Yankees »

Join SB Nation and dive into communities focused on all your favorite teams.

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

Joba_small
The Francisco Cervelli Facts

Recent FanPosts

2160787714_e6e5c1dfd7_small
Red Sox Nation Is Real,.........
Dvc00218_small
Videos and Michael Kay
Lebron_james_small
Please help with this ..
4315_108082584044_546169044_2714549_7265838_n_small
We have a problem in baseball, and it has 3 different legs.
Small
Sanchez and Foreign Players!
Small
Interview with former Yankee pitcher, Ross Ohlendorf
2160787714_e6e5c1dfd7_small
My Life In Boston
Small
Joba or Hughes
Small
Yankee greats of all Time
Mickey-mantle-at-yankee-stadium-1963-photographic-print-c10115880_small
Hinske? Yanks acquire Hinske?

Post_icon New FanPost All FanPosts Carrot-mini

SPONSORS


Managers

Small Travis G

Bigblueview_small Ed Valentine

Editors

Small John Amato

Dsc00073_small jscape2000

Authors

Cyc2_small CrazyYankeeChick

Official Partner of Yahoo! Sports